Children's Home run by Keystone Staffordshire Ltd in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2773571 1 Keystone Staffordshire Ltd

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in April 2024 and is owned by an independent provider. It offers care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties and are likely to have experienced trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a permanent registered manager in post, who is suitably qualified.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 24 June 2025. Following the inspection, a notice restricting accommodation and one compliance notice, under regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard), were issued.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit examined the progress made in meeting the compliance notice. We found the compliance notice was met and the notice restricting accommodation has subsequently been lifted.

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This monitoring visit

Sufficient action has been taken to address the areas of concern identified in the compliance notice. A clear action plan was developed to identify the steps needed to rectify shortfalls in the running of the home. This included a review of processes that informed the admission and discharge of children who have previously moved in and out of the home and staff recruitment, retention and training needs, which helped inform the plan and deliver improvements needed.

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This monitoring visit

The process for admitting children to the home has been strengthened. A thorough review of the admission process has led to the development of a more robust and comprehensive assessment process. Documentation has been updated to ensure Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2773571 2 that essential information on prospective admissions of children is consistently gathered. This information enables managers to identify any potential risks to children already living in the home and make more informed decisions in relation to the safety and stability of placements for all children involved.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have provided additional training and support to ensure that staff are better equipped to meet the needs of children placed in their care. This includes training in trauma-informed practice, child exploitation, autism and neurodiversity. All staff have completed this training. In addition, a bespoke training package has been sought to provide further in-person training in relation to attachment and developmental trauma and therapeutic approaches. This should help improve the standard of care provided as staff are better able to understand and manage trauma-related behaviour.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have taken steps to address the high turnover of staff and improve staff retention. A review of all staff that have left employment has helped leaders to gain a clearer insight into the reasons for staff leaving. This insight has helped inform the development of the home’s recruitment and retention strategies. The introduction of structured exit interviews provides further opportunity to explore staff experiences and identify areas for improvement. Recruitment processes now include an assessment shift, which provides prospective staff to experience the role and enable children to contribute to the selection process. Suitable safeguards are put in place to ensure the safety of children. These measures should help to promote greater staff stability and continuity of care for children.

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This monitoring visit

Children are supported by staff that have had their performance appraised. All staff have received their annual appraisal since the last inspection and monthly supervision. This has enabled staff to reflect on their performance and identify any areas of learning and development they may need.

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This monitoring visit

The home environment is pleasant and well maintained. The child told the inspector that they were involved in decorating their room, which reflects their individuality. Aspects of the home that previously gave it an institutionalised feel have been resolved, providing a more homely environment for children.

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This monitoring visit

Feedback from stakeholders, staff and the child living in the home is unanimous in praising the leadership of the home and care provided. Professionals have commented on the positive progress the child has made. One professional said that they did not have to worry about the child when they left the home because they knew they were 100% safe.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit focused specifically on the compliance notices issued previously. Requirements and the recommendation made at the last inspection are outside the scope of this visit. Although some aspects of the requirements and recommendations were considered during our assessment of the compliance notices, not all were considered. Therefore, requirements relating to Regulations 12 (The protection of Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2773571 3 children standard) and 14 (The care planning standard) have been restated and will be considered at the next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2773571 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/06/2025 Full Inadequate 28/08/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2773571 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 with 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— that staff—

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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that they fully assess all children’s known risks, continually monitor and assess staff’s knowledge and skills when children’s risks escalate and take action to address shortfalls in staff’s knowledge and skills as required. 30 September 2025

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that arrangements are in place to— 30 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2773571 6 plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority.

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that they realistically assess the potential to offer children long-term stable placements and that children have a positive experience of moving on from the home.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2773571 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keystone Staffordshire Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 24 Brookside Business Park, Stone, Staffordshire ST15 0RZ

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Inspector

Louise Naylor, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2773571 8 regulates and inspects 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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