Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Buckinghamshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2543427 1 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

This home is one of a group of homes that make up the Cross Regional Project, which has been set up between Keys Group and four local authorities: Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. The home cares for up to four children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Four children were living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

A manager has been in post since February 2023 and has submitted their application to register with Ofsted.

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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: 2543427 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2022 Full Good 09/08/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2543427 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress and have developed their social and emotional skills. They lead busy and active lives and attend sports clubs, take part in activities and spend time with their families. Staff capture this progress, along with children’s memories, in books specially made for each child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to lead healthier lives. Children who previously found health appointments difficult now attend with staff support. Children are helped by staff to understand puberty and develop personal hygiene skills using interactive resources. Children are actively encouraged by staff to give up electronic cigarettes. Consequently, one child has stopped using them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Thoughtful planning ensures that children have positive experiences when moving into and on from the home. Since the last inspection, one child has moved into the home. This was well planned, with leaders and managers involving the children who already live in the home to help with the planning and in welcoming the new child. When a child moved out of the home, the child’s wishes were central to their plans. For instance, the child wanted to celebrate their move and the remaining children helped them do this. Since moving on from the home, this child has stayed in contact with the other children and the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help motivate children to attend school regularly. When children are not in education, leaders work well with the local authority to help get children back into education. Therefore, most of the children attend school regularly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a homely and relaxed living environment. Staff understand the children well and this helps to ensure positive relationships between them. Children’s plans set out relevant history and identified targets for the future. However, these plans do not always include up-to-date records of key conversations with children.

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

Staff understand children’s risks well. Clear and detailed risk management plans ensure that there is sufficient guidance for staff to help them manage known risks. When the risks are significant, leaders share relevant plans with the child’s placing local authority so there is a collaborative approach to managing the risks. Staff know when and how to raise concerns about children. As a result, children living at the home are kept safe.

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

Staff follow robust plans when children go missing from home, to ensure that children receive the support they need. Staff contact relevant agencies when required and ensure that children have return interviews from the local authority on their return. Inspection report for children's home: 2543427 4 Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the risks posed to children online. Staff use safeguards on the home’s Wi-Fi to help reduce some of the risk. In addition, staff help children understand how to safely use their devices and record this in agreements with children. Staff complete regular checks of children’s devices to ensure that there is an additional level of monitoring. However, records for one child did not reflect these checks.

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

The manager promotes a positive approach to behaviour management. Children have clear plans that are kept up to date and include learning reviews from the manager following incidents of physical intervention. Staff reward children for positive behaviour and the manager scrutinises the use of consequences to ensure they are restorative.

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

Managers take prompt and robust action when allegations are made against staff. Leaders listen to children, undertake detailed investigations and work collaboratively with the local authority designated officer to ensure that allegations are well managed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is working towards their level 5 qualification and has applied to register with Ofsted. The manager is experienced and has led other homes in the organisation. An experienced responsible individual and deputy manager support the manager effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is improving the quality of care for children and has a clear vision for the home. They consider feedback from the independent person and from internal quality audits. Consequently, the manager has promptly identified areas for development and has started making changes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring systems are not always fully effective. For instance, systems have not picked up concerns about staff practice. However, when the independent person has identified practice concerns, leaders have investigated these and worked with staff to help them to learn from incidents. The new manager is improving these systems, but this is not yet embedded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders provide frequent and good-quality supervision to ensure that staff are well supported to carry out their roles. Supervision sessions include consideration of staff well-being, the individual needs of children and safeguarding topics. Staff receive training specific to the needs of children. Specialists within the organisation help staff to apply learning to practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the previous inspection, there has been some staff turnover. New staff have been well supported in their new roles and have received good-quality induction, training and regular probation reviews. When staff have left, they have had the opportunity to say goodbye to children. This helped children to be well supported during the staff changes. Inspection report for children's home: 2543427 5

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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 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 promotes their welfare.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that monitoring systems identify staff practice concerns effectively. 19 May 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, keep children’s records up to date, including details of key conversations with children and when safety checks are completed. 19 May 2023

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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: 2543427 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: C/o Pinsent Masons LLP, The Soloist Building, 1 Lanyon Place, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT1 3LP

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Inspector

Mark Dawkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2543427 7 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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