Children's home run by Keys Child Care Limited in Telford and Wrekin

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC480318 1 SC480318 Registered provider: Keys Child Care Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

A private company owns the service. The home is registered to provide care for up to four children.

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Information about this children's home

The home consists of two buildings. There is a main home building, which provides accommodation for three children, and a separate annex that provides accommodation for one child.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home in the annex. No children were living in the main home.

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Information about this children's home

The registered manager post is currently vacant.

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This monitoring visit

During the full inspection on 9 and 10 October 2024, Ofsted judged this home to be inadequate. There were significant concerns about the standard of accommodation, the care being provided to children and the effectiveness and oversight of leaders and managers. This monitoring visit was to review the actions taken by the provider to meet the requirements made at the full inspection and the safety and care of children.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have taken some action to address the shortfalls identified at the full inspection. There is a plan in place to address these issues, although work is ongoing and changes are not yet fully embedded.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, the registered manager has resigned. The responsible individual is overseeing the home on a temporary basis. A manager has been Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC480318 2 appointed, with a plan for them to take up the role in January 2025 following an extended handover period.

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This monitoring visit

One child is currently living at the home in the annex building. This child is settled and is beginning to develop positive relationships with staff.

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This monitoring visit

Two children have moved out of the home since the previous inspection. One child was able to meet staff and receive some information about their new home before moving shortly afterwards. For another child, their move was not well planned or child focused. Following their move, concerns were raised by professionals that this child’s belongings were dirty and soiled and that they had been transported in carrier bags. Staff moving the child were also reported to have shared inaccurate information about the child’s needs to staff at their new home.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual has identified that planning and support for children moving to and from the home are areas of ongoing development for the staff team. The admissions process is currently under review, with a plan to further develop and clarify this process before any new children move in.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are positive about the support and leadership provided by the responsible individual. Staff now feel more able to raise any concerns they may have to the increasingly visible and approachable senior managers.

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This monitoring visit

Additional specialist training has been delivered to most of the staff team. Staff have spoken positively about this training and have shown some reflection when considering how they will apply this to their practice.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s care plans contain clear guidance for staff. The responsible individual is providing effective oversight of the child’s care and identifying and addressing concerns promptly as they arise. Team meetings are taking place on a weekly basis and are being used to share information and further reinforce expectations.

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This monitoring visit

Action has been taken to address concerns about the home environment. Restrictive practices in the home have been reviewed and unnecessary restrictions removed. For example, door alarms are no longer routinely used on children’s bedroom doors. No significant concerns were noted regarding the accommodation in the annex building. The child living here reported feeling happy with their bedroom, which is clean, tidy and personalised.

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This monitoring visit

The main home building is undergoing a complete refurbishment, including new flooring in the bedrooms, a new kitchen and the home being painted throughout. The responsible individual has advised that there are plans to refresh and refurbish some elements of the annex building soon.

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This monitoring visit

No safeguarding incidents relating to the behaviour of children have taken place since the previous inspection. There has been one significant safeguarding concern Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC480318 3 relating to the practice of a member of staff and their responses towards a child. In this instance, appropriate safeguarding procedures were followed. However, following this incident, additional follow up conversations did not take place with the child to support them to fully understand what had happened and the process that would be followed. This child moved before a conclusion to the investigation was reached. Therefore, and the outcome of this was not shared with them.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted will continue to monitor this home and will complete a second full inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/10/2024 Full Inadequate 27/02/2024 Full Good 21/03/2023 Full Good 09/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC480318 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 with the given timescales.

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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 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

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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that management oversight is suitably robust, and any issues 29 January 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC480318 5 relating to staff practice or culture within the home are identified and addressed promptly.

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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— that staff—

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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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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 home's day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home's child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff understand their responsibilities with regards to safeguarding children, including providing them with appropriate supervision in line with their plans. 29 January 2025 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC480318 6 Additionally, the registered person should ensure that staff take appropriate action to reduce risks and de-escalate difficult situations.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should also ensure that following significant incidents or changes in circumstances, measures to safeguard children are formally reviewed.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home's statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that the skills and experience of the staff team are considered when a decision is being made about whether a child's needs can be met at the home before they move in. Additionally, the registered person should ensure that moves from the home are properly planned and that children receive good-quality support during this process. 29 January 2025

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children's home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC480318 7

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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, Second Floor, Queensway, Halesowen B63 4AH

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Inspector

Janet Jauregui, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC480318 8 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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