Children's Home run by Keys Child Care Limited in Nottinghamshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC454901 1 SC454901

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Registered provider: Keys Child Care 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

The home is privately owned. It provides care for up to five children who may experience emotional and social difficulties. Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since November 2023.

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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: 14 November 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC454901 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/11/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/11/2022 Full Good 30/11/2021 Full Good 27/08/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC454901 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has recently been renovated to a high standard and is presented well. It is welcoming and comfortable, with a homely feel. The views of the children have been taken into consideration. The children have been able to personalise their bedroom and make their own unique living space. This adds to children’s sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use positive and inventive reinforcement strategies. These are effective and have supported children’s health and well-being. Children are invested in wanting to do well and talk about when they have been given praise and rewards. This has helped to improve the children’s self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Feedback from professionals has outlined the nurture and care the children receive. A professional said, ‘They care for her brilliantly. They have worked really well with her. They know her; they are great advocates for her. They have significantly supported her education and worked with school to make it achievable for her to progress in school.’

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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 has been on a reduced timetable. The staff have worked with the school and the child to achieve a full timetable. The staff have been aspirational for the child, and she is now able to talk about future goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite changes within the staff team, a core person in the children’s lives has remained. Staff are caring and nurturing in their approach to the children. Over time, this has enabled trusted and positive relationships to develop. Children share their worries with staff, and they know that staff will respond in a caring way.

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

Children have safe access to phones and the internet. Children are supported to reduce online risks. They talk to staff about online matters, and staff educate them through key-work sessions to understand the risks online. This allows children to progress safely at an age-appropriate level.

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

Children are rarely physically restrained. Physical restraint is only used as a last resort to keep children and others safe. The manager has good oversight of records related to behaviour management. Reflections and lessons learned are discussed with the team, ensuring it continues to improve practice.

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

There are minimal incidents in the home, and there has been a significant reduction. This has been due to a focus on therapeutic practice and de-escalation. Staff are learning how to support the children with their behaviour and feelings. When Inspection report for children’s home: SC454901 4 behaviours emerge, staff are in consultation with the home’s therapist to explore different ways of responding and managing behaviours. This is done while seeking to understand the triggers for the child’s behaviour.

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

Consequences used are not always appropriate and proportionate to the behaviour from children. Restorative work and learning have not always taken place with children following consequences being given.

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

Incidents of self-injurious behavior need to be recorded as an incident record. When these incidents have happened, managers have not had oversight of them. The required work and support were not completed with the child, and opportunities for reflection were missed.

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good

There is currently no registered manager, and the post is vacant. There is a new appointed manager, who is experienced. Support has been in place from an interim supporting manager from another home.

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good

The home has been without a registered manager since November 2023, and management oversight has been impacted by this change. Leaders and managers do not have robust oversight and monitoring in place. Discrepancies have taken place where allegation outcomes have not been followed or completed. Children have not been given outcomes of allegations made or the opportunity for resolution with staff.

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good

Staff do not all have training to meet the children’s individual needs. There are staff without all the mandatory training required. There are staff without all the mandatory training required, which would make sure they feel fully equipped to provide children with the best possible care.

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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.

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good

The new manager is passionate about providing children with care and nurture. There has been an emphasis on making improvements to the home and the children having a family home. Leaders and managers have started to create a culture of safe and caring relationships in the home, which has filtered through to the staff team.

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good

New staff receive thorough inductions. This is supported through training and a buddy system to support the process. However, there have been occasions where two staff on probation have been working with each other alone. There has not been a risk assessment or safety plan in place. Staff could be left vulnerable and without the knowledge needed to support children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC454901 5 Inspection report for children’s home: SC454901 6

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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 relates to making sure the risk management protocol is in place for a child, as outlined by the local authority designated officer, and that staff are aware of this and being followed. Children should be made aware of outcomes following allegations made and supported. Incidents of self-injurious behaviour need to be recorded, and risk assessments need to be followed, to keep children safe. 31 October

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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— 31 October Inspection report for children’s home: SC454901 7 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 relates to ensuring there is an experienced manager registered in post with clear oversight and monitoring systems in place to ensure that the care of children is not impacted. Clear processes for auditing medication and processes following serious incidents need to be robust. Leaders and managers need to ensure that staff have completed all training, particularly for children with specific needs.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any consequences used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. Professionally qualified staff employed by the home, such as teachers or social workers, should be provided with relevant Inspection report for children’s home: SC454901 8 professional or clinical supervision by an appropriately qualified and experienced professional. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality

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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: SC454901 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Child Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Maybrook House, Third Floor, Queensway, Halesowen, West Midlands B63 4AH

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Inspector

Eleanor Quanbrough, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC454901 10 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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