Children's Home run by Keswick Care Limited in Wakefield

Inspection report for children’s home: 1183197 1 Registered provider: Keswick 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

This home is run by a private company. It offers care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2022 and is suitability qualified for the role.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home and they were spoken with during the inspection. A child who recently moved from the home was also spoken with.

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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 good

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good

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

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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: 1183197 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/06/2023 Full Good 08/08/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/01/2022 Full Good 09/10/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1183197 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is spacious, well-maintained and feels like a family home. Children have freedom of movement in all areas of the home. There are many personal touches that help children to feel comfortable and at ease in their surroundings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with individualised care where their needs and behaviour are clearly understood. This helps children to develop positive attachments with staff. One child described staff as ‘funny’ and ‘caring’ and said, ‘They helped me to move on with my life.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported and guided in all aspects of their lives. Staff promote positive engagement through targeted discussions, informal chats and spending time with the children baking, shopping and doing their nails. Children say that they feel listened to and trust the adults that take care of them. This helps children to make progress relative to their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Outside agencies and specialist services play an important role in providing additional advice and guidance to both staff and children. One child has recognised the need to talk about substance misuse and healthy relationships. This will consolidate the work done by the staff team. In addition, the in-house psychotherapist provides an additional layer of therapeutic intervention when children are ready to engage.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote, support and supervise children’s time with family and friends when this is safe and appropriate. One child was helped to re-engage with their paternal family and this has provided the child with much-needed support following their move from the home to supported accommodation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to re-engage in education and any barriers to this will be professionally challenged by the manager. Extra-curricular activities and home tutoring have been put in place by the manager as an interim measure for one child to ensure continuity in learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The quality of the relationship with other professionals is a strength and facilitates multi- agency decision-making and planning. The independence plan and work undertaken have seen children develop their practical skills and emotional resilience in preparation for future independence. This means that children move on from the home when they are ready.

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

Children spoken to said that they are safe living at this home. One child said, ‘I do have bumps in the road but staff are always there to help me.’ The risks of each child are understood by the manager and staff and any risk-taking behaviour is managed well. Inspection report for children’s home: 1183197 4 Children’s risk assessments and safety plans are regularly updated and individualised to each child’s presenting risks. This strengthens an effective multi-agency response in line with joint working protocols and procedures. For one child, this has significantly reduced risk factors and curtailed attempts to go missing. The manager’s confidence in the staff’s ability to take measured risks is now seeing an effective balance between supervision of children and independent free time.

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

Staff increasingly understand the triggers to children’s behaviours that inform the staff’s ability to de-escalate situations before they reach crisis point. The use of physical intervention is very rare and has only been used to immediately safeguard a child. Staff are adept at using empathy and nurture, or time out, to help children articulate their emotions better.

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

Focused work with the children and the involvement of specialist services have seen an overall reduction in self-harming behaviour. Staff listen to the children, they equip them to think about and share their worries and concerns and offer a high level of support and guidance. One child takes much solace in going for walks and said, ‘It helps me to put things right in my head.’

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

Safe recruitment processes ensure that individuals are safe to work with children. New staff undergo a comprehensive and supportive induction programme and their probation period is subject to regular reviews. All staff understand their responsibilities in raising and reporting any safeguarding concerns. This enhances the safety and well-being of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. There is a core staff team alongside some newly recruited staff that bring a range of skills and experience. Staff are consistent in their approach, and this provides children with predictability and stability of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and her deputy demonstrate enthusiasm and dedication in their respective roles. They support each other and this cascades down to the staff team and promotes a culture of positivity and support. The manager knows the home and the locality very well. This level of knowledge informs the annual review of premises, which helps to keep the children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior leaders and managers have a visual presence in the home. They visit frequently and are known by the children and staff. This provides that extra layer of scrutiny and oversight alongside the manager’s auditing and monitoring systems. Equally, it gives a message to children and staff that they are valued by senior leaders who are not involved in the daily running of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children experience a well-coordinated and planned transition into the home. The manager is measured and uses professional curiosity when considering new admissions. Inspection report for children’s home: 1183197 5 Referral processes identify presenting needs and risks and the manager matches these alongside the children living at the home. This ensures the least disruption for all the children and helps children settle in their new home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Continuous professional development among staff is encouraged and promoted and they have opportunities for ongoing learning. The manager gives staff protected time to complete their diploma and additional training. This has enabled staff to further their careers through internal promotion.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Consultation with children and gaining their views and opinions is promoted and facilitated through a variety of processes. Recording activity is child centred and the voice of the child is captured through key-working sessions, consultation and monthly feedback with the manager. Children are supported to attend their statutory reviews and their views and opinions are considered and acted on.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has systems in place to monitor and evaluate the service and has utilised these systems to ensure that the requirements made at the last inspection have been met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

No requirements or recommendations were made at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 1183197 6

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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: 1183197 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keswick Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 17 Cedars Business Centre, Barnsley Road, Hemsworth, Pontefract WF9 4PU

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Inspector

Cath Sikakana, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1183197 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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