Children's Home run by Keys Educational Services Limited in Somerset

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2507631 1 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

This home is owned by a large, private provider. It can provide care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, four children were living at the home. Two of the children were temporarily staying away from the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2024.

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Inspection date: 11 March 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 11 March 2025

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. The inspector has 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: 2507631 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 the last inspection, one child has moved on from the home and two children have moved in. For one of the children who has moved in, there have been a high number of missing-from-home incidents. The home worked with other professionals and the local authority and arranged for an activity-based intervention to meet the child’s needs.

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Findings from the inspection

Three of the children said that they like their home and rated it as either nine or ten out of ten. They all said that they like their bedrooms, and one child is eager to return to the home after their activity break. One child was not contactable during the inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

The home environment is now welcoming and homely. Children’s bedrooms are clean and personalised to them. Photos of the children are on display throughout the home. One child had moved in a few days before the inspection and photos of them were already in place, helping them to feel more at home. Children have been supported to keep their rooms tidy. Toiletries and personal hygiene products are easily accessible for all children.

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Findings from the inspection

Support for children to have healthy sleep routines has improved. Routines are in place for the younger children and staff know how to settle them for the night. Staff encourage the older children to have healthy routines and make efforts to get them involved in education and activities, with mixed success. Quick reference guides quickly help staff to know how to support children and provide consistency of care for them.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s progress and experiences continue to be variable. One child has made significant progress with education and has returned to school full time. Children’s educational information is available, and staff have agreed on ways to support children to attend and engage in education. For one child, attending education has been difficult. Staff have supported this child well with work experience opportunities.

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Findings from the inspection

Responses to children going missing from the home are thorough. Staff are proactive in searching for children and they contact them persistently when they do not return to the home as expected. Staff know the processes to follow. The manager has been professionally curious and has explored the reasons for children leaving the home. Return home interviews take place, and the learning and key themes are identified.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers made quick decisions when there was acknowledgement that the home was not able to fully meet one child’s needs, and a plan is in place for this child to return. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2507631 3 When children raise concerns about staff practice, the manager is quick to respond and safeguarding agencies are appropriately informed. Children are supported by staff to understand the outcomes.

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Findings from the inspection

Children know how to make a complaint, and they are responded to sensitively. There is now a system in place to capture less serious complaints to ensure these are not lost.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have worked on developing consistent routines for children and clear guidance for staff on how to support them. There have been changes within the staff team. Staff spoken with say that these changes have improved the atmosphere and that the home feels more ‘homely’ and organised. Agency staff have been used at times but this has been reduced more recently, with bank staff being used. The manager has also carried out reflective work to explore the reasons for staff leaving.

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Findings from the inspection

Systems are in place to oversee children’s care, and the manager analyses serious incidents and reflects on the learning from them. Training to meet children’s particular needs has taken place to upskill the staff team, particularly in relation to missing-from-home and county lines training. Actions have been taken since the last inspection to address some of the requirements made. Three requirements have been met and two remain. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2507631 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/05/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/10/2022 Full Good 23/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2507631 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement; and

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(viii)(x)) 01 May 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2507631 6 In particular, the registered person should support staff to provide care to children that promotes their educational attendance and achievement. When children are not attending full-time education, staff should engage them in suitable structured activities that promote their learning and development. This should also support children to build their confidence and help them to reintegrate into formal education.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated from the previous inspection.

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and ensure that staff—

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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;

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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. (Regulation 5 (a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should challenge the placing local authority when there are delays in decision- making or shortfalls that are having an impact on caring for children. 01 May 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2507631 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

Nickie Doney, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2507631 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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