Children's Home run by Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited in Southampton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC389174 1 SC389174 Registered provider: Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private organisation and is registered to provide care for up to seven children with learning disabilities and physical disabilities. At the time of this 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 good

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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

Date of last inspection: 22 January 2024

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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: SC389174 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/01/2024 Full Good 27/03/2023 Full Good 20/01/2022 Full Good 07/01/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC389174 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children live in a well-maintained home that is decorated to a high standard. Children’s bedrooms are equipped according to each child’s individual needs. Additionally, the rooms are spacious and bright and personalised to reflect each child’s individuality.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children live in a home where there is lots of laughter and care. They are free to be themselves and any achievement, no matter how small, is celebrated. The atmosphere is like that of a busy family home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive nurturing care from staff. Staff understand the background and needs of each child well and speak fondly of them. This gives the children a sense of self-worth and belonging in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff form secure and trusting relationships with the children and this was evident throughout the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff make effective use of key-work sessions to have meaningful conversations with children about issues that are important to them. This also helps to strengthen relationships between children and staff. Children feel heard, with their views, wishes and feelings being considered in all decisions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive predictable and consistent support from staff, who balance maintaining boundaries with ensuring that children feel safe and secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children attend full-time education in specialist provisions that suit their individual needs. Attendance is high, which maximises opportunities for children to learn.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff maintain positive relationships with children’s families and their external professional network. One child’s parent said, ‘I don’t have a bad word to say about the home, they go above and beyond for my child as well as the other children in the home, I’ve seen it for myself.’ A child’s social worker told the inspector, ‘The child loves the home and feels part of the family. Staff have tailored the care to meet the child’s needs perfectly.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make significant progress because of the high-quality care that they receive. Two young people have recently had successful moves into adult residential provisions and have settled in well. This is a testament to the dedication of the staff team to ensure that moves happen at the young person’s pace.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff advocate on behalf of children when there are concerns about the service they receive from other agencies. Examples include securing a place at a child’s preferred college placement where they are now thriving, and supporting a child who wanted to reduce and stop their medication because it was affecting their emotional well-being. Inspection report for children’s home: SC389174 4 This has resulted in the child being able to say how they are feeling and ask for ‘time out’ when they need it, which is not something they were able to do whilst on the prescribed medication.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s independence skills are improved through their involvement in household tasks alongside staff, as well as community activities such shopping, going to the cinema and bowling. This helps build their self-confidence and enhances their ability to be more independent as they progress into adulthood.

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

Staff are knowledgeable about children’s strengths and vulnerabilities. This is backed up by care and support plans that accurately reflect children’s needs and most relevant risks. The positive relationships enjoyed between children and staff promote an open culture where children can share any concerns that they have. These factors contribute to children’s safety and sense of security.

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

Safeguarding arrangements are effective. When concerns arise, staff take appropriate action including sharing information with children’s professional networks. Records are clear and include details of outcomes and learning. Plans are updated following any concerns to ensure that staff know what they need to do to help children to stay safe.

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

Regular health and safety checks ensure the safety of children and others in the home. The fire risk assessment provides a clear description of the children’s personal emergency evacuation plans and how to safely support children in the event of a fire. The location risk assessment is also regularly reviewed to ensure that staff are kept up to date with any local concerns.

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

Children know how to make a complaint. When they do, children are supported by staff to understand what actions have been taken in response. Children’s social workers are consulted to ensure that children are also satisfied with the outcome. There has been just one complaint since the last inspection.

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

When children experience difficult emotions and display this through their behaviour, staff manage the incident well through nurturing language and their understanding of children’s needs and experiences. As a result, the use of physical restraint is rare. When it does occur, it is for the least amount of time needed to ensure the safety of everyone involved. Records of these incidents are clear and detailed. The registered manager has good oversight to ensure the use of the measure was proportionate, and that the steps that will be taken will help to reduce the risk of a recurrence.

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

Practice that protects children from harm but that restricts their liberty is regularly reviewed and discussed in multi-agency forums. This has resulted in all monitoring devices being removed from the home and auditory checks performed by staff overnight instead. This demonstrates that the dignity and respect of children and their rights are paramount. Inspection report for children’s home: SC389174 5 Children’s health needs are managed very well through close liaison with healthcare professionals and systems that ensure medication is stored, administered and recorded safely. Clear emergency plans are in place for children who need them. Prior to children arriving home, staff receive training that equips them to meet the specific health needs. Additionally, a practice nurse is available to attend the home and can provide training including administration of medication competencies to staff as and when requested.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a very experienced and caring registered manager who is highly respected by the children and the staff team. The registered manager is an excellent role model because she has high expectations of staff and is aspirational about what children can achieve. The registered manager talks with pride when she discusses the children and their achievements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management monitoring systems are effective and ensure that leaders and managers have a well-rounded view of the impact the quality of care is having on outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager recognises the importance of working in partnership with children’s families and external professionals involved in their lives. She promotes the use of a trauma-informed approach to meet children’s care and support needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that staff feel well supported so that they can provide high-quality care to children. Staff receive regular supervision and attend monthly team meetings. Both include the opportunity for staff to reflect on their practice and consider how they can continually improve. Staff say that they enjoy being part of the team and that they all feel supported by each other.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Equality and diversity are promoted and celebrated. Learning about acceptance is made accessible to children, for example they have recently celebrated World Cerebral Palsy Day as well as Chinese New Year.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager encourages staff to proactively seek children’s views and act on them. Children’s views are captured in a range of ways including during key-work sessions, house meetings and through daily interactions. Children regularly make choices about their daily lives such as activity and menu choices, how to decorate their bedrooms and about longer-term plans like holidays.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Records are sensitively written with children in mind and are recorded in a way each child can understand. This is evident from care plans, support plans, key-work sessions, children’s meetings records and memory books. This is a real strength of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recent recruitment initiatives to fill staff vacancies have been successful. New staff state they are well supported, and that their induction has enabled them to commence their work with children confidently and with knowledge of processes and procedures. Inspection report for children’s home: SC389174 6 Recruitment processes are mainly of a good standard and in keeping with regulatory requirements. However, when staff come to this home from one of the organisation’s other homes, records do not demonstrate that sufficient thought has been given to assessing their suitability to work in this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive extensive training that is bespoke to the needs of the children living in the home. Safeguarding training has been a focus as well as positive behaviour support. This ensures that children are cared for consistently by experienced and informed staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has sound understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses and is committed to ongoing development of the service. Inspection report for children’s home: SC389174 7

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Statutory requirement

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 must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d)) 28 February 2025

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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: SC389174 8

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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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Inspector

Emma Haskell, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC389174 9 and inspects 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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