Children's Home run by Keys Educational Services Limited in Lincolnshire

Inspection report children's home: SC363422 1 SC363422 Registered provider: Keys Educational Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a large national organisation and 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 is registered with Ofsted and is suitably qualified and experienced.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 14 November 2022

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC363422 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/11/2022 Full Good 17/11/2021 Full Good 25/06/2019 Full Good 14/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC363422 3

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outstanding

Since the last inspection, four children have moved out of the home, and three children have moved in. Two children had unexpected endings to their time at the home. These moves were managed with sensitivity and care, and children understood why they could no longer remain at the home. The manager carefully considered the needs of all the children when making these difficult decisions. They tried to ensure that children’s relationships with the home remained positive, and one child keeps in touch and regularly calls the home.

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outstanding

Children are making exceptional progress from their starting points. This is because they are provided with consistent, loving and nurturing care by a team of staff who are knowledgeable, adaptable and creative in their approaches. Children have positive, respectful and trusting relationships with staff. This provides them with security, stability and opportunities to develop and thrive.

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outstanding

Children go to school, maintain good attendance and are making progress. The manager attends regular meetings at school to ensure that everyone is working to agreed plans and sharing information. This means children are receiving predictable and structured routines, which supports their engagement in education. Staff support children to complete homework to promote their education. This takes the form of reading with children and playing educationally themed games to further develop children’s skills.

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outstanding

Children have opportunities to attend clubs in the community, such as swimming, dance and youth clubs. The manager also works with other homes in the region to put on social events and fundraising events for all the children. This provides children with a safe space to improve their social skills and develop friendship groups outside of the home. It also helps them develop an awareness of society and supports them in forming links with their community. The children are being taken abroad on holiday this year, which will provide them with memories and experiences.

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outstanding

Children are provided with exceptional and highly individualised care. The manager has used support from the therapy team and their own knowledge to create bespoke care plans. These plans are underpinned by research and the preferred therapeutic model of care used in the home. The manager has carefully considered every aspect of a child’s lived experience in creating their plans. For example, for younger children, the manager has considered the risk of children becoming institutionalised in group living situations and has implemented ways to reduce these risks. These include the use of language in reports such as referring to staff as ‘grown-ups who care for you’, establishing age-appropriate routines and care practices, and organising activities that provide opportunities to form friendships with children of the same age. This means children are provided with carefully considered care that is individual to their needs.

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outstanding

Inspection report children's home: SC363422 4 Children’s health needs are well met. Children are provided with healthy and nutritious meals and are encouraged to be physically active. The manager has worked with external health professionals to ensure children have received additional healthcare when needed. The clinical team has an active role in the home in supporting children’s emotional health and well-being. As a result, children’s emotional health has improved, and children have made excellent progress in this area, particularly around their emotional development and well-being.

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outstanding

Children are supported to stay in touch with their families, and they have regular time with people who are important to them. The staff support and supervise these visits, which has helped families to develop and maintain their relationships with the children. Children’s achievements are celebrated and shared, and this helps children to develop a sense of pride in themselves.

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outstanding

The manager has carefully considered the needs and impact of a new child who is due to move into the home. Children already living in the home were consulted with and were excited to welcome a new child. The clinical team has been actively involved with informing the initial plans. The manager has had meetings with the child’s school to support a positive transition into the home and for their existing education arrangements to continue. This will help to minimise some of the impact of change on the child and will provide some stability.

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outstanding

Children’s risk assessments and support plans are highly individualised and provide staff with guidance and clarity on how best to help and support children and keep them safe. They are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect any current or emerging concerns.

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outstanding

There have been some bullying incidents between children. The manager has taken a proactive response to these. Children have been well supported and have completed targeted work around the impact of bullying. Staff use resources, appropriate to the children’s age and level of understanding, to reinforce the message about being kind to others. The manager carefully considered the impact these incidents were having on children and made the difficult decision to ask for a child to move to another home. This was done with sensitivity and in a way that the child still felt cared for, to try and maintain the positive relationship they had with the team.

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outstanding

Incidents in the home have started to reduce as the team gets to know the children and the best ways to support them with their emotions. Children have made real progress in this area and are being helped to look at different ways of expressing their emotions. For some children, this has involved the use of books and stories, while for others, the manager has put up chalk boards to help children write down their feelings. This has been an effective way of helping children to communicate and share their thoughts. The team knows the children well, is attuned to their Inspection report children's home: SC363422 5 emotions and has provided early intervention to prevent incidents from escalating. Children have not gone missing from the home, but there are clear plans in place should this become an area of concern.

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outstanding

Children are provided with clear and consistent boundaries and routines. As a result, they feel safer and more settled as staff provide predictable and nurturing care. Children have trusting relationships with staff and are able to express their views and any concerns they may have. Allegations against staff have been well managed, with a thorough investigation, and appropriate action has been taken if necessary.

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outstanding

Any staff employed to work at the home, either temporarily or permanently, is subject to stringent safe recruitment practices. This provides assurance that the adults employed to work at the home are adults who are safe to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager provides strong and effective leadership and has created a culture where children are provided with safe, loving and nurturing care. The manager is entirely child-centred in their approach and is knowledgeable and skilled in their role. The staff know the children well and understand their complex needs. They have been adaptive and creative, and they have used research effectively to create highly individualised and bespoke care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager uses a range of tools to ensure they have effective oversight of the home. Due to the training, upskilling and investment in the team by the manager, they are well supported by the leadership team in the home. Staff are encouraged to be solution-focused and creative in their thinking. One of the major strengths in the home is the teamwork and consistency in their practice. This provides children with structured boundaries and routines, which helps them to feel safe and settled.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has high aspirations and expectations for the staff and the children. This is reflected in the excellent care that is provided. The development plan highlights how the manager plans to continue to improve the home, the team and the physical environment to ensure that children continue to have positive experiences and care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff work cohesively and are supported well by the manager. The team holds the manager in high regard and trusts and respects the decision-making and overall vision for the home. A staff member said, ‘She is incredible; never seen anyone work with children like she does.’ Another staff member said, ‘No one compares to the manager and how she is with the children. She helps you feel confident and positive in your role. Helps you to have the best practice.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular and reflective supervision sessions and appraisals, and these have supported their learning and development. Staff are encouraged to progress and take on additional roles and responsibilities, such as home champions, in specific areas like safeguarding. This provides an opportunity to share current Inspection report children's home: SC363422 6 themes and research related to safeguarding to improve and develop staff awareness. The staff team is highly motivated, and staff morale is high.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There are a range of training courses available to staff, and all staff have completed mandatory training in areas such as safeguarding and health and safety. The clinical team provides additional workshops, and the preferred therapeutic model of care is well embedded in the ethos and culture of the home. The manager has also sourced additional training to develop staff awareness, which enables them to have more understanding of the children’s complex needs. This means children are provided with high standards of care from a well-trained and knowledgeable team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager works well with external professionals who are universal in their praise for the manager, the care that children receive and the progress they make. External professionals highlighted the manager’s extensive knowledge and support provided to the professional network. One professional said they had ’never worked with a manager with so much knowledge,’ with care being provided described as ‘very child-focused’ and ‘beyond outstanding’.

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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 children's home: SC363422 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Educational Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Maybrook House, Queensway, Halesowen, Worcestershire B63 4AH

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Inspector

Sarah Orriss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC363422 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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