Children's Home run by Kezi & Clay Healthcare Limited in Lincolnshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2791062 1 Registered provider: Kezi & Clay Healthcare Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately run and provides care for up to three children.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is newly registered and has been without a registered manager since 8 July 2024. The home has not yet appointed a suitably qualified manager.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child had just moved into the home.

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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 requires improvement to be 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 is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2791062 2

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improvement to be good

The home is spacious and furnished to an appropriate standard, providing a comfortable and welcoming environment for children. The large outdoor area and well-equipped games room, featuring boxing and gym equipment, are assets that the child has started to use.

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improvement to be good

While the home currently lacks personal touches, this is understandable as the child has recently moved in. The child was given the opportunity to choose their own bedroom and is satisfied with the space. Staff made efforts to accommodate the child’s preferences, contributing to their comfort and sense of ownership over the living space.

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improvement to be good

Transition planning into the home requires improvement. One child was scheduled to move into the home; however, due to the previous registered manager leaving and other factors, the child’s transition plan was put on hold. The lack of adequate preparation and resources led to a disruptive and uncertain period of time for the child.

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improvement to be good

Following the child moving into the home, there have been delays in convening a placement planning meeting, which has directly impacted on the child’s well-being. The lack of timely action has resulted in the child being unable to enjoy time outside independently or experience social interactions with peers. This has understandably caused the child upset.

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improvement to be good

Children are not yet receiving good enough help and protection, but there are no serious failures that leave them at risk of harm. There have not been any incidents of concern in the home. The child has not been in the home for long and reports feeling safe.

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improvement to be good

The home does not have current risk assessments in place for the child. Staff lack a thorough understanding of potential risks to the child, having not sought this information from the social worker. Furthermore, the placement planning meeting has been delayed. While staff attribute this delay to the local authority, the home should have taken more proactive steps to address this issue.

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improvement to be good

Despite being aware of the child’s potential move into the home weeks before it happened, crucial information regarding the child has not been communicated to the staff. The staff did not speak with the child’s parent to gather information about the Inspection report for children’s home: 2791062 3 child. This has hindered the staff’s ability to provide appropriate care and support, thereby compromising the child’s safety and stability.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment processes are followed, and the appropriate checks are made before staff start to work with children. This helps to ensure the children’s safety.

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good

The acting manager is passionate about the home and its development. However, their limited experience in managing a children’s home is a concern. The home has recently faced challenges, including the resignation of the registered manager just days before a new child’s placement.

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good

The acting manager has outlined plans for recruitment, with interviews for a new registered manager scheduled. A responsible individual has recently been appointed, and two new staff members are due to start in the coming weeks. Recruitment efforts are ongoing, and the acting manager is confident that with the correct staffing in place, the home will operate smoothly.

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good

Significant management issues have substantially affected staff morale. Staff reported experiencing an extremely challenging period of time marked by uncertainty about receiving their pay, which has been highly upsetting. This has impacted on staff retention, with reports of staff members actively seeking other employment.

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good

The financial viability of the home is heavily reliant on having children in placement. Extended periods of time without placements will strain the finances, raising concerns about the home’s sustainability.

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good

There are significant gaps in the support systems for staff. Since the departure of the registered manager, staff have not received formal supervision. This lack of oversight and guidance has contributed to staff feeling unsupported and undervalued. Staff have expressed a lack of confidence and loss of trust in the leadership team.

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good

Despite these difficulties, staff remain enthusiastic about the child in placement and are committed to providing the best care possible. Inspection report for children’s home: 2791062 4

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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 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.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

that, subject to regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), contact between each child and the child’s parents, relatives and friends, is promoted in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that clear plans are in place for a child when moving into the home. This also relates to ensuring that contact plans with important people are in place from the day the child moves into the home. 23 October

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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

that staff— 23 October Inspection report for children’s home: 2791062 5 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that risk assessments are in place, up to date and accurate, reflecting the current risks for children.

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Requirement Due date

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 the home has sufficient staff to provide care for 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)(d)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that there is a stable and supported workforce in place to meet the children’s needs. Additionally, this relates to ensuring there is adequate oversight of planning to enable the home to meet the needs of each child and that there are clear systems in place to monitor and review the quality of care the home is providing. 23 October

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must carry on the children’s home in such manner as is likely to ensure that the home will be financially viable for the purpose of achieving the aims and objectives set out in the statement of purpose. (Regulation 47 (1)) 23 October Inspection report for children’s home: 2791062 6 This relates to ensuring that the home remains financially viable.

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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: 2791062 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Kezi & Clay Healthcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 2B, Randall Business Centre, Randall Park Way, Nottinghamshire DN22 7WF

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nompumelelo Mahlangu

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Inspector

Lauren Barwell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2791062 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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