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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC001016 1 SC001016 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 home is operated by a private company. It provides care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living in the home, and the inspector spoke with them all.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since August 2025.

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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: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC001016 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/03/2025 Full Outstanding 19/03/2024 Full Outstanding 10/01/2023 Full Outstanding 07/09/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC001016 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children enjoy excellent relationships with staff who know them very well. The staff promote a culture where they celebrate diversity. Children thrive from this approach. The unconditional care helps them to explore their own identity, and for some, this is the first time they have been accepted for who they are. Total acceptance from the staff helps children to significantly improve their self-confidence and self-esteem. One professional said: ‘The thoughtful, patient way the team has supported [child’s name] in exploring their identity has been exemplary. There has been full acceptance, respect and celebration of the child exactly as they are.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s health has significantly improved. For those with specialist health needs, staff dedicate time to supporting children to understand how to look after themselves. This includes work around keeping fit and having a healthy diet. When children have more specific health needs, the staff work with specialist professionals to ensure that children get the right support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Education is a priority. Some children who were not in school before living here have made excellent progress and attend school every day. For other children who need a more specialist timetable, the staff work closely with school professionals to facilitate this. Staff act as strong advocates for children to ensure that they receive the right education in the right setting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The staff promote key values, such as empathy, respect and the importance of helping others. The children carry out a range of charity work, which helps them to recognise the importance of caring for others. The charity work that the children take part in is extensive and includes helping at local food banks and at a local homeless charity. They are also fundraising to help raise money for causes such as building water wells in Africa.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children enjoy a wide range of exciting activities. Some activities are new experiences that they have tried for the first time. Activities include going on caravan holidays, to boxing clubs, mountain biking, to theme parks, trips to museums, and culture nights.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children learn a range of skills that will help them in later life. Skills include making meals, doing laundry and going food shopping. In addition, some children try voluntary work in local businesses, such as ‘doggy day care’. This helps children to gain valuable experience for future employment.

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

Risk assessments are regularly updated and reflect children’s changing needs. They provide clear actions for staff to support children and help them to de-escalate incidents Inspection report for children’s home: SC001016 4 effectively at an early stage. Therefore, physical intervention is rarely used, always as a last resort and for the shortest time possible to keep children and staff safe.

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

The children benefit from structure and routine. The staff also use positive boundaries that help children to feel safe. Children like following innovative positive reward schemes where they achieve weekly and monthly prizes for their efforts. Children enjoy celebrating their overall achievements through a ‘Star of the Month Award’. One child was proud to show their Star of the Month Award and said: ‘I get rewards every day now.’

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

On the rare occasion when issues arise concerning staff practice, the manager is quick to act. She follows procedures and works with other professionals such as the local authority designated safeguarding officer. She takes a very reflective approach and is always striving to identify any possible learning from events. This learning is taken through reflection sessions and written reflective pieces of work, which analyse practice to help identify any lessons learned.

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

Children are helped to recognise risks and learn how to stay safe. The children and staff work on a ‘Topic of the Month’. The choice of topic is determined by risks that children could face. Extensive research around the risk is carried out by staff, which is then shared and discussed in staff team meetings and with children through individualised sessions and house meetings. Topics includes staying safe online and bullying. This provides the opportunity for children to talk about their learning together. This collaborative learning between children and staff brings the learning to life and children start to identify risks, helping to keep themselves safe.

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

Newly appointed staff undergo a range of recruitment checks before they start work. The checks ensure that they are safe to work with children. Additional due diligence is carried out by the manager during staff recruitment, but the additional checks and verifications are not clearly documented. This is a recording issue that does not affect the safety of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is highly enthusiastic and committed to continually improving the service to enhance the care that children receive. She leads the team by example. She has high expectations of the staff, who are motivated to follow her approach. One member of staff said: ‘The manager is approachable, supportive, and always willing to listen, making sure everyone’s voice is heard. She takes concerns seriously and works hard to create a positive, respectful and supportive working environment where everyone feels valued. She is a true role model.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular, reflective supervision sessions. Supervision sessions are creative and meaningful. They are split into 2 parts. The first part is held at the start of the month and sets out goals that the staff and children choose together. The second part is at the end of the month and provides time and opportunity for reflection, with a focus on Inspection report for children’s home: SC001016 5 the children’s achievements and progress. This way of working is empowering staff and developing their confidence. In addition, it is very effective in supporting the manager to monitor children’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff complete a range of mandatory training and additional training is sourced around children’s specific needs. In addition, regular research is carried out by the managers and staff to enhance their knowledge further around children’s individual needs, for example the improvement of children’s diets. This research is delivered in staff team meetings and discussed in staff supervision sessions to make sure they understand and implement the learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager builds positive working relationships with all professionals involved in children’s lives. They work collaboratively to ensure that children’s needs are met and act as a strong advocate, appropriately challenging others to secure the support children need. One professional said: ‘I work with a wide range of residential placements across different regions. While I regularly see good practice, it is very rare to come across a home that consistently demonstrates the level of excellence, consistency and genuine care that this team provides.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has a range of monitoring systems. The systems help her to understand the positive aspects of the service and the areas that she would like to develop. Through monthly audits, observations, reflections and feedback she continually checks the quality of the care being delivered. The manager is continually striving for improvement and are focused on a vision that she reflects in her development plan. Inspection report for children’s home: SC001016 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they maintain good employment practice. In particular, they should ensure that the recording of employment checks is clear and detailed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: SC001016 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: Maybrook House, Third Floor, Queensway, Halesowen B63 4AH

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Inspectors

Jamie Richardson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC001016 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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