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Inspection report for children’s home: SC370956 1 SC370956 Registered provider: Keys Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care for four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager and this post has been vacant since April 2024.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 12 September 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: SC370956 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/09/2023 Full Good 24/08/2022 Full Outstanding 28/07/2021 Full Good 29/01/2020 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC370956 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Overall, children’s experiences and progress are good. Interactions between staff and children are relaxed and supportive. The home feels welcoming, and staff have put thought into creating spaces the children will enjoy using. For example, there is a games room and gym area for the children to spend social time together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made progress in education from their starting points when moving to the home. Staff have helped children to understand the importance of education. One child spent a significant amount of time out of school. The home worked tirelessly with professionals to get the child into a mainstream school. She has recently completed her GCSE exams.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Feedback from a family member outlines the nurture and care the children receive. A family member said: ‘They care for her brilliantly, they care for her greatly. They always keep me informed when things are happening, whatever happens. They are always there. They have always got her best interests at heart.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s time with families is encouraged and supported. Staff ensure there are arrangements in place for children to spend time with people who are important to them. There is overall good communication with family members and professionals. Staff supervise time with family where necessary and use this space to build positive relationships with family members. This contributes to the stability of children’s placements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Clear plans and advocacy have not been in place for one child in their transition to adulthood. The staff and local authority have not worked collaboratively to ensure there is a robust transition plan in place for the child. Actions arising from the review have not taken place for the child to have a referral for additional support into adulthood. This could have an impact on the experiences and progress of the child moving on from the home.

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

Staff apply a restorative approach in relation to behaviour management, supporting children to learn and be educated rather than punished. For one child, there has been a positive significant impact through management of a serious incident. Reflection and learning have been a priority for the child. This has been achieved through a focus on relationships with the child, resulting in no further incidents of this nature.

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

Physical interventions are only used as a last resort. This is a significant reduction since the last inspection. There has been a focus on the ethos in the home, through building relationships and connection with children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC370956 4 The use of consequences is rare. When they have been used, they have been proportionate and restorative for children. The staff focus on positive praise and achievement. This has helped the children to build confidence and self-esteem.

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

The recruitment of staff is managed well, and the recruitment procedures are designed to safeguard children. Safer recruitment practices and protocols are followed. This means that prospective staff are subject to clear vetting processes. This reduces the risk of unsuitable adults working in the home.

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

Safeguarding arrangements require improvement. Staff do not always put in place the strategies set out in children’s risk assessments. This has led to repeated incidents of substance misuse for one child that have not always been acted on by staff appropriately. There has not been learning or support provided for the child involved in substance misuse. Staff have not referred the child to the appropriate services, which a specialist adviser had asked them to do. There has been a delay in getting help and support for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There is currently no registered manager and the post is vacant. Senior leaders have made interim arrangements that the home has oversight from the deputy manager and an experienced manager from another home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home has been without a registered manager since April 2024 and management oversight has been impacted through this vacancy. Leaders and managers do not have robust oversight and monitoring in place. Errors and discrepancies have happened with medication. They have not been discovered, nor has action been taken to reflect and learn.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

On occasions, the manager’s oversight and direction have not been consistent with the provider’s ethos and statement of purpose. A complaint from a child was taken seriously and clear processes took place. However, the recommendations from the complaint were not followed up and fulfilled with a staff member. This has not allowed the staff member to learn, reflect and develop.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The members of the staff team do not all have training to meet the children’s individual needs. Some staff have not achieved the level 3 qualification in residential childcare within the timescales stipulated in the regulation. This will provide staff with the fundamental training to make sure they feel fully equipped to provide children with the best possible care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff enjoy working at the home. Staff and managers receive effective support through supervision discussions and team meetings. Discussion is focused on the needs of the children and how staff can provide the support they need. Inspection report for children’s home: SC370956 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically applies to ensuring that incidents involving substance misuse have appropriate action taken in line with protocols in place to keep the child safe. Staff need the appropriate skills to identify the risk to the child and act accordingly, ensuring that support, reflection and learning are in place for the child to reduce the risk. 24 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC370956 6 The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically applies to ensuring there is an experienced manager registered in post with clear oversight and monitoring systems in place to ensure the care of children is not impacted. Clear processes for auditing medication and processes following serious incidents need to be robust.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers need to ensure staff are appropriately trained to the requirements of the level 3 qualification and training for children with specific needs. 27 September 2024

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. 25 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC370956 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring there are clear and effective plans in place for children moving on from the home and transitions into adulthood. The plans in place need to be consistent with those of the placing authority and in the child’s best interests.

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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: SC370956 8

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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

Eleanor Quanbrough, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC370956 9 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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Inspector

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