Children's home run by Keys Active 8 Care Limited in Rossendale

Inspection report for children’s home: SC064428 1 SC064428 Registered provider: Keys Active 8 Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home cares for up to four children who may have emotional and social difficulties. Two children currently live in this home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2020.

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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 outstanding

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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: SC064428 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/08/2022 Full Good 12/01/2022 Full Good 28/02/2020 Interim Not judged 17/09/2019 Interim Not judged Inspection report for children’s home: SC064428 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made clear, measurable progress since the last inspection. Staff understand children’s behaviour and work hard to ensure that the children feel loved and cared for. The atmosphere in the home is relaxed and natural.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have trusting relationships with staff. Positive relationships are clear to see between staff and children. Staff talk to children with warmth and humour. One child said, ‘The bonds I have with staff are outstanding and I will hold all these fun times in my heart forever.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a clean and warm environment. They have their own bedrooms. Staff help children to personalise their bedrooms. This means that children’s bedrooms are decorated to their taste. There is artwork and photos of the children displayed throughout the home, and it has a family feel.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children go to school full time. They have made good progress since the last full inspection. They have maintained regular school attendance. When children have found it difficult to attend school, staff have worked with the school and other professionals to find alternative ways of learning. This is to ensure that children can continue progressing in their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to become more independent according to their ages and abilities. For example, they learn to manage their finances, prepare some of their own meals, and tidy their bedrooms. In addition, staff ensure that children gain the right support to prepare them for the next stages of their lives. As a result, children become more confident and ready for adult life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s records use non-stigmatising language. The manager is passionate about ensuring that language used in the home does not institutionalise children. This reduces any stigma for children who are living away from home.

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

Staff have the skills to understand children’s complex needs. The staff work closely with the therapy team to support their practice with the children. This has had a positive impact and both children have made progress with their emotional health and well-being.

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

Staff are confident and have a clear understanding of what safeguarding means. They follow the processes needed to protect children. There are clear risk assessments and behaviour support plans in place. They are well written, understood by staff, and reviewed by managers. Inspection report for children’s home: SC064428 4 Staff work with children to help them to understand and manage individual risks. Incidents of self-harm are reducing. This is due to the support and positive messages given by staff. In addition, staff provide children with the tools to communicate their feelings in a different way. As a result, children develop better ways of coping.

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

Staff understand the early indicators of children becoming upset. They use a range of proactive strategies that help the children to remain calm. As a result, staff rarely need to physically hold the children. Records show that children and staff talk about any incidents. This helps staff to reflect on their actions, which means that learning is included in children’s support plans.

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

Door alarms are used on children’s bedroom doors. This means that at night, staff wake to support children. These have been put in place with the permission of social workers. However, children were not told about door alarms before moving in to the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The dedicated manager has a sound knowledge and understanding of each child. This is because the manager balances her work with time spent directly supporting the children. This helps her to fully understand the children’s needs and develop meaningful care plans to ensure that children make good progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is admired by professionals, parents and staff for her persistent determination to improve the lives of children. She is driven to help children to achieve their aspirations and goals. As a result, children thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is a strong advocate for children’s rights. She confidently challenges other professionals when the children’s needs are not being met. Positive relationships with other professionals and partnership working are at the centre of the manager’s practice. This leads to better outcomes for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has high expectations of her staff team. Recruitment and induction procedures are robust. The manager understands the importance of developing the staff team’s skills and uses a range of tools to achieve this. This includes the staff receiving a suite of training that is tailored to meet the children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Team meetings and supervision sessions are of a consistently high quality. The manager uses her observations of staff practice to inform reflective discussions during supervision sessions. The manager provides positive and constructive criticism, which helps the staff to develop their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager completes a quality of care review. This is informative, drives improvement and allows the regulator to have a thorough understanding of the care that children receive. The independent visitor offers an additional layer of scrutiny. Actions are followed up and acted on swiftly by the registered manager. Inspection report for children’s home: SC064428 5

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Statutory requirement

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 may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance. (Regulation 24 (1)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager needs to ensure that children are informed of the use of door alarms in advance of moving in to the home. 30 October 2024

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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: SC064428 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Active 8 Care 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

Sally Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC064428 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 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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