Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC370910 1 SC370910 Registered provider: Keys Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private organisation runs this home. It provides care for up to three children who have experienced trauma that has left them vulnerable.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2017.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 30 November 2021

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC370910 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/11/2021 Full Good 21/01/2020 Full Good 19/06/2018 Full Good 05/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC370910 3

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outstanding

At the time of this inspection, there were three children living at the home. Since the last inspection, one child has moved into the home and one child has moved on from the home.

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outstanding

The home has a vibrant atmosphere filled with joy and laughter. The home is warm and welcoming and has a real sense of family. One child said that the manager is ‘like a mum’ to her and that she feels loved. A parent said that the staff are loving and warm. Children feel loved and cherished. Children flourish at this home.

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outstanding

Children have trusting relationships with staff. One child, who had not previously been able to trust adults or build relationships, said, ‘I am really going to miss the staff when I move out of the home.’ Another child said, ‘I can talk to the staff about anything.’ Children have meaningful relationships with staff who really care.

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outstanding

The manager and staff go above and beyond expectations to support children to have time with their families. The manager has facilitated lifts for parents who struggle with transport, and has ensured that the organisation has paid for activities to enable children to have fun with their families. One child has worked his way up to having regular overnight stays with his parent. A parent said, ‘Nothing is too much for the manager or staff. They are so helpful.’ Children spend time with people who are important to them. They take part in activities with their families that they otherwise may not have been able to.

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outstanding

Two children have education places. One child, who recently moved into the home following an exclusion from school, does not have an education place. He has started to engage with online tutoring. The manager is proactive and working hard to identify a school with the social worker and virtual school. A child said that staff have helped him by making education fun, and that he is enjoying learning again. One child spoke proudly about his excellent predicted GCSE grades. A parent said, ‘I never thought that my child would ever be able to sit GCSE exams, let alone achieve the grades predicted.’ Another child has achieved awards for her schoolwork. The manager and staff find creative ways to inspire children to learn. Children are making significant educational progress.

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outstanding

Staff have important discussions with children around safety, feelings and independence skills. One child has accomplished excellent work around internet safety. Staff use resources supplied from the specialist exploitation team. The resources are interactive and creative. The child has worked through various online training and received certificates. Children understand how to keep themselves safe, develop life skills, and feel able to have open and honest conversations about their feelings with staff they trust. Inspection report for children’s home: SC370910 4 Children take part in an abundance of activities. One child attends a music club and enjoys Anime. Another child said that she takes part in many activities including theme park trips, day trips and singing. Another child enjoys photography and chess. Children enjoyed a holiday to Wales. Staff take children on educational trips to museums, cathedrals and the zoo. Children have taken part in a sponsored walk

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outstanding

and a recycling fashion event to raise money for children’s charities. Children have fantastic opportunities to try new activities which improve their self-esteem and enable them to enjoy being part of the community.

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outstanding

Children’s moves in and out of the home are managed sensitively. One child, who had lived at the home for several years, moved on from the home to foster parents. The initial move date was when the manager was not at the home. In the manager’s absence, the deputy manager worked with the social worker so that the move would not happen until the manager returned from agreed leave. This meant that the child could say important goodbyes to people he cared about. The social worker said it was so important for the child. Children’s experiences of moving in or on from the home are positive, and staff and managers really understand the importance of positive endings.

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

Children feel safe at the home. There have been no incidents of children going missing from home. Staff understand and implement safeguarding procedures and have appropriate training. Children are safeguarded effectively.

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

One child has complex vulnerabilities in relation to online safety. The manager ensured that a risk assessment was put together jointly with the home’s exploitation specialist’s input. When the child has stays with their family, the family members follow the same risk assessment. Working in a joined-up way helps to keep children safe.

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

There has been one allegation. The manager managed the allegation and safeguarding concerns promptly. Actions were taken to ensure that the child was safeguarded and that identified learning was taken forward.

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

There has been one incident of physical intervention. This was appropriate, necessary and proportionate. The manager ensured that the staff involved had a debrief and explored how to prevent recurrence. The child was supported to express how she felt and to make sense of the incident. Being open to learning from incidents and supporting children in this way have meant that there have been no further physical interventions.

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

The home has a safeguarding champion. She meets quarterly with staff who represent different homes from within the organisation. The responsible individual chairs the meetings. In the meetings, participants look at different safeguarding themes, serious case reviews and safeguarding workshops. The information is explored with staff in team meetings. Safeguarding is given high importance. The manager and staff make continuous improvements to safeguarding practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC370910 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is exceptional. She models high standards of care and has high expectations of staff. The highly experienced manager has managed the home for five years. She holds a relevant level 5 qualification and has completed an emerging leader’s course. The manager is supported by an experienced and qualified deputy manager. Children benefit from the care of a well-led, knowledgeable, consistent and stable staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff said that the manager is excellent. They said that the managers go above and beyond expectations to support staff. Most of the staff hold a relevant level 3 diploma or are working towards the qualification. Some staff have achieved a level 4 diploma. Some of the senior staff are working towards an inspiring leader’s qualification. Staff feel valued and are committed and motivated to deliver exceptional care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive excellent training which is bespoke to children’s individual needs. Staff receive regular training from a therapist and are helped to understand children’s histories and trauma. The therapist spoke highly of the manager and staff. She said that the manager and staff are ‘an inspiration’. She went on to say, ‘They set the standard that every children’s home should meet.’ Staff understand children’s complex needs and feel empowered to deliver excellent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Social workers said that the manager and staff are phenomenal. They said that communication is excellent. One social worker said that she could not believe the significant progress that one child has made in such a short time. The social worker said, ‘It [progress] is magical. That is all down to the staff and manager.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is a superb advocate for the children. On one occasion, the manager was not satisfied that a child was receiving the required level of input from the local authority that the manager expects for children in her care. The concerns were addressed and action taken by the local authority to meet the child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff use a researched therapeutic model to inform their practice. The staff understand and implement the model. A social worker said, ‘You only need to look at the significant progress that children make to know that therapeutic practice is embedded.’ The home’s therapist said that the model is fully embedded into everyday practice. The therapist said, ‘The relationships that staff have with children are beautiful to watch.’ Staff understand and deliver excellent therapeutic care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC370910 6

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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: SC370910 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Soloist Building, 1 Lanyon Place, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT1 3LP

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Inspector

Amy Miles, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC370910 8 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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