Children's home run by Keys Educational Services Limited in Rossendale

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC363393 1 SC363393

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Registered provider: Keys Educational Services 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 by a private provider and offers care for up to two children who have experienced social and emotional difficulties. One child lives in the home but was not present during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post is currently vacant. However, the home’s deputy manager has been promoted and is in the process of submitting their application to register with Ofsted. The inspection was supported by the new manager and the responsible individual.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 20 November 2024

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. This inspector looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC363393 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Since one child moved to the home, leaders and managers have worked collaboratively with their placing authority to help plan appropriate arrangements for their care. As a result, the child has made some progress from their starting point. They have been supported to develop healthy sleep patterns and have been able to spend more positive time with their family. They have also started to talk to staff about their experiences and feelings, which is something that they previously found difficult.

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Findings from the inspection

Although the child’s attendance at school has recently reduced, it continues to reflect overall progress from when they first moved to the home. When the child is not in full-time education, staff provide them with some opportunities to participate in learning activities. However, the opportunities that are offered to the child are not well-planned or suitably structured, and the child’s engagement is variable. There are no learning objectives, and it is difficult to ascertain the purpose of some of the activities. Without clear plans, staff are not able to encourage the child to participate effectively or to understand the importance of their learning.

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Findings from the inspection

One child has been supported to move out of the home. Before they moved, leaders and managers helped the placing authority to understand the child’s needs and the support that they would likely require from the staff at their new home. The child has remained in touch with staff, who continue to offer advice and guidance. This helps to engender feelings of belongingness and an ongoing connection to the home.

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Findings from the inspection

There has been a recent increase in behaviours that challenge staff. This has led to repeated and serious injury to staff. The support that staff offer the child is not always helpful. Sometimes, staff responses escalate the challenges and/or are unlikely to help the child to feel safe. There have been occasions when staff have not been able to keep the child or themselves safe, which has resulted in the police being called.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have recognised the difficulties that staff are facing. They take action to support the staff team and regularly seek advice and guidance from external services. Leaders and managers proactively make arrangements to ensure that the child’s and staff’s safety is prioritised. Staff say that the feel supported by managers and demonstrate a commitment to the child’s care.

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Findings from the inspection

Internal and external professionals regularly review the strategies that staff use to help the child to express themselves in safe ways. Alongside this, staff support the child to use their own strategies to express themselves more safely. The actions that are being taken to support the child are in their infancy, so it is difficult to evaluate Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC363393 3 their effectiveness at this time. Leaders and managers are clear that another child cannot move into the home while staff continue to be challenged to the degree that they are. Leaders and managers are regularly reviewing whether staff have the skills and experience that they need to protect the child and themselves from harm.

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Findings from the inspection

When concerns are raised about staff practice, they are reported to the relevant external professionals. Leaders and managers take action to prevent similar concerns from happening again in the future and the new manager of the home is receptive of advice and guidance. However, staff remain uncertain about the procedures to follow when children raise concerns about being harmed by staff.

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Findings from the inspection

The requirements that were raised at the last inspection are met or partially met. Additional work is required to help staff to develop the skills and knowledge that they need to meet children’s needs, help children to keep safe effectively and to understand important safeguarding procedures.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have successfully recruited a full staff team. As a result, the child is benefiting from consistent care from staff that they know well. The new manager is in the process of submitting their application to register with Ofsted. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC363393 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/11/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/07/2023 Full Good 09/11/2022 Full Good 21/04/2021 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC363393 5

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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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children; and 1 May 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC363393 6 de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(ix)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must help staff to reflect on the support that they offer to children and identify learning to prevent unsafe situations from escalating in the future. Specifically, staff must be supported to help children to feel safe, de-escalate challenging situations and encourage children to express themselves in safer ways.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff have a sound working knowledge of safeguarding procedures and that they can apply their knowledge to their day-to-day practice.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and has been partially restated. 1 May 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that when children are not attending full- time education, staff support them to develop healthy routines and participate in structured learning activities. Staff should help children to develop their confidence in education so that they can resume full-time education as soon as possible. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 28, paragraph, 5.15) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC363393 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Educational Services 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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Inspector

Martin Brown, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC363393 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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