Children's Home run by Keys Educational Services Limited in Lincolnshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC363403 1 SC363403 Registered provider: Keys Educational Services 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

The home is owned and operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to 4 children who may require support with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by an experienced and qualified manager who is registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 4 children were living in the home, and 3 children contributed their views to the inspection.

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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: SC363403 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/03/2025 Full Outstanding 19/02/2024 Full Outstanding 14/03/2023 Full Good 03/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC363403 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive excellent care and support from managers and staff who are highly dedicated and committed to them. A key strength in this home is the quality of the relationships between staff and children. A child said, ‘I love the staff and managers; they all have different personalities and are so good in their own ways.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Many of the children have experienced difficulties and often traumatic life events. Consequently, when children move to the home, the immediate priority for managers and staff is to ensure the children’s safety and start building trusting relationships that help them settle and begin to make progress. Staff form strong, positive bonds quickly, enabling children to feel safe, confide in them and start receiving the nurturing care they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

From their starting points on arrival at the home, children start to make very good and sustained progress in their education. Many have experienced significant disruption before moving to the home, including extended periods of non-attendance or inconsistent engagement with school. Children receive the support they need to re-engage with learning and to rebuild their confidence in their abilities. For example, one child now attends college regularly and aspires for their future. Another child is accessing education at a local school and is making very strong progress. The children’s educational plans are tailored to each child, reflecting their individual challenges and the strengths they can bring to their educational provision. Managers and staff work effectively to make educational achievement attainable for children. One headteacher said, ‘It’s an amazing home; they have the children at the centre of all they do.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff undertake regular key-work sessions with children on important and often sensitive topics. Children feel comfortable talking to staff about any worries or concerns they may have and can confide in them openly. Many of the key-work sessions are of a high standard because staff plan them carefully and draw on research and theory to inform their approach. For example, one child struggled with self-doubt and low self-esteem. Staff completed key-work sessions with the child, using the home’s preferred model for key working. This helped the child to challenge negative thoughts and understand how unhelpful self-talk had influenced her view of herself. She is now more insightful, and this is helping her to view herself differently. Other children are using these sessions to explore their feelings about family relationships, school and friendships. Staff work closely with the organisation’s psychotherapist to design and deliver effective key-work

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

interventions that support each child’s emotional development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive a high level of support from managers and staff to maintain meaningful relationships with their family members and others who are important to them. For some, this involves travelling significant distances to ensure family time is maintained. At times, children have struggled with the emotional impact of past experiences and complex family dynamics. Staff and managers respond with warmth, sensitivity and Inspection report for children’s home: SC363403 4 consistent nurturing, helping children to understand and manage some strong feelings. The manager and staff have provided exemplary support to one child following the bereavement of a close family member. They have taken every step to support the child, both emotionally and practically, during this difficult time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager and staff have developed detailed care and support plans for children. Staff have a very good understanding of these plans, and they are discussed in great depth at team meetings, handovers and during individual staff supervision. The staff have an in-depth understanding of each child’s support needs, and this leads to consistent and predictable care while maintaining firm behavioural boundaries.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children’s health and wellbeing are a priority for the manager and staff. All the children are registered with health professionals and have made considerable progress. One child required extensive dental treatment when moving to the home. This was completed, and the child is now more confident. Staff have a very good understanding of children’s emotional and mental health needs. The care practice of staff is guided by a psychotherapist who works in the organisation. The psychotherapist supports staff with using therapeutically informed approaches. For example, children are now comfortable to go out and mix with people without being anxious.

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

Children’s risks and vulnerabilities are well understood before they move into the home. This is because the manager completes a rigorous pre-admission assessment to ensure the home can meet each child’s safeguarding needs and keep them safe. The manager also makes certain that the child wants to live at the home and that it is the right environment for them. Ongoing assessment and review is carried out by the manager and staff to ensure plans reflect children’s changing needs. Staff have a detailed understanding of each child’s risks and take proactive action to keep them safe. For example, staff are knowledgeable about children’s potential triggers for more worrying behaviours, and this enables them to anticipate issues and respond effectively before they escalate.

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

A key foundation of the safeguarding practice is the strong, trusting relationships between staff and children. Staff know each child extremely well. Staff know where the children are, who they spend time with and their friendship groups. This knowledge of the children keeps staff attuned to any changes in behaviour, routines or mood, and staff act promptly before risks increase. The positive and secure relationships mean that, since the last inspection, no complaints have been made by children about the care they receive. There have also been no allegations against staff, which reflects the stability, consistency and overall calmness of the home environment.

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

Children have gone missing from the home. When this occurs, staff act immediately. They search for the children and contact family members and friends to locate them quickly. The staff contact police and work with external professional agencies in a positive way to facilitate the children coming home. The staff have been proactive and Inspection report for children’s home: SC363403 5 gone out and found children themselves and brought them home. They have challenged those people who have harboured children.

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

Children’s behaviour has been very good overall. The children have made significant progress in this area. The staff use consequences with children if behaviour has fallen below what is acceptable. However, these are seldom used, and staff try to educate children in key-work sessions instead. The staff do not have to hold children to prevent harm to children or themselves. Since the last full inspection on 18 March 2025, there has been one occasion when a child was held. This was proportionate to the risk, and staff had to intervene to keep the child and staff safe.

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

The location risk assessment is very good and detailed. As a result, staff can use the information in the assessment to help them safeguard the children when in the local community. Additionally, effective relationships with other agencies mean that communication is very good between agencies and leads to well-coordinated responses to safeguarding incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has led the home since being registered with Ofsted in June 2011. She is well-qualified, highly experienced and provides consistent, stable leadership. She has an excellent understanding of the children. The children see the manager as a reliable and trusted figure in their lives. Her knowledge of each child enables her to build strong, positive relationships, and she is a strong advocate who strives for the best outcomes for children. The manager is supported by an equally committed deputy manager and senior team, who provide effective leadership. Staff speak highly of the managers; they describe feeling well supported, valued and guided by managers to do their best for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff morale is very high. Staff have excellent relationships with children and enjoy coming to work. There is fun and laughter and hugs between staff and children, and this helps strengthen the strong bonds between them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff receive a very high level of support from the managers and senior staff. The managers are always in the home, available to staff and children and very actively involved in the day-to-day running of the home. The staff report that managers have been inspirational to them over the years and given them the confidence to look at promotion and development in the organisation. A staff member said, ‘We enjoy working here and love it, they are a great team and it’s a great place to work.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Stability in the staff team and with management means the staff are well led by the managers and work in a manner that always promotes the safety and welfare of children. Team meetings and handovers are effective in putting in place measures to support children and keep them safe. For example, staff have taken a child a significant distance to see family members for what could have been a very emotional meeting. The Inspection report for children’s home: SC363403 6 staff placed the welfare and safety of the child first. This is excellent practice and helps to manage situations effectively to keep children safe and well supported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has excellent oversight and quality assurance processes. She reviews all incidents, records and key-work sessions and records relating to the children. She completes internal auditing processes to make certain she is aware of any shortfalls. The manager values the support and external monitoring from the independent visitor, as a supportive and helpful report is completed. The manager receives support, care and challenge from her direct manager and the responsible individual, who has been a consistent leader in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

External professionals are unanimously positive about the work undertaken by staff and about the leadership of the manager. They easily identify the progress made by children and the excellent communication they receive. A social worker for a child said, ‘For the first time [name of child] is experiencing stability and security.’ The manager attends all relevant professional meetings for the children and advocates for them. She liaises and agrees plans with social workers and educational staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC363403 7

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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: SC363403 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Educational Services 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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Inspector

Phillip Morris, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC363403 9 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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