Children's home run by Keys Child Care Limited in Rossendale

Inspection report for children’s home: 1224093 1 Registered provider: Keys Child Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to four children with complex needs who require specialist support. There were three children living at the home at the time of the inspection, and two children were spoken to.

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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 outstanding

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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: 23 January 2024

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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: 1224093 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/01/2024 Full Good 08/11/2022 Full Good 18/08/2021 Full Good 17/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 1224093 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There were three children living at the home at the time of this inspection. Two children spoke to the inspectors. Since the last inspection, two children have moved out of the home and two children have moved in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When safe and appropriate, the staff support children to maintain links with those people who are important to them. This includes supporting children to maintain positive links with children who have moved on from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of education. They encourage children to persevere with their education. When children face challenges or setbacks in education, the staff and manager proactively advocate for them. One external professional said, ‘They [the staff] have worked incredibly hard and jump on every potential possibility to engage children in education.’ This means children access education with support tailored to their needs. Staff also encourage and support children to develop age-appropriate independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are very comfortable in the company of staff and have built positive relationships with them. Children said that they can talk to staff if they are worried or upset. There are positive, warm and nurturing interactions between the children and the staff. Positive relationships with the staff have contributed to the children’s progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive individualised care. They engage in activities they enjoy and speak positively about the activities offered to them. Children have enjoyed a range of activities, from holidays abroad to activities based around their religion. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and decorated to their taste and liking.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves in and out of the home are managed well and are centred around the needs of the children. However, on some occasions, the local authority where the home is located has not been notified when children have moved into or out of the home.

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

Staff have completed the organisation’s safeguarding training. They are confident in their responsibilities of reporting and escalating any child protection concerns, and they understand the whistle-blowing policy.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the children and risks posed to them. They are sensitive in how they approach and support children to identify and understand their risks. External professionals said they are happy with the children receive and had no concerns.

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

There have been no allegations made against staff and no complaints made by children. Inspection report for children’s home: 1224093 4 Incidents of physical intervention are rare, however, when they have occurred, they have been appropriate, proportionate, necessary and managed well. Missing-from-home incidents are managed well by staff. However, when return home interviews are provided by an independent person, staff do not review them. This means opportunities may be missed to understand why children go missing and help them to reduce incidents and the risks posed to them.

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

The children’s guide is child-friendly and gives children a sense of what it is like living at the home. The guide contains information to help children understand who to speak to if they are worried or if they need support outside of the home.

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

The children are protected by the organisation’s safe recruitment practices. Staff are assessed as suitable before any appointment is confirmed. These procedures promote the safety of the children by preventing unsuitable adults from working with them.

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

Overall, staff keep children safe and take action to ensure that children are protected. External professionals are positive about the care and safeguards provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home currently has two registered managers, although one has applied to deregister. The new manager registered with Ofsted in April 2024. The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. She is dedicated to her role and has high aspirations for the children and staff, a culture which permeates throughout the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff have a clear vision and strong desire to achieve positive outcomes for children. Staff speak highly of the registered manager’s commitment and support. Staff benefit from regular purposeful supervision sessions and annual appraisals. This gives staff the opportunity to reflect and develop their practice. One staff member said, ‘The registered manager is amazing. She quickly saw potential and has developed me on. I feel like I can go to her for advice and support. She really cares about the children and us.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is innovative, creating opportunities for herself and staff to develop through regular team meetings and additional training. At each staff meeting, a workshop takes place. Topics include the therapeutic approach and safeguarding scenarios. These workshops and additional training have developed the staff’s understanding and knowledge, to enhance the care they provide to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Consultations regularly take place with the home’s allocated psychologist. They offer therapeutic insight into the children’s needs and suggest ways for the staff to individualise their practice with the children. Staff put these suggestions into practice. This has aided them to have the tools and knowledge to provide individualised care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has a rigorous auditing system in place and quickly identifies shortfalls. When shortfalls are identified, the manager uses this as an opportunity to implement Inspection report for children’s home: 1224093 5 improvements and shares these with the wider team. This enables the manager and staff to reflect openly and improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff are a diverse team. Children share positive experiences with staff, who encourage them to be accepting of differences and to embrace their own unique identities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professionals and parents speak extremely positively about the manager and staff’s effective communication. The manager understands that collaborating with professionals and parents is vital to the children’s sense of security. One social worker said, ‘The manager always involves them [parents] in what is happening with their child, and they have the child’s best interest at heart.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 1224093 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. In particular, the registered person should ensure that children are routinely offered return home interviews after missing-from-home incidents. The interview should be carried out within 72 hours of the child returning to their home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should proactively take the initiative in engaging with relevant people. In particular, notify without delay the local authority for the area in which the children’s home is located of every admission of a child into the home and every discharge of a child from the home. The registered person is not required to notify the

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Recommendations

local authority if that local authority is also the placing authority for the child in question. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.6)

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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: 1224093 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

Registered managers: Nina Bozvelieva/ Izabela Rapinczuk

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Inspectors

Anver Rose, Social Care Inspector Syvanna Matthew, Social Care Inspector

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Inspectors

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. Inspection report for children’s home: 1224093 8 If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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