Children's home run by Keys Education Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: SC386505 1 SC386505 Registered provider: Keys Education Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home that provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in 2009. There is a registered manager, who has been in post since September 2014.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 28 September 2022

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC386505 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/09/2022 Full Good 29/09/2021 Full Good 11/03/2020 Full Good 30/01/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC386505 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, the home has undergone a complete renovation. The improvements have made the house feel more homely and modern. There are photographs of the children around the home. Children say that they like the changes made and, in particular, the new furniture.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy living at the home and say that they have everything they need. The only thing that they feel needs to be improved is the WIFI, as it often ‘cuts out’, which they find frustrating.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move into the home, the manager works with other professionals and previous carers to plan effectively for children. Staff and children already living at the home welcome new children to the home sensitively and do all that they can to help ease any anxieties they may have.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a strong and nurturing culture within the home. Staff spend time with children and know them well. This makes children feel happy and well cared for.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Not all children attend education. Despite the manager escalating the concern in relation to one child not having an education provision and a number of multi- agency meetings taking place, the child still has no provision identified. This limits the child’s educational outcomes and opportunities.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s relationships with their family and friends are promoted in line with their plans.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are promoted. All three children are registered with local health services. Staff encourage and support children’s health and well-being.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s achievements, no matter how small, are recognised and celebrated. Children are supported and encouraged to build memory books, which capture special moments they experience.

p.3

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

Children feel safe and can identify adults who they can talk to if they have any worries or concerns.

p.3

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

Children’s risk assessments are individualised. However, risk assessments lack important information and are confusing to follow. Furthermore, risk assessments are not reviewed and updated regularly. This compromises staff’s ability to safeguard children effectively. Inspection report for children’s home: SC386505 4 Positive behaviour management is embedded into everyday practice. Staff are consistent in their approach to supporting children. Staff prevent behaviours from escalating by using effective de-escalation techniques and distractions.

p.3

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

Leaders and managers adhere to safer recruitment procedures. This ensures that staff are suitably vetted before they begin working at the home.

p.4

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

Holding a child to keep them safe is only used as a last resort. When this happens, children and staff always have the opportunity to discuss and reflect on the incident. The manager has good oversight of incidents and all records are scrutinised and reviewed by the manager in a timely way.

p.4

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

When one child made a complaint, the manager ensured that there was a thorough investigation. The child received a response and was happy with the outcome.

p.4

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

The decision-making and management of an incident when one child was missing from the home and known to be with an unknown adult male are not clear. Although the child came to no harm, there were shortfalls in how the incident was managed.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably experienced and qualified. The manager and staff speak about the children with warmth and enthusiasm.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager maintains good levels of communication with other professionals. Professionals speak highly of the manager and staff.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they feel supported by the manager. One member of staff said, ‘I can always go to the manager, and he will always listen.’ Staff receive regular practice- based supervision, which is completed by suitably qualified staff.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff team meetings are held regularly and the home’s therapist attends some of the team meetings. This provides opportunities for the staff to reflect on and develop their practice and ensure that they remain child focused.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s records are detailed. However, children do not contribute to their records, which is a missed opportunity for children’s wishes and feelings to be captured in their records.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good oversight of children’s progress and any changes needed to the care provided for them. Internal monitoring and external monitoring of the home are effective. However, there was a delay in Ofsted being notified following a significant incident. Inspection report for children’s home: SC386505 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. (Regulation 8 (1)) 4 May 2024

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(A)(i)(vi))

p.5

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that risk assessments contain children’s current risks and the strategies to manage risks to ensure that staff have up-to- date information to help them to keep children safe. 4 May 2024

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.5

Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

p.5

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e)) 4 May 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC386505 6

p.5

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children are encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

p.6

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: SC386505 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Education Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspectors

Jessica Higginson, Social Care Inspector Stacey Ilaboya, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC386505 8 regulates and inspects 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.

p.7

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8