Kef Kids Ltd

Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Kef Kids Ltd 1 Kef Kids Limited Kef Kids Limited Arbiter House, Wilberforce Road, West Hendon, London NW9 6AX Inspection under the social care common inspection framework

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disabled children

This residential holiday scheme is managed by a Jewish charity. This charity supports children and young adults who have physical and learning disabilities and their families. The residential holiday scheme provides a camp experience for children and young people of the Orthodox Jewish faith.

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disabled children

At the time of the inspection, 52 children were attending the holiday scheme for a two-week period. The inspector met with children and volunteers while on site.

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disabled children

There is a permanent registered manager, employed on a voluntary basis, who is suitably experienced. The manager was registered with Ofsted in July 2020.

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Overall experience 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 residential holiday scheme for disabled children provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the residential holiday scheme contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people.

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outstanding

Date of previous inspection: 11 August 2025

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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 residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Kef Kids Ltd 2

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Summary of findings

This is an exceptional holiday scheme for children with disabilities. The organisation of the holiday continues throughout the year. This hard work and attention to detail ensures that children experience a time of fun. There are smiles and laughter all around. A large number of well-trained volunteers meet the individual needs of each child. Volunteers love helping at this holiday. Many return each year and speak of the pleasure it gives them. Volunteers are supported by an experienced manager, head counsellor and division heads. This ensures that children are safely and extremely well cared for while enjoying their holiday.

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outstanding

The location of the camp is perfect for the holiday and meeting the needs of the children. It is fully accessible across the whole site. It is set up well, with individual bedrooms and allocated night support. There are many rooms that can be used for different activities. A sensory area has been created in one of the rooms and a play area in another. This supports children who prefer quieter activities. There is a fully accessible swimming pool; this is a favourite place for many of the children.

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outstanding

Children love spending time with the volunteers. Likewise, the volunteers love spending time caring for the children. Volunteers know the children's needs extremely well. These needs are met in a way that allows children to explore new experiences and activities while having fun with friends. There is an ethos of safety, care and love.

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outstanding

Feedback from parents is extremely positive. The inspector received dozens of messages that evidenced the positive impact the holiday has. This is for the children and their families. One family member said, 'We are very excited. We have been waiting the whole year. We can switch off and go on holiday ourselves. We know that he loves it. He has the time of his life. The special part of Kef is the heart.' Another said, 'She enjoys every day of camp from start to finish. She gets a chance to shine, be herself, be nurtured and have the company of those she loves.'

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outstanding

The manager and team work closely with parents and others involved with children's care. They learn children's individual needs extremely well. A detailed 'my care plan' explains these needs and how they will be met during the holiday. This helps volunteers to know the individual personality and needs of the child they are caring for. Also, the daily routines that help keep the children safe and well. Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Kef Kids Ltd 3 Children are helped to remain healthy while enjoying their holiday. This is a central part of the care provided. Complex health needs are understood and well met. There is a dedicated team of volunteer doctors and nurses. This ensures that medication is stored, administered and recorded by trained professionals. Additional risks to children are known, and volunteers receive training regards to these risks. For example, preventing choking and responding to seizures. Any dietary needs are

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outstanding

identified and catered for. This includes for children who access foods in different ways.

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outstanding

A large range of activities throughout the holiday ensures that children enjoy each day. This is at the base location of the holiday and off-site at different venues. It includes visits to theme parks, discovery centres, a cruise boat and many more. Each day has a theme of a different profession, based on the overall theme of 'Kef at work.' They range from bakers and chefs to emergency heroes, movie stars and even astronauts. On site there are dance sessions, arts and crafts, a show, and numerous other activities. This year's camp song is, 'Let's go KEF, the best summer yet.' A 'link book' provides a lovely daily record for children to make and take home with them.

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outstanding

The way that each child communicates is known by the volunteers supporting them. Different ways of communication are used extremely well. For example, use of social stories. These are short and easy to understand information alongside pictures and symbols. All volunteers are trained on better ways to say things. This includes, using caring language and communication being 'different, not less'. A creative 'My countdown to Kef summer camps' involves children putting a sticker on a chart at the end of each day. Parents say that children talk about the holiday all year. Therefore, this is a good way of helping children to understand the holiday is getting close.

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outstanding

Everyone involved with this holiday supports, respects and celebrates children and families from the Jewish Community. The programme includes time for a festive meal, prayer and a gathering with music and stories. A menu has been created to ensure that food is also respectful of the children's and families' beliefs and practices. One family member said, 'I'm so grateful to Kef for running this scheme. Especially as a Jewish orthodox placement. They understand our family's values and beliefs and allow our daughter the freedom to feel very comfortable in being herself.'

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outstanding

Children's behavioural needs are understood well. There is a behaviour support plan within the child's care plan. This is only used when concerns are known or identified. If there are no specific behavioural needs, this is stated on the plan. Working closely with families informs this part of the plan. There is training for all volunteers that focuses on knowing each child. This includes knowing how they communicate and show signs of being angry, sad or tired, while also capturing how adults may react in positive and supportive ways. There is a golden rule of using the standard you want and expect for yourself. Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Kef Kids Ltd 4 Volunteers understand risks to children. Specifically, to children with disabilities and individual additional needs. The site and activities have been risk assessed. There is also an individual risk assessment for each child. This has been updated prior to the

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outstanding

holiday. Families are asked if there are any changes that need to be considered for this assessment. Risk assessments are dynamic and updated to reflect anything that changes for a child during the holiday.

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outstanding

Volunteers are helped to have a clear understanding of safeguarding children. This is through clear training, policies and procedures. Training captures the definition of safeguarding and explores case scenarios. There is a thorough understanding of the additional vulnerabilities of children with disabilities with clear guidance on listening, being open and sharing information.

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outstanding

There is a high ratio of volunteers to children attending the camp. Each child has an allocated one-to-one volunteer to support them, as a minimum. Many will have additional volunteers, especially to help with complex health needs. There is also a leadership team who are very experienced. This is in working with, and providing holidays for, children with disabilities. They can be easily contacted by radios during the camp for advice and support.

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outstanding

Some volunteers are trained in safe handling techniques. It is made clear that physical intervention is only used as the last resort. This is to keep a child or others safe. On the rare occasion that this might be required, a trained volunteer will be contacted by radio. A division head will debrief the child and volunteer and a doctor will also check the child if necessary.

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outstanding

The manager and head counsellor have oversight of any incidents that may occur. These are discussed in a daily meeting with team heads. This allows learning and changes to approaches to caring for a child when required. This could include a change of the care plan and adapting daily routines.

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outstanding

Children do not go missing from the holiday. However, there are clear procedures for if this should happen. Volunteers are reminded of these in the pre-camp training. It includes the process to follow, incorporating procedures for when off-site. This includes the importance of clearly explaining everything to the children. The level of support and number of volunteers also minimises the risk of children going missing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Volunteers speak very highly of the manager and leadership team. They are extremely well supported to be able to fulfil their roles. One volunteer said, 'The senior team are approachable, organised and genuinely committed to creating a safe, caring and enjoyable environment for everyone. The culture they have built is one where children can thrive, families can have complete confidence in the care their children receive and volunteers are empowered to give their very best.' Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Kef Kids Ltd 5 The manager feels very well supported by the responsible individual, head counsellor, trustees and head of operations. They meet regularly. She also values the dedication of the medical team and vast team of volunteers. Everyone works closely together to make the holiday such a fun experience for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Excellent training is provided to volunteers. They are very well prepared for the holiday. There is an additional session the day before children arrive at the camp. This gives a reminder of important topics, such as safeguarding children with disabilities. There is also a detailed handbook, introducing and welcoming volunteers to the holiday.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Safe recruitment practice is used for volunteers joining the scheme. Many of the volunteers have extensive professional experience. This is in relevant areas of health, education and working with children with disabilities. The vast majority of volunteers have been helping at camps for many years.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager, trustees and other senior leaders are continually striving for excellence. There is a clear improvement plan from last year's holiday. Additional ways of supporting volunteers and children have been identified and actioned. This includes a pre-camp virtual meeting and increasing specialist speakers at volunteer training. Also, pre-camp virtual medical planning meetings. These take place between families, senior leaders and the nursing team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Communication from the manager and other leaders of the holiday scheme is exceptional. Volunteers meet daily with division heads, who meet with camp heads. There is continual communication through the use of radios to ensure that everyone gets support when required. Families value the communication prior to the camp and on arrival. A parent of a child joining the holiday for the first time said, 'Carers met us straight from the car and gave a run down on everything. We met with a nurse and went through all the medications. We feel really grateful and reassured.'

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager ensures that Kef's mission is clearly met in every way. The lives of children with physical and learning disabilities are enhanced. Parents and family members receive massively appreciated respite. There is a dedicated team of volunteers. An environment has been created where each child can blossom and develop. Children receive individual attention and love. Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Kef Kids Ltd 6

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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 Residential Holiday Schemes for Disabled Children (England) Regulations 2013 and the national minimum standards. Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Kef Kids Ltd 7

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Residential holiday scheme for disabled children details

Registered provider address: Arbiter House, Wilberforce Road, West Hendon, London NW9 6AX Responsible individual: Mrs Shelley Groszman Registered manager: Mrs Adina Morris

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Inspector

Shaun Caplis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Kef Kids Ltd 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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