Children's home run by Keys Education Ltd in Rossendale

Inspection report for children’s home: SC020594 1 SC020594 Registered provider: Keys Education Ltd

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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 is a privately owned children’s home that is registered to provide care for up to eight children. The provider offers a 90-day intervention placement for children who are unable to live safely in the community. Some placements are extended to six months for children who require additional support. The programme includes children engaging in a wide range of activities and staying in off-site accommodation. Ofsted does not inspect all of the accommodation used. However, the company is required to carry out its own risk assessments for each setting.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since December 2024 and has been registered with Ofsted since 13 October 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

There were five children living in the home at the time of inspection. The main home was visited alongside one of the off-site settings, in order to meet with children. Three children were also spoken to via telephone.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC020594 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/03/2025 Full Good 29/08/2023 Full Good 27/09/2022 Full Good 28/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC020594 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are positive about their experiences. Staff build positive relationships with children which help children to make progress in different areas of their lives and become safer.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff demonstrate strong commitment to providing children with enriching experiences that broaden their horizons. Children are encouraged and supported to take part in a wide range of outdoor activities, helping them to develop new skills and build confidence. These opportunities present positive challenges, contributing significantly to children’s sense of achievement and overall well-being. For example, one child has been supported to train and play weekly with a semi-professional football team, while another has successfully joined a local rugby club.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most of the children living in the home have been out of formal education for some time. During their stay, children are supported to learn new skills in ways that are tailored to their individual abilities. Some children receive one-to-one tuition, while others work towards bespoke accredited qualifications covering a range of topics. These arrangements help children to re-engage with learning and develop skills that will support their future opportunities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move into the home, the manager assesses their risks and identifies strategies to reduce these. However, plans do not always consider children’s known likes and cultural preferences. Targets for children are set at the point of moving in, but these are not consistently reviewed. This limits opportunities to measure progress and adapt plans to meet changing needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family members say that communication with the home is positive and that they feel reassured about their child’s care. One parent commented: ‘I can sleep at night for the first time in months, as I know my child is safe.’ This demonstrates the trust and confidence families have in the support provided by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well maintained and decorated to a good standard. Children all have their own room where they can store their belongings while they are staying at off-site accommodation. However, staff have not fully considered how to help children personalise the off-site accommodation, to make it more homely for the duration of their stays.

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

Staff build positive relationships with children through the activities they do. Due to these relationships, staff are able to have conversations about important topics such as exploitation, substance misuse and community violence. Staff are skilled in managing risks children may be exposed to in the community. Through targeted training, strong Inspection report for children’s home: SC020594 4 multi-agency collaboration and consistent support, they have successfully reduced these risks, helping children to become safer. In addition, children benefit from the support of mentors with lived experience, meaning they are provided with relatable and impactful guidance as an additional protective measure.

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

When staff need to use physical intervention to keep children safe, it is always employed as a last resort and only after all reasonable de-escalation strategies have been exhausted. Physical interventions are proportionate, necessary, and carried out with the child’s welfare as the primary consideration. The registered manager maintains effective oversight of all such incidents, ensuring they are appropriately recorded, reviewed and monitored. Children are spoken to promptly following any intervention, so their views are heard and their emotional well-being is supported.

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

When children go missing from home, staff respond promptly and follow established procedures to ensure their safety. They actively search for the child and work collaboratively with the police and other professionals to locate them. Staff remain focused on encouraging and supporting the child’s safe return, prioritising their welfare throughout the process.

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

When allegations are made against staff, managers follow robust procedures to ensure that children are safeguarded effectively. Information is shared as necessary with relevant agencies, leading to transparency and external oversight, and steps are taken to maintain children’s safety throughout the process. However, managers do not always keep children informed about the progress or outcome of their allegation. This means that children are not consistently provided with clear feedback on the concerns they raise.

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

The manager assesses all accommodation for suitability, and risk assessments are in place to ensure safety. However, one risk assessment of accommodation did not fully assess the location and the potential hazards relating to the location.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides strong, effective leadership, creating a positive and supportive environment for both children and staff. They are organised and approachable and ensure that children receive consistent care and support. The manager’s commitment fosters a culture of stability and resilience within the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working in the home and demonstrate a good level of skill in meeting children’s needs. They report feeling well supported by the manager, who provides effective guidance and creates a positive working environment. This supportive culture helps maintain staff morale and stability, which in turn benefits children through consistent, high-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals are positive about the manager and staff, highlighting their commitment and collaborative approach. Communication between staff and external professionals is Inspection report for children’s home: SC020594 5 strong and well structured, with weekly updates provided to ensure that others are kept informed of children’s progress. This proactive engagement supports effective multi- agency working and helps maintain a clear focus on the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A significant incident occurred in the home, prompting a learning review by senior leaders. While the review identified some areas for improvement, it failed to fully consider and address all shortfalls. In particular, no actions were taken to rectify shortfalls in one staff member’s practice. This represents a missed opportunity to strengthen practice and prevent similar issues from recurring. As a result, the review process did not achieve its intended purpose of driving meaningful improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: SC020594 6

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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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iii)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children are kept updated when they make allegations, with the outcomes of the investigations into these allegations being consistently shared with children. 14 January 2026

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 14 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC020594 7 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;

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person and senior leaders must ensure that when learning reviews take place following incidents, all shortfalls are considered and rectified, especially in relation to staff practice issues.

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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.

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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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s plans consider their likes and dislikes and their cultural needs, and that targets that are set are reviewed regularly. 14 January 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are given a choice about how their personal space is decorated. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.19)  When establishing the home (or alternative accommodation), the registered person should ensure that it is suitably located so that children are safeguarded effectively and can access services to meet the needs identified in their relevant plans. (‘Guide Inspection report for children’s home: SC020594 8 to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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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: SC020594 9

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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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Inspectors

Kate Savage, Social Care Inspector Sophie Hills, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC020594 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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