Children's Home run by Keys Child Care Limited in Hertfordshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2720366 1 Registered provider: Keys Child Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned home providing care for up to four children aged from 12 to 17 years. The home offers 52-week placements to support children’s social, emotional and mental well-being.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in May 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2720366 2

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improvement to be good

The home opened in May 2023. Since then, two children have moved into the home. When the second child moved in, the manager considered the needs of both children and the potential risks were explored. Since then, there have been significant safety concerns, and one child is being cared for in temporary accommodation. Notice has been given on both children's placements at the home, for their own safety. This means that both children will experience another move. One child has had the opportunity to meet with staff from her new placement and visit the home in preparation.

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improvement to be good

Children do not attend school regularly. One child’s school attendance is very low, and the other child has no school place. One child spends long periods in her bedroom. The other child is living at a temporary address with two members of staff to support her.

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improvement to be good

Despite concerns over a child’s eating, their mental health and use of vapes, the staff have been unable to get the child to see primary healthcare professionals. The staff have encouraged the child to attend, and the staff team have attended these appointments in the child’s absence. The child has had a blood test that has identified a vitamin deficiency.

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improvement to be good

Children live in a beautiful house that has been creatively decorated. Children choose the decor and colour schemes for their bedrooms. The garden is a tranquil and well-kept space, however, there are no play resources to encourage children to spend time outside.

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improvement to be good

Staff have built trusting relationships with the children. They make every effort to provide enjoyable activities and quality time. On occasions, children participate in learning new skills and enjoying new experiences, although recently these have reduced.

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improvement to be good

The staff support children’s family relationships well. They communicate with children’s families and keep them updated. Children are helped to have family visits at their family homes, and families can visit the children at the home.

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improvement to be good

Children’s birthdays are celebrated by the enthusiastic staff team, who take time and pleasure in creating special celebration days.

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improvement to be good

Inspection report for children's home: 2720366 3 There has been an escalation in instances of children going missing from the home. The combined risks of the children living together have meant that they have been at serious risk of harm in the local community. Police have been required to attend incidents to ensure that the children are protected from the dangers of road traffic and returned home safely.

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improvement to be good

At times, the children have left the home. The children have had a negative influence on each other. Staff recognised that children were preparing to leave the home, however they were unable to prevent this. On occasions, this has been at night, which has further increased the risks to children of being out in the community.

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improvement to be good

There are many risk assessments for each child. Finding information is confusing, as risk concerns are spread across a number of assessments. Some information is contradictory and could lead to staff misunderstanding the risk level and the strategies to help children stay safe.

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improvement to be good

There have been some concerns that the children could be at risk of criminal exploitation. Staff have worked with the children to help them to understand why professionals are worried about them.

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improvement to be good

There is a strong multi-agency response to incidents when children have been missing from the home, and information is shared appropriately. Actions arising from these incidents are followed through.

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improvement to be good

Safe recruitment is dealt with by the wider organisation with the manager checking all applications.

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good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. The staff team is new and staff are starting to work together. However, the effectiveness of this is reduced by the staff supporting one of the children in separate accommodation. In addition, when there was one child at the home, the staff supported the sister home. Therefore, at times agency staff have been used to make up the required staff numbers.

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good

On the day of the inspection, a new member of staff, on their third shift, was left alone with one child who has a high risk of self-harm. It is unclear how this member of staff knew how to reduce the risk of self-harm. The child was not supported with the agreed staffing ratios. Furthermore, the manager was delayed in getting to the home for several hours, due to unforeseen circumstances. This meant the child was at increased risk of harm.

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good

The manager recognises that the risks have increased significantly for the children and has shared this information with the appropriate professionals. This supports a multi-agency approach to managing risk. However, the risk-management strategies have not been effective, and incidents continue. Inspection report for children's home: 2720366 4 Staff receive regular reflective supervision sessions. A therapist supports them to understand the impact of trauma on the children. Team meetings encourage the sharing of information, to support consistent practice.

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good

Feedback from external professionals is positive. This helps to support good working relationships between the staff, the manager and the wider professional network. Families said the staff are good at communicating, and this helps them feel supported and listened to.

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good

The staff are enthusiastic and energised. The are learning to work together to implement the home’s policies and procedures. Staff are genuinely working hard to try and engage children. Inspection report for children's home: 2720366 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, The 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)) 1 September

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)) 1 September

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. 1 September Inspection report for children's home: 2720366 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(viii))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the outside area is suitably maintained, to create a more welcoming space that encourages children to play outside. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 2720366 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Child Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Keys Care Ltd, Second Floor, Maybrook House, Queensway, Halesowen B63 4AH

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Inspectors

Trudy Potter, Social Care Inspector Deirdra Keating, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2720366 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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