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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC009651 1 SC009651 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 owned and operated by a private provider. It offers care for up to 4 children who may have social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, 4 children have remained living in the home with no children moving in or out. The inspectors spoke to all the children during this inspection.

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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: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC009651 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/03/2025 Full Outstanding 14/11/2023 Full Outstanding 29/11/2022 Full Outstanding 28/04/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC009651 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is an attractive and comfortable space for children to live in. It feels like a typical family home. Children’s bedrooms are very personalised, and children have lots of toys, games and books available. Children enjoy playing in the garden. The manager has tried to make the décor more calming for children. They accept that some aspects of the home need further attention.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children have made progress since the last inspection. All children attend school and staff support their learning. Staff support children to develop their independence in an age-appropriate way. Children enjoy good general health and staff provide specialist support when needed. An in-house clinical team provides assessments and advice about children’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff celebrate children’s achievements, such as playing in their first football tournament. A staff member has produced beautiful memory books for the children. The children are very proud of these and enjoy reading them. Staff have worked with one child’s local authority to help them understand their life story.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy permanence and stability in the home. Most children have lived in the home for several years. Staff promote children’s relationships with family members and friends. A child’s family member said the child has ‘matured a lot’ in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff set alarms on children’s bedroom doors overnight that alert them when opened. When these are used for some children, leaders were unable to justify why their continued use was always necessary. The manager ensured that the local authority consented to their use and informed the child.

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

Children feel safe in the home and staff act to keep them safe. Staff know the children very well. They have a sound understanding of the children’s needs and risks. Written assessments and plans are detailed and support staff in this. Children enjoy positive relationships with staff. Children appear relaxed and happy in the home.

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

There has only been one occasion when a child went missing from the home. Staff responded well to this. They carried out local searches and liaised with external agencies to locate the child. The manager provided staff with support and guidance.

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

Staff hold conversations with children on a range of topics that are relevant to their needs. They offer children advice and guidance to help them live a safe and healthy life. Staff will sometimes use resources such as workbooks to support these discussions. The recording of these lacks detail and reflection. On some occasions, staff are not curious and do not use a trauma-informed approach. Inspection report for children’s home: SC009651 4 Staff often use physical holds on children. These are clearly recorded with management oversight. On some occasions, there is a lack of proper justification for these. This includes taking hold of a child to move them indoors when they were using bad language outside. Staff do not always use ways to de-escalate situations that might avoid the use of restraint.

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

Staff use consequences for children that enforce strict rules and boundaries. On some occasions, these are overly punitive. For example, a child being ‘banned’ from using the garden or suggesting children could eat alone to practice their table manners. Staff do not always use ways to help children learn that might avoid the use of a sanction.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a strong advocate for the home and the children. They are visible and accessible within the home. The manager listens to children and uses their feedback to make changes. The manager has an ambitious vision for the home. They want to achieve significant positive outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are cared for by a long-standing and experienced staff team and manager. Almost all staff hold qualifications to the appropriate level. There is very little staff turnover, which promotes children’s sense of stability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has strong working relationships with different partners. This includes within the provider and with external agencies. Professional feedback is very positive about the home. A social worker commented that they are ‘extremely impressed.’ Another said that the manager advocates for the children like their own.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders ensure that staff receive regular supervision and appraisal. They write some supervision records in a more generic way. These lack reflection and analysis. There is also a lack of follow-up of agreed actions. This includes an absence of clear development goals for staff to achieve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff completed work with one child who used extremist language. However, the manager accepts that some staff lack knowledge in this area. Inspection report for children’s home: SC009651 5

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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

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child).

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff should have the skills and understanding to use the minimum amount of force necessary for the shortest possible time. They should ensure that staff can manage situations without the use of restraint as much as possible. 18 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that, in line with their individual plans and the ethos of the home, children are offered advice, support and guidance on health and Inspection report for children’s home: SC009651 6 well-being. Staff should have the skills and knowledge to be able to help children understand, and work to help them in key areas such as, but not limited to, mental health, sexual health and relationships, and issues such as gender equality and respect for others. This includes ensuring that discussions with children are conducted and recorded in a way that is helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)  The registered person should ensure that there are systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice

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Recommendations

and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: SC009651 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

Sam Saxby-Brown, Social Care Regulatory Inspector (Lead) Amber Merriman, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC009651 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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