Children's home run by Keys Care Limited in Belfast

Inspection report for children's home: 1242216 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

A private company operates the home. It provides care for up to four children with emotional and/or social difficulties.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 14 February 2023

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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: 1242216 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/02/2023 Full Good 16/11/2021 Full Good 19/02/2020 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/12/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 1242216 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. One child said, ‘I am becoming a better person through being here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote children’s education and advocate on their behalf. The manager has promoted the children’s wishes and feelings with the schools and colleges attended by the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in developing crucial life skills. For example, one child is now able to travel independently to college.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to make memory books. These reflect the children’s journeys. The photos show the children enjoying new experiences, such as going on holiday.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help each child to strengthen their self-esteem and to have a positive body image. Staff are good at sensitively supporting children who are exploring their own sense of identity. Staff make sure that children do not feel judged or stigmatised. However, staff have not yet received training to help them better understand attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and gender identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children can speak with the therapist, who regularly visits. Not all children regularly engage with the therapist. However, the children who have engaged have found it beneficial. The therapist also provides support to the staff to help them better understand the needs of the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager has not ensured that the children’s guide remains up to date. For example, it is missing information about advocacy services and does not hold the most up-to-date details on the children’s commissioner.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s needs. Staff ensure that there are structured routines, effective communication and clear behavioural boundaries in place. Staff de-escalate difficult situations with children effectively. This has resulted in fewer incidents of physical intervention being required.

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

Children have trusting relationships with staff. This helps develop strong attachments. Children commented that they can talk to staff about their worries or concerns. This gives children a sense of feeling loved, valued and cared for.

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

The location risk assessment is regularly reviewed. The manager seeks the views of relevant professionals and uses this external insight effectively to keep children safe. Inspection report for children's home: 1242216 4 Staff work in accordance with missing-from-care protocols. They are proactive in working alongside other professionals to locate children who have gone missing from the home. When children are back home, they are offered a return home interview with an external person. This provides children with the opportunity to talk to someone independent.

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

The registered manager has failed to routinely follow company procedures. For example, a member of staff continued to drive with children in the car after being reported for driving over the speed limit.

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good

The leadership and management of the home have at times been ineffective. Changes in staff, alongside the registered manager being away from the home for periods of time, have caused anxiety and instability for the children and the staff. The temporary management arrangements in place to bridge the gap have been counterproductive.

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good

Staff do not receive supervision in line with the home’s statement of purpose. However, staff feel that they can talk to each other for support. One member of staff said, ‘We have a ‘‘happy app’’, which is external support if we need it.’ Staff have acknowledged that there are gaps in supervision but said, ‘Someone will pick this up at some point.’

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good

Some staff supervision notes have been left in open boxes in the garage. This has left confidential records accessible to everyone.

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good

Systems to monitor children’s progress are not yet effective. As a result, shortfalls in practice can go unchallenged.

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good

The home’s statement of purpose does not accurately reflect statutory police guidance about children receiving return home interviews following a missing-from- home incident.

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good

Despite the shortfalls found at this inspection, managers and staff do know the children well and are committed to improving the quality of care. Inspection report for children's home: 1242216 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that concerns about staff practice are responded to promptly and that a thorough investigation is completed in a timely manner. 4 January 2024

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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 4 January 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 1242216 6 child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

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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)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person using monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home and the need to improve storage of staff documents.

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Requirement Due date

It also relates to the manager ensuring that staff have the required training to meet the individual needs of the children.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the statement of purpose containing accurate information in regard to children’s independent return home interviews being completed within 72 hours. 4 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

The employment of staff standard is that the registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing personal development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice led supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once a year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff receiving good-quality reflective supervision. 4 January 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 1242216 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff know and understand the role of the local authority designated officer. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.7)  The registered person should ensure that the children’s guide contains information to help the child understand how they can access advocacy support or independent advocacy, if eligible. It should also contain information about how to contact the Office of the Children’s Commissioner. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22)

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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: 1242216 8

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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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Inspectors

Linda Mason, Social Care Inspector Helen Gronhaug, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1242216 9 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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