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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2743656 1 Registered provider: Keys Child 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 privately owned home was registered with Ofsted in November 2023 to care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties on a short-term basis. At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home and spoke to the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a suitably qualified and experienced manager.

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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 outstanding

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2743656 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/05/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2743656 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children who live in this home are making exceptional progress. They are cared for by a highly skilled staff team who are committed to ensuring the best possible outcomes for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff focus on building strong, trusting and secure relationships with the children and show genuine warmth and affection in their daily interactions. The safe and trusting relationships that staff have with the children support the children to safely explore their own feelings and emotions and understand their own behaviours.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff take time to understand children’s individuality. Plans to support children to reach their potential are child focused and exceptionally aspirational. Staff carefully consider the support they provide to help children explore their own individual personalities and follow their interests. Staff also provide support to the children to have positive relationships with one another by modelling positive behaviours and sharing activities together. Children are provided opportunities to participate in a wide range of activities and hobbies, including wild swimming, hiking, going to the cinema, baking, DIY and gardening.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff understand the value and importance of education and support the children to reach their full potential. There is a strong focus on children accessing or attending education, and clear, robust challenge to the child’s wider network when plans do not meet children’s needs. Bespoke and creative packages of education are created to address shortfalls or delays in education provision. These bespoke plans involve carefully planned educational activities within the home and in the community. One child visited a local ecological project, and staff supported the child’s continued learning by creating a similar garden project in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Moves in and out of the home are carefully considered to minimise the impact of change and give children the best possible opportunity to settle. The child-led move for one child involved a lengthy plan of calls, visits and overnight stays, which resulted in them feeling secure enough to make the permanent move quicker than anticipated. Staff remain in contact with children who have left and help them to celebrate their special achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home environment is focused entirely on the children, and staff ensure that children are involved in any changes. The large outside space is particularly impressive, with raised beds for growing vegetables, chickens and an outbuilding that has been repurposed into a gym. Children are encouraged to use the outdoor space and are involved in DIY projects, which add to the outdoor environment. Each child who lives at the home is supported to build a bird box and these boxes are proudly displayed in the garden. Inspection report for children’s home: 2743656 4 Children’s records are sensitively written, capturing the child’s voices and they are written directly to the child. Research into best practice for children’s records has been incorporated into staff’s daily practice and managers have used their research challenge the use of jargon by professionals.

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

There have been no safeguarding concerns or incidents in this home since the previous inspection. Children do not go missing and physical intervention is not used. Children are kept safe by an extremely skilled and knowledgeable staff team who understand the impact of past trauma and how this may present itself in the children’s communication.

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

Children’s secure relationships with staff mean that they are able to express feelings, emotions and behaviours safely. Small changes in behaviour or emotional cues are quickly picked up on by the well attuned staff. Due to the early recognition of these subtle changes, there is no escalation resulting in incidents of concern. Any incidents where children become distressed, or are at risk of becoming distressed, are managed compassionately by nurturing staff who ensure that the relationships they have with children are quickly repaired.

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

Staff are consistent in reinforcing boundaries for acceptable behaviour towards others and within the home. Staff use gentle, non-blaming techniques to challenge any negative behaviours and help children to understand the impact of their actions.

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

Approaches to risk are exceptionally well managed, and plans are clear, concise and usable documents for staff. Leaders and managers create plans that consider past events but do not unnecessarily or negatively label children’s behaviours. Children are safely encouraged to take age-appropriate risks and challenge themselves with outdoor activities. This approach creates a sense achievement for the children and helps with the development of their self-esteem.

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

When there are concerns about mobile phone use, children’s mobile phone monitoring is thoughtfully used as a tool to monitor risk. Staff have open conversations with the children about any areas of concern.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is managed by an aspirational manager who is committed to the children and their experiences in the home. Leaders and managers model exceptional practice and are highly respected by the team. There are high expectations of the staff team, but staff unanimously talk about how much they enjoy their jobs and value the guidance and support offered to them. Staff are empowered in their decision-making so that the children have confidence in each staff member to make safe decisions. Staff retention is high, and no bank or agency staff are used. One member of staff commented, ‘They [managers] lead by example and we follow in their steps’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2743656 5 Staff understand the importance of professional networks around the children and work hard to ensure that they maintain positive relationships with all those involved. When there are gaps or shortfalls in planning or decision-making, leaders and managers are

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

robust in their challenge. Professional feedback is exceptionally positive, with comments such as ‘hands down, this is the best residential home I have worked with’ and ‘[child’s name] has made excellent progress in all areas, its remarkable’. One professional said, ‘They [managers and staff] have demonstrated consistent support and a nurturing environment that is allowing the child to truly thrive.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Supervision sessions and team meetings take place regularly and are used to reflect on practice. There is a strong culture of learning. Individual staff members undertake pieces of work that contribute to the team’s understanding of children’s specific needs. Evidence-based practice and research are incorporated into reflective sessions for the team and new learning is embedded into practice. The systems used to record the child’s journey highlight the impact of new learning, and there is robust management oversight on these records.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers learn from experiences of past placements to support staff practice and make informed decisions about new children moving into the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations have been raised at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2743656 6

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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: 2743656 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Child Care Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Stacey Pellow, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2743656 8 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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