Children's home run by Keswick Care Limited in Wakefield

Inspection report for children’s home: SC067865 1 SC067865 Registered provider: Keswick 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 the home. The home provides care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were two children living at the home.

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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

Date of last inspection: 28 September 2022

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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: SC067865 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/09/2022 Full Good 20/09/2021 Full Good 20/02/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 01/10/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC067865 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The carers have created a loving and homely environment for the children to live in. The carers understand the importance of developing and sustaining loving relationships with the children. In doing so, the children invest in their home and in their relationships with their carers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home resembles a family setting. The organisation understands the need to invest in and maintain a stimulating and comfortable home environment. The home radiates the personalities of the children who live there. The children’s bedrooms are decorated and furnished to a high standard. All these factors combine and give the children a sense of belonging and pride.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Increasing the children’s self-confidence is an important issue that the carers focus on. The carers learn about the children’s interests and use these as motivational tools to build up the children’s skills. In doing so, the children learn about their own barriers and, with their carers’ guidance, learn how to break these down. This means that the children are more likely to thrive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager has a thorough understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the professionals that are involved in the children’s lives. This has enabled effective and respectful challenge when there have been shortfalls concerning the children’s access to education. Therefore, the manager promotes the need for accountability by ensuring that the professionals involved in the children’s lives fulfil their obligations to the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a gradual approach to developing the children’s ability and confidence to live independently. The carers are skilled at teaching the children to travel independently, budget their money and learn how to better manage increased levels of responsibility. This means that, for those children who have moved on to supported living arrangements, they feel confident and ready.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The carers capture the children’s lives and experiences through compiling a vivid daily journal. Additionally, the carers record important conversations that they have had with the children. These efforts enable the children to reminisce and learn about how their carers were trying to be good role models and advocate for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people stay connected when they no longer live at the home. Over the course of the inspection, some of these young people contacted their previous carers and manager to share good news, or to seek advice and guidance. This gives children a sense of security, comfort and extends their support network. Inspection report for children’s home: SC067865 4

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

The carers are confident and able to support the children in processing traumatic events. The children feel safe talking about their worries, and they understand the emotional and practical support that is available to them. The therapist provides effective support to the children as well as the carers. Cumulatively, this creates a nurturing environment that promotes the well-being of the children and their carers.

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

The carers are guided by their strong sense of duty to safeguard the children’s well- being in the community. The carers learn about the risks in the community and the issues that these pose to the children. A police officer said that the carers ‘went above and beyond’ to safeguard the children. These efforts show the children that they are valued and fiercely protected by the staff.

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

There is a gradual approach to increasing the children’s responsibility to better manage their smartphones. The carers’ approach encourages the children to adopt their carers’ advice. These efforts have enabled the children to enjoy healthier sleep patterns. Additionally, the carers are better equipped to teach the children safer access to and use of social media platforms.

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

The manager has oversight of all incidents that are recorded in the home’s written records. However, some incident reports record a mass of subjective and unnecessary information. This has resulted in the manager missing important learning points for the team to consider.

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

The home’s written records do not always reflect the team’s awareness and planning around the children’s care. Consequently, some of the records, such as admissions paperwork and the children’s risk assessments, contradict the quality of care that the children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has instilled creativity, a shared vision and fun into the carers’ role. This has created a dynamic and diverse team. The carers are committed to their role and value what they do. Their positive outlook influences the children’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The organisation offers a good level of support that nurtures the carers to develop professionally. Additionally, the carers feel valued and they confirm that they are well supported by their manager. The carers feel that their supervision sessions are meaningful and support them to develop their good practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff are committed to the children. They have demonstrated their dedication and provided the children with continuity of care when there have been challenges in staffing the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has an effective support network. The responsible individual has a visible presence in the home, which has enabled them to gain the children’s trust. Inspection report for children’s home: SC067865 5 Additionally, it has enabled them to learn and better understand the dynamics in the home. This has better equipped the responsible individual to offer meaningful and constructive feedback for the manager’s consideration.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are frequent and well attended by the carers. The team meeting forum has a strong emphasis on planning the children’s care. However, important issues that are discussed are not always reflected in the children’s written records. Additionally, the recording of the minutes can sometimes confuse the message that the manager has conveyed. Inspection report for children’s home: SC067865 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children when they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and when they have fully considered the impact that the child will have on the existing group of children. In particular, the registered person should recognise and make plans to support the child’s unique circumstances. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third- party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations,

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Recommendations

including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: SC067865 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keswick Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 17 Cedars Business Centre, Barnsley Road, Hemsworth, Pontefract WF9 4PU

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Inspector

Steve Guirey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC067865 8 regulates and inspects 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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