Children's home run by Keys Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2548418 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 registered to provide care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties. There were three children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since March 2023.

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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

Date of last inspection: 17 January 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: 2548418 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/01/2023 Full Good 21/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2548418 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made good progress from their starting points because they benefit from stable and consistent care by dedicated staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff demonstrate a sound understanding of children’s individual strengths and vulnerabilities. These are reflected in comprehensive plans, which are updated when children’s needs change.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to improve their life skills through key-work sessions and the use of a range of learning resources. The activities are enjoyable for children, and they help them learn how to live more independently in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children build trusting relationships with staff. All children can identify preferred staff from whom they seek support and advice when they need it..

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to learn about diversity and are encouraged to explore and develop a sense of their own identity. There is a diverse staff team, and this contributes to the promotion of equalities and to children’s understanding of a range of cultures and identities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children are attending and achieving well in education. One child is not currently engaging in education. The registered manager has proactively advocated for a bespoke education package to be put in place.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s wishes and feelings are valued and incorporated into all aspects of the way the home is run. Children’s wishes are clearly recorded throughout their care and support plans. There are plans to enhance this further with the creation of ‘positive experience folders’ to create a record of their time at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The health needs of all children are well supported. Specialist help has been provided to children where this is needed to improve their health outcomes. The staff team works well with a range of external professionals to ensure that children receive the help they need.

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

Children are kept safe and protected from harm. All children have lived in the home for a significant amount of time. This contributes to a sense of stability and belonging for them.

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

Children’s plans provide detailed information about their risks and emerging concerns. Consequently, staff are clear about the actions they should take in response to safeguarding concerns. Inspection report for children’s home: 2548418 4 When children go missing from the home, staff follow clear protocols and work well with other safeguarding agencies to establish the children’s whereabouts. When children are found, staff are curious and seek to understand what led to them being missing from the home. This is with the intention of reducing the risk of a recurrence.

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

Children are encouraged to take risks in accordance with their age. Free time is encouraged and supported where appropriate. The staff team supports children to reflect on their day-to-day choices and provides clear advice and boundaries in response to children’s behaviour.

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

Staff use a range of consequences to support children to learn from their mistakes. The staff approach is restorative, which promotes good relationships between staff and children. The management team reviews the effectiveness of consequences and challenges their use when necessary.

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

New staff are suitably vetted. Managers scrutinise applicants’ reasons for leaving previous roles with children and vulnerable adults to gain a full understanding of their previous employment history.

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

The physical environment is safe and well maintained. Children’s bedrooms are personalised to reflect their talents and interests.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The management team is aspirational and committed to ensuring the best outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers demonstrate strong advocacy for children and a clear focus on ensuring their needs are recognised and met. As a result, children benefit from a wide range of support services, and this helps them to thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive supervision and appraisals at agreed intervals. Staff are highly complimentary about the support they receive from the management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive a range of training to support them to provide good-quality care. The registered manager arranges specific training for staff to ensure they have the skills they need to meet the needs of the children they are looking after.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children’s records demonstrate excellent oversight by the management team. Leaders and managers ensure that children’s plans are regularly updated, and there is a proactive culture to ensure children’s emerging needs are addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers think very carefully about the household dynamics before making decisions about moving new children into the home. There is a clear focus on maintaining stability and security for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2548418 5 The registered manager routinely challenges other agencies to ensure that children receive the right support. While prospective support is being explored, the registered manager ensures that children receive high quality support through key- work sessions and careful planning. This has a direct impact on children’s overall positive progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The management team welcomes the input of the staff team when considering changes to processes and adaptions within the home. Consequently, morale in the team is good and staff work very well together. Communication between the staff is a particular strength. Inspection report for children’s home: 2548418 6

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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: 2548418 7

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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

Ashley Edwards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2548418 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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