Children's home run by Keys Education Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: SC488439 1 SC488439 Registered provider: Keys Education Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider and offers care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2019 and is suitably qualified.

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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: 9 November 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: SC488439 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/11/2022 Full Good 12/08/2021 Full Good 21/01/2020 Full Good 12/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC488439 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home and on from the home are planned well. They visit the home before they move in, which helps them to settle in. Staff promote positive endings when children leave the home, which helps to build their life stories. Since the last inspection, three children have moved out of the home and three children have moved in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say they feel happy in this nurturing environment. They enjoy warm relationships with staff, which contributes to them feeling secure. Parents speak positively about their children’s care, and social workers say that children are making good progress from their starting points. Children’s views are captured and listened to, which influences decision-making. For example, a new climbing frame with a tree-house has been purchased for the garden.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has a family feel, and children enjoy living in a comfortable and spacious environment. Children take pride in their home and help with tasks such as laying the table for meals together. Children like caring for their pet goldfish and helping to care for staff’s pet dogs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children respond well to the routines embedded in the home, and staff implement children’s individualised routines well. For example, bedtime routines help children to relax before they go to sleep, which promotes their well-being. Children say they have fun and go on lots of adventures. Staff are motivated and encourage children’s individual interests. One child enjoys swimming lessons, and another child enjoys baking cakes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise and promote the importance of education. Two children attend school and are making progress with their learning. The third child is supported by staff to participate in daily educational activities while a suitable education placement is found for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Equality and diversity are promoted. Children learn about different cultural celebrations, such as Chinese New Year. This helps them to develop an understanding about people who are different to themselves. Staff understand the importance of positive emotional health and support children to create their identities and explore their sexuality.

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

Children feel safe. Staff understand and manage the risks associated with children’s care well, including concerns about a child’s safety. Staff and professionals work together to help children manage their feelings and emotions. This work supports children to understand boundaries and acceptable behaviours. Inspection report for children’s home: SC488439 4 Children are encouraged to keep themselves safe. One child completed an online learning course to help them use the internet more safely. Systems to keep the child safe online, such as daily visual checks of their mobile phone, are effective.

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

Staff encourage children to take risks that are appropriate for their age. One child has started to spend time away from the home with their friends. This has increased the child’s confidence and independence and is a big achievement for them.

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

Staff use a range of strategies to support children when they feel upset, angry or anxious. This means that physical intervention techniques are used rarely and as a last resort. Following incidents, staff talk to children to help them to reflect on what happened. The registered manager scrutinises incidents to ensure that interventions were necessary to maintain children’s safety.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. When this happens, staff take effective action and children are returned home safely. Staff respond with compassion when children harm themselves. Children know that they will get help if they need it, and they will seek it from staff.

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

Healthy lifestyles are promoted. Children attend routine health appointments. Staff administer one child’s medication. However, information about the dosage required for one medicine was inaccurate. This means that the child’s health condition might not be well managed. The manager has taken action to remedy this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The experienced manager is dedicated to her role. She has high aspirations for children and strives to ensure that the aims of the home and the therapeutic model of care are demonstrated in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring systems are effective. The manager has good oversight of the service and works well with professionals to ensure that children’s needs are met. Professionals are positive about the progress children are making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager understands the home’s strengths and areas for development. They use learning from practice, such as complaints, to improve children’s experiences. All the requirements and recommendations that were made at the last inspection have been met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are carefully vetted before they look after children. This ensures that children receive care from safe adults. Staff receive an induction when they start working in the home and undertake training to help them meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children receive their care from a consistent team of staff who feel supported and work well together. They receive monthly supervision and annual appraisals. Regular team meetings also take place, which provides opportunities for staff to reflect on their practice and identify any learning to ensure that they support children well. Inspection report for children’s home: SC488439 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 registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that up-to-date and accurate medication records are maintained for children. 5 April 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: SC488439 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Education 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

Amy Richards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC488439 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 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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