Children's home run by Keys Nhcc Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 1 Registered provider: Keys NHCC Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private provider to care for up to three children who may have emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There are three children currently living in the home. The inspector spoke to one child during this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2022.

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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: 1267650 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/03/2022 Full Good 07/01/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/10/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/03/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have trusting, positive relationships with the staff. They understand the children’s individual likes, interests and needs. The staff have used their knowledge of the children to foster safe, positive relationships between the children and the staff’s pets, which are regularly brought into the home. One child said, ‘The best thing about the home is having [the name of the dog], I just love him.’ This helps the children to develop empathy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well understood by the staff, and children access local health professionals when needed. Staff are proactive in ensuring that the children are well supported by local mental health services. Staff are committed to understanding the triggers for the children’s self-injurious behaviours. They work closely with other professionals to ensure that the children’s emotional needs are met. In addition, children benefit from therapy that helps them to understand their identity, and how their family history has shaped them into the person that they are. Therefore, the children know that they have people who they can talk to about their feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise and promote the importance of education. Children are at different points on their learning journey and they are making varied progress. The staff work closely with education professionals to overcome any barriers that prevent the children from participating in their education, and they promote positive learning opportunities. When resources are not forthcoming, the staff are proactive and they advocate strongly for the children. They play an active role in supporting the children to explore alternative education opportunities in the community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have age-appropriate social interactions as they enjoy access to a range of social, educational and recreational opportunities, including activities in the local community. These activities help the children to build their social skills and strategies to form and maintain relationships, and gain a sense of belonging in their local community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with the children’s families. The staff ensure that these important relationships are maintained by promoting good-quality family time. This helps the children to maintain positive relationship with their family and friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff respect the children’s identity and they celebrate diversity in the home. Children are supported to develop their self-esteem and understand their own individual identity. This helps the children to develop empathy and an appreciation of the individuality and diversity of others. Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 4

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

Staff have a good understanding of the children’s risks and the behaviours they present. Risk and behaviour management plans provide the staff with clear guidance so that they can identify the triggers that may cause children distress. This helps the staff to respond appropriately to children to prevent them going into crisis. Staff follow clear strategies to reduce and manage risk, which helps to keep the children safe.

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

Staff support the children to understand, and then reduce any behaviours that might cause harm to themselves or others. The manager uses her effective monitoring systems to track these incidents closely. She shares the children’s progress and any learning from her monitoring with partner agencies appropriately.

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

Key-work sessions help the children to talk about their feelings, which supports their emotional well-being. Children also attend regular house meetings, which provides them with an opportunity to feel listened to and to have their views, wishes and feelings considered.

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

There is a well-coordinated approach from staff and external professionals when children go missing from the home. Staff try to locate the children quickly and they ensure that all relevant processes are followed. Safeguarding agencies are notified and the children’s risk assessments are reviewed and shared with the staff to try and prevent further reoccurrence of incidents of children going missing.

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

The children’s home is well maintained, and children’s views are captured to ensure that they contribute to the design and furnishings. Staff also undertake regular health and safety checks to ensure that the building is maintained safely. There is a plan in place to refurbish areas of the home that require updating.

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

Consequences are of a restorative nature and used as a last resort in the home. However, the inspector found that the manager does not consistently carry out staff debrief in the required timescale. This shortfall means that the manager has failed to ensure that the staff are consistently provided with an opportunity to reflect on their behavioural management practice in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a registered manager in post who has high expectations for what all the children can achieve. The staff are positive about the manager and describe a supportive environment. Staff spoken to describe the manager as being readily available to provide advice and guidance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safer recruitment practice means that only suitable staff work with the children and the home is a safe place to live. New staff complete an induction that helps them to understand the ethos and values of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 5 The registered manager ensures that all staff receive training to meet the individual needs of the children. In addition, the staff receive bespoke training to help them better understand the children’s specific needs. The staff say that this has provided them with the skills and knowledge to care for children safely.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager understands the strengths and areas for development of the service and she regularly reviews the quality of care. She spends time with the staff and children so that she has a good understanding of the progress that the children make.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

At times, there have been delays in receiving the children’s statutory written plans from the children’s placing authority. The registered manager has requested these, and has escalated matters appropriately to ensure that the children’s key documents are received in a reasonable time. This has ensured that the children’s case file contains up-to-date and relevant information.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision sessions. However, these are not always practice- related and some lack reflective discussions about the staff’s practice. This is a missed opportunity for the manager to support the staff to understand how their feelings may affect their responses to the children’s behaviour. Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 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 registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (3)(b)(i) 21 March 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have a system in place so that all staff receive supervision of their practice that allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: 1267650 7

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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

Cherie Chen, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 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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