Children's home run by Keswick Care Limited in Wakefield

Inspection report for children’s home: SC067865 1 SC067865

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Registered provider: Keswick Care 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

This home is run by a private company and offers care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2024.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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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: SC067865 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/10/2023 Full Good 28/09/2022 Full Good 20/09/2021 Full Good 20/02/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC067865 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children spoke of having strong and trusted relationships with the staff. The staff know the children and recognise any changes in their physical and mental well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home are planned well. The manager carries out a comprehensive plan that assesses the effect of any move, including whether a child’s needs can be met. Children have the time to meet staff and other children before a permanent move takes place. This helps relationships to form and alleviates anxieties.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have developed an independence planning pack. It was created to help children prepare for planned moves on from the home. The pack contains quizzes and paper-based activities to support children to become familiar with the locality of their new home and start to develop important social networks and links. Staff recognise that this can be an exciting but challenging time for children. They use supportive conversations to continue to engage, encourage and support children to meet their current and future goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children are deprived of their liberty, the staff have clear knowledge and understanding of the restrictions and why this decision has been approved by the court to help protect children from harm. The required high levels of care and supervision are clearly detailed in the children’s care plans and risk assessments for staff to follow.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend education regularly. When children are suspended from their educational setting, staff engage with the provider to develop plans to allow the child to return.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend required medical appointments and health reviews. Staff help the children to develop the necessary skills to manage their own health needs. Supportive discussions are frequently held with children to explore physical, mental and sexual health.

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improvement to be good

Children’s care plans and risk assessments are detailed and reflect the children’s needs. However, staff have not always followed the practice guidance set within these documents, resulting in harm to a child. The manager has clear expectations of practice performance and took immediate action to address the deficits. Importantly, the manager learns from incidents and implements training and guidance for her staff.

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improvement to be good

When children are missing from the home, the staff follow the relevant safety plan. When children are found and have returned home safely, the staff welcome them and have reflective and supportive discussions. The staff have a great relationship with the missing-from-home team, who carry out external return home interviews with the Inspection report for children’s home: SC067865 4 children. These discussions can help the staff to understand the child’s experience while they were away and help them to adapt and create the right support to help to prevent further incidents.

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improvement to be good

Children receive help and support to manage their behaviours and feelings. Staff have a good awareness of how the children’s past experiences can significantly impact their behaviours. Staff create supportive boundaries and continually praise positive behaviour to help children to regulate their emotions and form trusted relationships.

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improvement to be good

Consequences are used with the children. These are not punitive in nature and are well thought through by managers and staff. Staff are continually considering and reviewing how to help children learn from their experiences and think about what they would do differently next time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are highly focused and dedicated to the staff and to the children. The children are at the centre of all decisions. When mistakes happen, the managers own these. They review, reflect and implement new strategies to ensure that lessons are learned.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers celebrate the children’s achievements. They monitor the children’s progress and capture the new life experiences that children have been offered and enjoyed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place frequently. Staff, with the support of the in-house therapist, are encouraged to participate and engage in practice discussions about the children. These meetings provide the manager with the opportunity to review the skills and knowledge of the staff and create additional training and learning opportunities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff benefit from ongoing support, reflective supervision and constant guidance from managers. The training package offered to the staff is comprehensive and equips staff with the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding to meet the children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers create opportunities for children to express their feelings and provide feedback about their views and opinions. Managers understand the importance of listening to children and take time to respond to their requests.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and deputy manager have clear oversight of all systems used in the home. The home is a hazard-free environment for children because the managers have clear oversight and audit processes to maintain standards. There are monthly internal and external audits that help the managers to maintain practice standards, including the quality of care offered to children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC067865 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 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

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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(b)) 1 April 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: SC067865 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keswick Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 17, Cedars Business Centre, Barnsley Road, Hemsworth, Pontefract WF9 4PU

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Inspector

Rachel Moore, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC067865 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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