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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC363403 1 SC363403 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 privately owned and operated. The home cares for up to four children who may experience emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 2011 and holds the relevant qualification.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account outstanding

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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Overall experiences and progress of

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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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC363403 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/03/2023 Full Good 03/11/2021 Full Good 22/01/2020 Full Good 15/01/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC363403 3

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outstanding

The home provides children with a caring and supportive environment. Children are thriving in all aspects of their development, and they are encouraged and supported to fulfil their potential. Children make remarkable progress in their emotional and physical development. They say that they are happy and settled and feel loved and cared for.

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outstanding

The staff work collaboratively with family members. This enables children to maintain relationships, where appropriate, with those they are closest to. Support is provided for children to visit family and friends and enjoy these relationships. Staff understand the importance for children of these relationships. Where appropriate, staff support visits to the home by family members and children’s friends come for sleepovers at the home. This means children develop and maintain friendships with children in the local community.

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outstanding

Positive feedback from stakeholders recognises the effectiveness of the home’s therapeutic approach. Feedback from the police is also extremely positive. They commend the staff for genuinely caring for the children.

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outstanding

Children receive comprehensive support to address their emotional and physical well-being. They benefit from informal contact with the organisation’s therapeutic team. The team spends time in the home to observe interactions and guide staff on relevant strategies to support and enhance children’s progress. This provides a continuity in approach that can be shared with families and external professionals.

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outstanding

Some children arrive at the home with significant gaps in their education. They are now attending education regularly and making significant progress. For example, two children are expected to achieve high exam grades. They now aspire to attending college or university. One social worker attributed this transformation in her child’s self-belief to the care and support from staff.

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outstanding

Children’s preferences are considered in all aspects of their care, including the allocation of key workers. This helps to develop very strong relationships between the children and staff. This is fundamental to the progress that children make. The children and staff creatively capture memories children have of their time at the home. The children take the memory books and pictures with them when they leave.

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outstanding

The development of independence skills is tailored to each child. Children are taught budgeting and cooking skills. They are assessed using booklets and activities. Staff support a gradual transition for children moving in and out of the home. This allows the child to adjust to moving at their own pace. Staff used the same Inspection report for children’s home: SC363403 4 approach when taking the children on holiday. A child was supported to join them when she changed her mind about going away.

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outstanding

All four children living at the home and the one child who moved on in the summer of 2023 have made exceptional progress. Most arrived with high safeguarding risks, including vulnerability to exploitation. These risks have significantly diminished over time. For some children, their previous self-injurious behaviours have now stopped. This has meant that homely items such as glass vases and mirrors can now be placed in the home. It is notable that these items are in children’s bedrooms as well as the communal areas and this is testament to the progress made by children.

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outstanding

Children now exhibit greatly reduced risk-taking behaviour. They attribute their change in behaviours and perspective to the establishment of trust between them and staff. When children are out in the community or with friends, staff conduct regular checks to ensure they are safe.

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outstanding

External professionals praise staff for their sensitivity and vigilance in safeguarding children from risk, including risk that stems from interactions with their families. Staff showing sensitivity to family dynamics has ensured that children never feel responsible for their family members. This has enabled the children to focus on their own well-being.

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outstanding

Children have unsupervised social time with their friends. This builds trust and prevents them from feeling the need to go missing from home. Staff ensure the children understand their own risk assessments and the things that might worry adults. This is achieved through discussions and raising children’s awareness. It is commendable that the risks and vulnerabilities of children have decreased.

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outstanding

Children are supported in taking calculated risks. These allow them to learn from their experiences. It also aids them in recognising unsafe behaviours and patterns. Although such behaviours have reduced, there are still times when incidents occur. A child recently went missing, which was escalated and managed swiftly.

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outstanding

Children have developed trusting relationships with staff. This has allowed them to feel secure enough to talk about traumatic events in their lives. The children are now comfortable and secure enough with staff to be able to confide in them and be open about their feelings and emotions. The home collaborates with partner agencies to provide appropriate support when this is required. Consequently, children have the right support services in place to help them.

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outstanding

The number of incidents have significantly decreased in frequency and duration. The police are rarely called to the home. The officer praised the manager’s respectful and professional challenge of other professionals. He described her as a keen advocate for the best interests of children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC363403 5 Children speak positively about moving to the home. They recognised the importance of previous restrictive measures implemented by staff, such as reducing their mobile phone use. They now understand that these measures were for their protection and to keep them safe. Instances of children going missing from home, once common, have markedly decreased.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager cultivates an environment of nurture and ambition where both children and staff thrive. This embodies the principles of care and development in the home. The manager has implemented several positive changes in the home. She has created a family atmosphere where children feel safe, secure, loved and cared for. This welcoming environment is complemented by having pets, who add to the homely feel. The diversity of the staff team also enhances the family feel of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager remains committed to her role. She supports the progress of all children, past and present. She prides herself on breaking cycles of poor parenting, trauma and harm to the children and is ensuring a bright future for each child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

When concerns have arisen about the care practice of staff, the manager has addressed these efficiently. She has facilitated mediation to address any underlying issues. This direct approach has enhanced positive working relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager’s aspirations extend to the staff. She has created a supportive environment. She encourages and supports career progression and skills development. Additional roles such as acting seniors have been created. This enables staff to rotate responsibilities and prepare for potential promotions. This sense of belief in staff is contributing to exceptional staff retention rates. Staff feel valued and describe the workplace as an extension of their family.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Innovation and creativity are promoted by the manager. Parents and professionals praise the home’s positive impact on children. They acknowledge the team’s advocacy for children’s views and wishes in decision-making processes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager works closely with her deputy to track and evidence children’s outcomes. This process enables positive reflection and growth. The managers ensure staff have a healthy work-life balance. They support their staff’s career progression, even when staff are reluctant to advance. Continual improvement is prioritised. They achieve this through the ongoing reviewing and adapting of processes to ensure delivery of the best-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home uses internal and external audits to ensure they address any areas that need improving and to highlight areas of strength. The comprehensive workforce development plan also highlights the manager’s succession planning. Staff feel supported and empowered to exercise autonomy in their approach. This supports proactive engagement with the children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC363403 6 Staff describe the induction process as informative. They say that they are encouraged to ask questions and make suggestions. This reflects the manager’s openness to learning and making change from a fresh perspective.

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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: SC363403 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

Sonia Hay, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC363403 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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