Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Lincolnshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC370899 1 SC370899 Registered provider: Keys Care Limited 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 up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, four children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is registered with Ofsted and is suitably qualified.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be 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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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC370899 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/06/2023 Full Good 22/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/02/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC370899 3

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improvement to be good

Children have made some progress from their starting points. This has been supported by the care and nurture staff have provided to children. Many changes in management and staffing have impacted progress and experiences for children. A professional commented, ‘For the most part, she has good relationships with staff, but she has been impacted by the many changes. This has been difficult for her.’

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improvement to be good

Interactions between staff and children are relaxed and nurturing. Staff have worked hard to form positive relationships with children. The home feels welcoming and is presented well. Staff have put thought into creating spaces that children will enjoy using. For example, there is a music room and an area with toys for children to enjoy imaginative role play to support their development.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to share their wishes and feelings through planned and unplanned key-work discussions. Children feel able to ask staff for help. Children have a designated key worker, who they see as their safe person. There has been a recent focus on improving the key-worker process, in the hope that it will become strengthened. However, this is not yet embedded in the home.

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improvement to be good

Children’s health and well-being have not been promoted. One child’s individual care needs in respect of her ethnicity have been neglected. There was a significant delay in staff talking to the child, and other relevant people, about the child’s specialist hair care needs.

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, one child’s bedroom was unhygienic and smelt strongly of pet odour. A child has an allergy, which was unknown to the staff or managers. The allergy had not been recorded in the child’s healthcare plan, which could have placed them at risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

The use of physical intervention is rare. It is only used as a last resort. However, on one occasion, the use of physical intervention was not recorded until weeks later. This resulted in the child and staff not having discussions to explore the incident and the use of the restraint. This was not recognised until a child later made an allegation of harm. The child’s allegation was not referred to the relevant safeguarding partners in a timely manner.

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improvement to be good

Allegations made by children are not handled effectively. There has been a delay in referring and responding to allegations in line with the provider’s policies. One child made an allegation of harm, and this has not been responded to or referred to the Inspection report for children’s home: SC370899 4 relevant agencies and responsible local authority. This has resulted in a child not being listened to. Policies and procedures in place have not consistently been followed, which has an impact on children’s safety.

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improvement to be good

Children’s medication has not been stored securely. One child took an overdose and needed to attend hospital. Learning and reflection have taken place, but medication errors have continued to occur. The manager has taken steps to ensure a further level of security in medication storage.

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improvement to be good

The recruitment of staff is managed well. Recruitment procedures are designed to safeguard the child. 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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improvement to be good

Following an incident of a child leaving the home, a consequence was used. The child’s access to their mobile phone and a planned activity were restricted. Children are being punished rather than being supported to understand the reasons for their behaviour. This does not support children to explore their feelings and emotions and to develop independent strategies to manage these.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leadership and management of this home are ineffective. Numerous staff have left the home and multiple changes to the management structure have occurred. The current manager recently registered and has been in post for just a few months. She acknowledges the shortfalls and has made some immediate positive changes, which the staff appreciate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Quality assurance and monitoring of the home are weak. Although there has been a recent introduction of a monitoring system, this is not yet embedded. Legislative requirements from the previous inspection have not been met. This includes the duty to notify serious incidents of allegations and physical interventions. Notifications of some serious incidents to relevant authorities have also been significantly delayed or not made. This demonstrates poor management oversight of safeguarding matters.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager’s supervision of staff does not comply with the provider’s policy. Some staff have not been supervised in consecutive months. Supervision discussions have not always included conversations about the children, or staff have not had the opportunity to reflect on their practice and learn from a manager. The current manager has implemented a new supervision agenda that is child centred and promotes reflective practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff speak positively about the new manager. They say they receive supervision, feel listened to and have confidence in new systems being implemented. Staff have completed mandatory training. However, not enough staff have received child-specific training in relation to two of the children living in the home. This has not provided staff with the knowledge required to fully support children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC370899 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.

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(d)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all staff understand children’s risk assessments and protocols in place to keep them safe. Children’s bedrooms must be clean and not put a child’s health at risk. 13 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC370899 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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received;

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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)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that leaders and managers have monitoring and review systems in place and act on concerns immediately in the best interests of the child. Consequences must be proportionate and restorative in nature. Leaders and managers must ensure that staff are adequately trained in line with qualifications and child-specific training. 13 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC370899 7 Staffing levels must be appropriate for children and consistent to ensure that there is no impact on the children.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children are offered all the health and support services they need and are supported to attend appointments. Processes must be in place for monitoring and reviewing medication, including children having their health review. Children’s bedrooms must be clean, hygienic and free of unpleasant odours. 13 December 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them; 13 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC370899 8 medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to processes and learning in place from medication errors and making sure these are taking place to keep children safe from serious incidents.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 13 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC370899 9 within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that any incidents involving the use of physical intervention are recorded and reported within the necessary time frames. Children and staff involved must have the opportunity to discuss the measure used.

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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: SC370899 10

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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: SC370899 11 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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