Children's home run by Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children's home: SC389178 1 SC389178 Registered provider: Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a private organisation and provides care and support for up to five children with learning difficulties. At the time of the inspection, four children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since July 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC389178 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/03/2024 Full Good 28/03/2023 Full Good 05/10/2021 Full Good 14/01/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC389178 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children experience high-quality care that helps them to feel valued and secure. Children are happy and settled, and thoroughly enjoy spending time with each other and with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s confidence and self-esteem improve when they come to live at the home, and they are helped to feel empowered. For example, they love to cook meals for everyone and create beautiful artwork that is proudly displayed in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are provided with care which is nurturing, empathic and based on loving kindness, acceptance and understanding. Staff speak fondly about each child and celebrate all their achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are adept at understanding each child’s communication style. They carefully capture children’s views, wishes and feelings. These are used to inform children’s care and support plans so that children have an important say in shaping how they are being looked after. Children are enabled to make their own choices whenever appropriate and possible.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s progress from their starting points is remarkable. One young person has recently left the home to live in accommodation for adults, after living in the home for many years. The young person’s move was meticulously planned and carried out at their pace. As a result, they experienced an extremely positive transition from their old home to their new one. They have remained in touch with staff and are flourishing in their new home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff proactively maximise opportunities for children to spend time with their families. Children’s families are welcomed to the home, including to celebrate special occasions. Children’s parents appreciate the support that they and their children receive from staff. One child’s parent said, ‘We feel so lucky our child is there. His whole life is better because of the care that he receives.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children attend full-time school placements that are suited to their individual needs. Children enjoy going to school and are thriving as a result.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

There is a sharp focus on ensuring that children’s health needs are met. Careful planning and strong communication with health professionals lead to the best possible health outcomes for each child. A specialist nurse was commissioned to visit the home to deliver staff training. The result is that staff can confidently and competently carry out health tasks. Inspection report for children's home: SC389178 4

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

Children’s safety and well-being are priorities for staff. Staff are knowledgeable about each child’s strengths and vulnerabilities. This is backed up by comprehensive written plans that clearly describe how to care for children and keep them safe. Consequently, staff can swiftly respond to any risks that arise for children.

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

As a result of the positive relationships enjoyed between children and staff, incidents of children becoming very upset or behaving in a manner that poses a risk to themselves or others are rare. When they do occur, staff make effective use of de-escalation techniques, therefore there is infrequent use of physical restraint. After incidents, staff prioritise children’s emotional well-being and provide them with a great deal of reassurance. Learning from incidents, including identifying triggers, is used to good effect to reduce the risk of a recurrence.

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

Each child is provided with a bespoke children’s guide that is tailored to their individual needs. Information, including about how to make a complaint, is made accessible to children. This helps to ensure that children understand their rights and know who to approach if they are worried about something.

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

The systems for storing and administering medication promote safe practice. Children’s plans clearly describe to staff how to administer medication safely, including when emergency situations arise.

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

Safer recruitment practices are understood and implemented effectively. As a result, children are cared for by adults who are suitably experienced and vetted.

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

Monitoring of health and safety matters is excellent. For example, when contractors attend the home to carry out maintenance tasks, they are provided with clear guidance about expectations, to ensure that the home remains safe and secure for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is led by a registered manager who is deeply committed to ensuring that children receive high-quality care that improves their outcomes. The registered manager is supported by a strong and consistent staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Relationships between leaders, managers and the staff team are based on trust and respect. Regular supervisions and team meetings provide staff with opportunities to discuss children’s needs and ensure that there is a shared understanding about how to help them to continue to make excellent progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff training offer is exceptional. Bespoke training is provided for staff when this is required. For example, staff have received training from a specialist nurse from a local hospital to ensure they understand how to meet the needs of a child who has a health condition they were previously unfamiliar with. Inspection report for children's home: SC389178 5 Managers keep other professionals fully informed about children’s progress. They proactively advocate for children and challenge decisions made by other professionals when they believe that those decisions are not in children’s best interests.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Promoting equality and diversity is a key strength of this home. Managers ensure that staff understand and meet children’s cultural needs. Diversity is celebrated, and children learn about cultures and religions in a way that is accessible to them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager demonstrates a sound understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. She makes good use of management monitoring and quality assurance processes to inform service developments and is committed to ensuring there is continuous improvement.

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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: SC389178 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Group Progressive Care & Education 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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Inspectors

Emma Haskell, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Claudia Poienar, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC389178 7 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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