Children's home run by Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1247776 1 Registered provider: Keys Group Progressive Care and Education Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company and is registered to provide care for up to three children with autism spectrum disorder and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager in the home. An interim manager is in post.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1247776 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/01/2022 Full Good 13/01/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/04/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/08/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1247776 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children live in the home. The staff build good relationships with the children. Staff have a good understanding of the children’s needs. One parent said that the staff are ‘so dedicated’ to their child’s needs and they ‘go above and beyond’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are attending school regularly. There is good communication between the staff and education providers. The staff are strong advocates for the children. For example, staff advocated for a child to have a teaching assistant with British sign language (BSL).

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain good physical health. Children are in a good routine with their medication and attend all their health appointments. The staff have good working relationships with health services and have sourced specialist support for the children. For example, a dentist and hairdresser visit the home to see the children so that they are in a familiar environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to carry out daily tasks independently in line with their individual needs, for example personal care, choosing their clothes and going shopping. This is helping the children to prepare for adult life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Individual sessions are carried out with the children. Children with non-verbal communication are supported to use Makaton and BSL if required. Staff use social stories to help the children learn about what to expect in different situations and why. For example, one child successfully attended a hospital appointment, and two children went on holiday in the summer.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to engage in activities in the community, such as trampolining, swimming and going for a meal. The children will regularly go for a walk together with staff. This is helping the children to develop their confidence and social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff arrange for children to spend time with their family, who are welcome to visit the home. This helps the children to maintain their identity and continue to see the people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff do not have the current copy of all the children’s relevant plans and documents, including the placing authority’s care plan, health assessment and court orders. Therefore, staff do not have access to up-to-date information about the children. This limits the staff’s ability to support the children and their development and measure the children’s progress accurately from when they moved in. Inspection report for children’s home: 1247776 4

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children have a high level of supervision which is consistent with their plans. This means that they can develop their independence while staff ensure that they are safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Individual assessments of risk are in place and updated regularly by the children’s key worker. The staff understand the children’s vulnerabilities and identified risks, and the strategies used are clear and effective. This means that children are safeguarded effectively because of the care they experience.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children receive help and support to manage their behaviour and feelings safely. Staff provide the children with clear routines and boundaries, and children receive praise for positive behaviour.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Restraints are proportionate and used as a last resort. The recordings of incidents of restraint are detailed and show a range of de-escalation strategies used in attempts to avoid the restraints. Staff and children receive a debrief after an incident. Debriefs for children are child centred and in accordance with their communication needs.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home. Staff are clear on what action they would take should a child go missing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is new to the home. He is suitably qualified and intends to apply to Ofsted for registration. There is an experienced deputy manager who knows the children well and is a positive role model for staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a sufficient number staff at the home to meet the children’s needs and to protect them from harm. However, there has been a high turnover of staff since the last inspection and recruitment is ongoing. Regular bank workers are used to cover the shortfalls, which helps to ensure that the children receive continuity of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring and review systems are in place. However, there is a lack of consistent management oversight of children’s risk assessments and plans. This means that the managers do not have a full understanding of what is working well and the areas for development to improve the quality of care that the children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff receive training to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to understand and meet the children’s individual needs. For example, staff have completed training in autism spectrum disorder, BSL, Makaton and sensory processing. New staff coming into the home have received an appropriate induction.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that managers are supportive. Staff have regular supervision, and records demonstrate that supervision is of good quality and gives staff an opportunity to reflect on their practice. However, appraisals have not taken place annually for all staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 1247776 5 Team meetings do not take place each month. Therefore, staff have not had an opportunity to discuss complex issues and talk through ideas and solutions together, particularly during a time of staff change. Inspection report for children’s home: 1247776 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that children’s relevant plans and documents are obtained from the placing local authority to inform care planning to meet the children’s needs. 26 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; 26 January 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 1247776 7 demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the registered person ensuring that there are consistent systems in place to monitor and review the children’s assessments and plans and their progress in accordance with their relevant assessments and plans.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the registered person ensuring that all staff have an annual appraisal. 26 January 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should be responsible for leading a team which provides high-quality care for all children living in the home. Specifically, the registered person should ensure that team meetings take place regularly. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.4)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: 1247776 8

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Domestic and inter-country adoption

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Group Progressive Care and Education Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Maybrook House, Second Floor, Queensway, Halesowen, Worcestershire B63 4AH

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Inspector

Dawn Walker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1247776 9 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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