Children's home run by Keys Child Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2752143 1 Registered provider: Keys Child Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in January 2024 and is owned by a large, private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to five children who may experience social and emotional difficulties or have learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, four children were living at the home. Two of the children were away from the home on a holiday.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

Staff in the home are referred to as adults. This is reflected in the report.

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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

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: 2752143 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have lived in the home since it first opened, and two children have moved in more recently. All children have built trusted relationships with the adults. Some children spoke about how much they like the adults. Two of the children rated the home ‘10 out of 10’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children attend college or school. One child, who has recently moved in, does not have a confirmed place in education for September 2024. Meetings with the child’s local authority are scheduled, and plans are in place for the adults to carry out educational activities with this child in the meantime . Two of the children are now able to travel independently to and from college. This is a huge development that the adults have helped the children to achieve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have busy and fun-filled days. For example, they go to the cinema or to the beach. Regular movie nights take place where the children can come together. Two children were experiencing a caravan park holiday, where they were enjoying days out with the adults to local attractions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported by adults to develop various life skills. They are encouraged to do their own washing and to take turns to help cook evening meals. Some children are reluctant to do this. Therefore, adults offer incentives, such as earning extra pocket money. Adults carry out thorough work with children to support them to develop their independence, and clear goals are set. However, it is less clear what adults can do when children get stuck with a target. For example, two children are reluctant to go to the local shops independently, despite being able to do so. Although adults persevere with their encouragement, this target has not yet been achieved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A wide range of work and conversations take place with children on potentially harmful behaviours, such as vaping and drugs misuse. Sexual health is promoted, with children learning about contraception and consent in relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The planning arrangements for children moving into the home are thorough and involve the other children already living in the home. External professionals comment on how smooth this process is and say that children are supported with clear visual plans on what will happen at each stage. This helps children to settle well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is clean, airy and bright, with lots of space for the children to come together and be apart. Children’s bedrooms are personalised with their own possessions on display to show that they live in the home. However, there are locks on some internal doors, without any clear rationale for this. For example, a vacant bedroom was locked along with the bedrooms of the two children who were away on holiday. Furthermore, these two bedrooms were untidy. The manager acknowledged that this was not unusual. Consequently, children are not consistently encouraged to value their bedrooms. Inspection report for children’s home: 2752143 3

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

There have been very few serious incidents since the home opened. Adults take effective action when children harm themselves, and children are supported well afterwards. Medical attention is offered quickly and appropriately, and a nurturing response is shown to children.

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

Adults have formed relationships with children’s friends’ parents. This helps to ensure children’s safety and helps to support those friendships. There has been one incident involving the use of physical intervention. This was necessary to prevent a young person hurting another.

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

None of the children have been missing from home. However, there are clear plans in place so that adults know how to respond if this happens.

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

Children know how to raise complaints. When they do, their views are taken seriously. When one child made a complaint about an adult in a previous home, their concerns were responded to immediately. Work was carried out by the manager to address this and repair the relationship.

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

Generally, risk assessments provide clear guidance to adults about the steps needed to be taken to reduce risk and support children. These are lengthy documents, which, at times, contain some outdated information. This makes it more difficult for adults to see the current risks clearly.

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

Some sharp objects are locked away, and plastic cups are evident throughout the home. However, there is no clear rationale for this. Therefore, children are not provided with consistent opportunities to take age-appropriate risks.

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

Adults are aware of the importance of online safety. Children’s devices have parental apps installed, and adults make agreements, which are signed by the children, about the monitoring of their devices. This helps to keep children safe when they are online.

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

Safer recruitment processes are in place, which means that leaders can make suitable decisions about the adults who are employed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is committed to her role and knows the children well. She has high ambitions for all the children and the adults working with them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Systems are in place for overseeing the quality of care provided, and team meetings and supervision sessions reflect the manager’s monitoring. Children’s records benefit from management review. Reflection on incidents helps the team to understand the lessons learned and how to prevent further incidents. Inspection report for children’s home: 2752143 4 Effective liaison takes place with other professionals who support the children. Feedback from professionals and relatives is positive, and the manager responds quickly and follows up concerns. Wider professionals and the adults working in the home are overwhelmingly positive about the home and highlight the progress the children have made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s bedroom doors are fitted with alarms. They are used when children first move into the home. This is to enable adults to further understand the children’s needs and risks. However, there is no policy in place regarding the use of these alarms, the reasoning for the use is not captured in children’s plans and the arrangements are not kept under regular review. Consequently, leaders and managers have not determined whether the use of these alarms is necessary or proportionate for each child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Adults say that they are well supported and that the manager goes above and beyond to support them and the children they care for. Team meetings take place regularly and provide a good space for adults to develop consistency of care for the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2752143 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 registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(c)(d)) 20 October 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s risk management plans include clear details of the current issues, to help adults to support children’s care. In particular, the records should be clear, and relevant information should be identifiable to adults. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that adults provide children with a nurturing, supportive and welcoming home environment. In particular, the use of locks on internal doors should be reviewed. In addition, children should be fully supported to value and take pride in their bedrooms. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)  The registered person should ensure that adults fully support children to take age- appropriate risks inside and outside of the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes

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Recommendations

Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.9)

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report for children’s home: 2752143 6 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: 2752143 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Child Care Limited

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Michelle Callard

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Inspector

Nickie Doney, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2752143 8 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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