Children's home run by Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: 1249031 1 Registered provider: Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private organisation and is registered to care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2024. He is appropriately experienced and qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living at the home at the time of this inspection. The inspectors met and spent time with both children.

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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: 10 December 2024

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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: 1249031 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/12/2024 Full Good 24/07/2023 Full Good 07/06/2022 Full Good 22/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1249031 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have long standing and trusting relationships with staff. Staff know children very well, invest time in them and promote their well-being. They are nurturing with children, provide them with stability and are proud of the progress children make. Children have fun with staff. They enjoy a range of activities both in the house and in the community and spend time with other children from the providers other homes. Children are supported to be kind and respectful to one another.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals and family provide positive feedback about the quality of care and support provided to children and the impact this has on their well-being. One parent said, ‘Staff have made the most of every opportunity to bring my child forward.’ Staff drive children’s progress in their independence skills, communication skills, spending time in the community and their ability to regulate their emotions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s placement plans and health information plans are detailed and regularly updated. Direct work with children titled ‘this is my place’ captures children’s views about their care on a wider scale, to incorporate into their placement plans. The staff team works with additional health professionals such as mental health professionals, autism specialists and occupational therapists to ensure that children’s health needs are met. Staff support children to attend appointments that they may struggle with because of their anxiety or their sensory needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s engagement in education is part of their daily routine. Where children are struggling to attend full time, staff collaborate with their school through careful transition work to increase the number of days they attend, while taking this at the child’s pace. Routine planners and self-care plans provide staff with clear guidance about the support children require daily and what children can do for themselves as part of their independence development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are sought in a range of creative ways. Meaningful direct work sessions are conducted with children to help them to understand situations, to talk about how they are feeling and to reflect on incidents. My view matters consultations and zones of regulation feelings boards also help children communicate things they need help with, any worries and how they feel about their home. Both children have access to advocates.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use a range of communication tools with children, such as Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS), Makaton, social stories, talking mats and individual strategies such as ‘now and next’. Individualised communication plans promote a consistent approach with children to ensure that staff support them to use their preferred communication style and to develop this further. Inspection report for children’s home: 1249031 4 The home is comfortable and welcoming. Photos of children and their family are displayed around the home. Toys, equipment and games are widely available. The third bedroom is currently being used daily as an office to support the operation of the home. This is not the purpose of the bedroom. Leaders and managers plan to review the layout of the home to ensure that the number of bedrooms available for children is reflects their registration conditions.

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

Children are kept safe in their home. Staff have a good understanding of triggers to children’s behaviour and the strategies that are effective in helping to keep them safe. They use a trauma informed approach consistently and this is clearly evidenced in children’s records.

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

Children’s risk assessments provide staff with the information they require to be able to safeguard children effectively. The implementation of positive behaviour support (PBS) plans is a joint process between children, PBS coaches, the staff team and professionals working with them, such as occupational therapists. They are effective in supporting children to develop their ability to manage and voice their emotions using their preferred communication styles. The manager is a qualified PBS coach which enables him to have greater insight into children’s behaviours and to amend their plans when required.

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

Safeguarding incidents are well recorded with children’s safety evidenced as a priority. Staff members use their knowledge of children and a therapeutic approach effectively in de-escalating situations. Managers provide staff with reflection on incidents and the same is offered to children using their preferred communication tools. Physical restraint is used appropriately and proportionately. There is evidence of the duration, intensity and frequency of restraint having reduced. Self-injurious behaviour is monitored, responded to well and recorded clearly by the staff team.

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

Children do not go missing from the home. Missing from home protocols are in place should this become an emerging risk. Staff understand the action that they should take to keep children safe. Staff use a positive reinforcement approach to support good behaviour. Children’s rewards are linked to their progress, skill development and achievements.

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

There have been no complaints, allegations or formal concerns raised since the last inspection. Children have various forums to raise concerns or complaints, including by speaking to the independent visitor. Staff understand the whistle blowing policy and the importance of raising concerns and following procedures without delay to safeguard children.

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

There are clearer and improved processes in place to store and administer medication. This follows a medication error that was thoroughly investigated by leaders and managers. Some staff are in the process of being retrained including in their competency of administrating medication. The manager has increased his oversight of medication systems and implemented additional measures to prevent further errors. Inspection report for children’s home: 1249031 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers advocate for children to ensure that they achieve positive outcomes to prepare them for their futures. They understand children’s progress, where they need support to develop and have a clear vision for how this will be achieved. The senior leadership team are training champions for different areas of communication specific to children’s needs. This means that children are supported by a team who know their communication skills very well and work hard to help children to develop these further.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager oversees all children’s records and incidents. This ensures that he understands children’s current needs, risks and how the team are responding to these. Internal audits by the manager are effective in ensuring that children’s files are kept up to date with key information. Improvements have been made to the quality of the independent visitor reports and the manager’s review of the quality-of-care report. This specifically relates to obtaining regular feedback from children and staff to provide a clear and informed evaluation of the impact of the quality of care on children’s lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is one vacancy on the staff team, which is being actively being recruited to. This means that core staff have been required to cover shifts and there has been a high reliance on agency staff. There has been no identified impact on children, as the manager tries to use the regular agency who know children well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team receives regular reflective and practice-related supervisions. Probationary reviews and annual appraisals ensure that staff professional development is closely monitored. Staff feel supported by the senior leadership team and say that it is a transparent place to work. Leaders and managers act promptly to notify senior managers and relevant professionals if they have staff practice concerns. However, on one occasion the manager has not notified Ofsted of the action taken.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are held regularly. There has been creative activities and developmental work done with the staff team by the in-house psychologist. However, there is not a consistent approach to ensuring that waking night staff attend meetings as part of their support and development. This is a missed opportunity to keep them up to date with changes to children’s needs and staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s workforce development plan is detailed and helps him to track staff personal development and training. He recognises when staff require refresher training and plans for this to take place. As part of the training champions group, the manager is proactive at upskilling his staff team with additional training linked to children’s communication needs such as guidance in using talking mats and Makaton. Inspection report for children’s home: 1249031 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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers should notify Ofsted of the action they have taken in relation to any concerns about their staff team. 3 April 2026

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (5))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers should review the layout of the home to ensure that the number of bedrooms available for children is reflective of their registration. 3 April 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. Specifically, waking night staff should be supported to attend regular team meetings so that they are given the same opportunity as day staff to discussion children’s needs, procedures and expectations of working in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20)

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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: 1249031 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited

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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

Cheryl Field, Social Care Inspector Hannah Longdon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1249031 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 children who are looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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