Children's home run by Keys Nhcc Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 1 Registered provider: Keys NHCC Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately operated. It provides care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living in the home.

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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

Date of last inspection: 29 January 2025

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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: 1267650 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/01/2025 Full Good 20/02/2024 Full Good 14/02/2023 Full Good 01/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children were seen and spoken to by the inspector during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are cared for by staff who know them well, and staff adapt their responses to the individual needs of each child. Warm, nurturing relationships between the children and the staff give children a sense of safety, helping to meet the children’s emotional needs. Children are visibly happy and content in the home, and they say they enjoy living here. All the children said they would not change anything about the home or the care they receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has a warm and cosy feel. Shared areas are full of photos of the children and staff, and rooms in the home are well used and adapted to the needs of the children. Children have space to explore their individual interests, with hobby rooms to support art and crafting activities. There are also comfy communal areas for them to spend time together and with staff. The children’s bedrooms are personalised and comfortable.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children take part in activities in line with their individual interests. These are varied and ever changing. One professional said, ‘Staff allow children to be children,’ and was enthusiastic about the encouragement for children to play with toys. Children are also encouraged to take part in activities outside the home, such as football, swimming and horse riding.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in education. For one child who is being tutored at home, there is a clear plan for a return to school full time. The manager has advocated strongly for this and is working with relevant professionals to ensure that the identified school can meet the child’s learning needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are listened to and feel able to share their wishes and feelings whenever they need to. When children ask for things to be done, they are done quickly. Complaints, although rare, are dealt with promptly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

An established culture of acceptance gives children confidence to express their identity. Children’s individuality is celebrated and respected by staff who learn how best to work with them to ensure that they have what they need to develop and progress towards their goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to attend appointments with the appropriate medical and mental health services and to take any necessary medication regularly. One child has had a swift diagnosis since being in the home because of the manager’s tenacity in progressing their referral. Another child has been supported to reduce their medication and to rely on it less at times when they do not need it. Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 4 Staff support children to see family members who are important to them. Communication with parents and relevant others is very good and helps to maintain family connections. One parent commented that they were ‘thrilled’ with the care their child receives. The parent said, ‘Staff go above and beyond. I have a better understanding of [name of child] because staff explain their behaviours in detail.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff plan well for children moving into the home. One professional said the manager and staff ‘spent so much time communicating with professionals’ to develop their understanding of the child’s needs. The child now feels safe in knowing staff are invested in them. This has been the foundation to the child’s progress since they moved into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to develop independence skills in preparation for moving on from the home. Staff stay in contact with children who leave to maintain important relationships and offer continued help. When local authority move-on plans do not meet the children’s needs, the manager shares his concerns. However, more could be done by leaders to escalate their concerns with the local authority in line with their policy when they are unsatisfied with the response.

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

Children are safeguarded effectively, and their risks reduce while living at this home. Children feel safe and benefit from clear and consistent boundaries. Risks are identified and understood because staff know the children well. The use of consequences to manage unwanted behaviours is proportionate and well explained to the children to help them make better choices.

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

When children go missing from the home, staff work effectively to return them safely. They follow agreed missing procedures, and the manager has oversight of all incidents. Staff talk to children about the reasons for going missing from home, and plans are updated in response to try and prevent any future incidents. This has included support from the local fire service to educate children around the dangers of walking on busy roads. Missing episodes for one child have reduced, and they no longer run to dangerous roads or go out of sight from staff.

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

Physical intervention is used proportionately when needed to keep children safe. The manager reflects with staff after incidents to consider their actions and develop their understanding of the children’s needs. Furthermore, conversations with children enable them to share any worries or concerns and inform staff’s de-escalation strategies. The need for restraint reduces over time as children develop their confidence and trust in staff.

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

The police were called on one occasion to help manage an unsafe situation with a child. The manager and staff have reflected on this and recognise calling the police may not have been necessary. Significant consideration has been given to what staff need to do to prevent future incidents. Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 5 Allegations against staff members are dealt with swiftly and appropriately, and action is taken when practice standards are not met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the children’s needs very well and the children value his presence in the home. They look to him for guidance and support, and for warmth and nurture. The manager is immersed in every aspect of daily life at the home, and the staff follow his lead.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working in the home and feel well supported by the manager and by each other. Practice-related supervisions are regular, and the children are discussed on each occasion. One staff member said they ‘absolutely love supervision’ because they can talk about anything.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager advocates for the children and is ambitious for them. He is not prepared for the children to have less than they should have. One professional said the manager has been ‘has put himself out there’ on behalf of a child. Furthermore, communication with the wider professional network is excellent.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been some issues with staffing. The manager has found it difficult to recruit suitable people to replace those who have left. Several staff have left, and this has had some effect on the children. However, the manager and core group of staff have pulled together to minimise the disruption for the children, helping to maintain consistency in their approach. Staff have demonstrated their commitment to the children by working extra hours to avoid having to use unfamiliar workers. There is significant pressure on the manager, although the manager is uncomplaining about the situation and leads from the front. Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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(c)) 15 February 2026

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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: 1267650 7

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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

Amy Groom, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 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 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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