Children's Home run by Keys Child Care Limited in Nottinghamshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC454901 1 SC454901 Registered provider: Keys Child Care Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is privately operated and provides care for up to five children who may require support with social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the visit, one child was living in the home. Since the last inspection, one child has moved out.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The post for a registered manager has been vacant since 31 December 2024.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Serious and widespread concerns were identified during an assurance inspection on 29 January 2025. Following the inspection, several statutory requirements were raised. Two compliance notices were issued in relation to Regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and Regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard).

p.1

This monitoring visit

Ofsted also issued a notice restricting accommodation to ensure that no further children move into the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This visit took place to assess whether the compliance notices have been met. The visit found that the compliance notices have not been met; however, some progress has been made. As a result, the compliance notices have been reissued under regulations 12 and 13.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Risk management plans have been updated to include oversight from leaders and managers. However, key information has not been included in the risk management plans. This shortfall could negatively impact on children’s safety. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC454901 2 Leaders and managers have not had sufficient oversight of staff training and have not given timescales for staff to complete training. There are significant training gaps across the team. For example, only three members of staff have completed emergency first-aid training. Staff rotas are not coordinated to ensure that there is always a staff member on shift who has had this vital training. This does not ensure that children’s health needs can be met.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Staff do not have the required training to manage self-injurious behaviours. This training is vital for staff to understand how to intervene and support children who are injured or at risk of harming themselves.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers were not able to give a clear time frame of an incident that has happened since the last inspection. There was a delay in this incident being recorded and escalated to wider professionals. This undermines safeguarding processes. Furthermore, the child’s risk management plan has not been updated to reflect the incident. Leaders have introduced systems to ensure that there is a higher level of oversight in the home and to ensure safer practices; however, these are not yet effective.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have made some progress towards meeting requirements raised at the last inspection. For example, most staff have now completed safeguarding and whistle-blowing training.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have taken steps to ensure that the child is more involved with their care planning. This includes supportive discussions about the child’s risk- taking behaviours. The complaints process has now been explained to the child, and the child’s views are now being actively sought.

p.2

This monitoring visit

A clear effort has been made to improve the home environment. Decorators were present during this visit, and there are plans for new carpets to be fitted throughout the home. No hazards were identified in the child’s bedroom. A cleaning rota is now in place. There is a higher level of oversight from leaders and managers in relation to the condition of the home. This includes the addition of the home environment as an agenda item for supervision, which is also discussed in team meetings. Managers have also introduced a daily audit of the home environment. Any tasks needing completion are identified and shared at handovers.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers understand the areas that require improvement and have implemented an action plan to address these and make the required changes. Leaders and managers are keen for an external audit to take place, which will form part of a wider learning review. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC454901 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/08/2024 Full Good 14/11/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/11/2022 Full Good 30/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC454901 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.4

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;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.4

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.4

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies.;

p.4

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)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

p.4

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that risk assessments are regularly reviewed in line with children’s current behaviours. 28 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC454901 5 Staff must be aware of actions to take to keep children safe. Safeguarding protocols must be followed robustly to keep children safe from harm.

p.4

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

p.5

Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received.

p.5

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(f)(g)(i)(ii))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that there is an experienced registered manager in post who has clear oversight of the home and systems in place to monitor the quality of the care that children receive. Processes for following serious incidents need to be clear and robust. Leaders and managers must ensure that staff complete all training, particularly training that relates to 28 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC454901 6 children’s specific needs, and have the knowledge and skills to support children. In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.5

Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

p.6

Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

p.6

Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation.

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the network around all the children living in the home is aware of concerns and is part of effective planning to ensure safeguarding and the support for children. 28 March 2025

p.6

Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

p.6

Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.6

Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

p.6

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration; 28 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC454901 7 details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

p.6

Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

p.7

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

p.7

Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

p.7

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that any incidents involving physical intervention are monitored for the appropriateness of the intervention used. Debriefs must be carried out with staff and children and information used to improve practice.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.7

Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

p.7

Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

p.7

Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

p.7

Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child— 28 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC454901 8 is instigated; or

p.7

Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

p.8

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

p.8

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that Ofsted is notified of allegations and serious incidents in a timely manner.

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

p.8

Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

p.8

Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

p.8

Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

p.8

Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

p.8

Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

p.8

Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

p.8

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the independent person’s report is sent to Ofsted in a timely manner. There is 28 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC454901 9 a responsibility for Ofsted to be informed where there are concerns for child’s safety.

p.8

Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(b))

p.9

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to there being no manager registered in post; responsibility for rectifying this situation lies with the responsible individual. There have been delays in acting on the apparent concerns and shortfalls on the part of the responsible individual 28 March 2025

p.9

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

p.9

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any consequences used to address poor behaviour are restorative in nature to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)  The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. Professionally qualified staff employed by the home, such as teachers or social workers, should be provided with relevant professional or clinical supervision by an appropriately qualified and experienced professional. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including

p.9

Recommendations

the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

p.9

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.

p.9

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC454901 10

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Child Care Limited

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Maybrook House, Third Floor, Queensway, Halesowen B63 4AH

p.10

Inspectors

Becky Thompson, Social Care Inspector Ellen Monk, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC454901 11 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.

p.10

Inspectors

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 www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.11

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.11

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.11