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Inspection report for children's home: SC370956 1 SC370956 Registered provider: Keys Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

The home registered with Ofsted in February 2008 and is operated by a private organisation. This home provides care for up to 4 children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

There were 3 children living in the home at the time of the inspection, and 2 children were spoken to.

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Information about this children's home

A manager has been in post since June 2026. They have not yet submitted their application to register with Ofsted. They were present for both days of the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC370956 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/03/2026 Full Good 22/07/2024 Full Good 12/09/2023 Full Good 24/08/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC370956 3

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Summary of findings

Children benefit from warm, nurturing relationships with staff who understand the impact of trauma and provide care that helps them make progress. They live in a welcoming home, are supported to maintain important relationships and have opportunities to influence decisions about their lives. Leaders have created a positive culture, and staff feel well supported. However, safeguarding practice is not consistently effective. Although staff work well with partner agencies and understand risks to children, weaknesses in risk assessment, matching decisions, management evaluation and overnight safeguarding arrangements have meant that known risks have not always been sufficiently reduced. In addition, gaps in staff training and inconsistent implementation of specialist advice have limited the ability to respond effectively to escalating concerns around substance misuse.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from warm, nurturing relationships with staff who take time to understand them as individuals. Staff actively encourage children to take part in activities and holidays that reflect their interests and provide new experiences. Professionals describe staff as seeing beyond children's trauma and recognising their personalities and strengths. One professional expressed that it appeared 'a weight had been lifted' since a child moved into the home, demonstrating the positive difference that caring relationships have made to the child's emotional wellbeing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is a welcoming, homely environment, and children express feeling comfortable. Bedrooms are personalised to reflect children's interests, and there is sufficient space in the home for children to spend time together or have privacy when they choose. Children are encouraged to influence decisions about their home, including how communal areas are used, helping them to develop a sense of ownership and belonging. Managers and staff model respectful, child-centred language, recognising the importance this has on promoting children's dignity and identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive regular one-to-one discussions, and these are recorded in language that is accessible to children. Weekly letters to children are strengths based, acknowledging their achievements alongside any difficulties they have experienced in a trauma-informed way. Children are supported to maintain important relationships and continue to attend activities in areas they have previously lived wherever appropriate.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide good support to meet children's health and educational needs, with one social worker commenting on improvements seen regarding a child's routines and sleep patterns since moving into the home. Inspection report for children's home: SC370956 4

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding practice is not consistently effective in reducing risks to children living in the home. Children continue to misuse illegal substances both in the home and garden and when away from the home, and these concerns are escalating rather than reducing. Training in relation to substance misuse has not been provided to several staff, and none have completed this training within the last year. This reduces staff knowledge and skills to respond confidently to these complex behaviours. Although specialist advisers provide consultation and guidance, managers have not consistently implemented this advice. As a result, known risks, including the risk of fire associated with children smoking in bedrooms, have not been sufficiently reduced.

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improvement to be good

The risk assessment prior to one child's move into the home did not fully consider the impact that the child's risks could have on other children in the home. While a wide range of known risks were identified, there was insufficient analysis of how these would be managed or how the combination of children's needs could negatively affect one another. Consequently, risks have increased for another child living in the home, impacting on their safety and experiences.

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improvement to be good

Current overnight staffing arrangements do not provide sufficient assurance that children can be effectively safeguarded through the night. When children have been missing overnight, there have been periods of time when no attempts were made to contact the child or liaise with police. Staff shared information with the police, believing they would take action in response. However, this did not happen, as a known location meant the child was not regarded as missing. As contact was not maintained with police throughout the night, this misunderstanding was not identified until the following morning. Consequently, opportunities to locate the child sooner were missed.

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improvement to be good

Risk management processes are in place, and staff work proactively with partner agencies to share information and coordinate responses to emerging concerns. Regular multi-agency risk management meetings take place, and effective communication has helped partner agencies implement safeguarding actions to try and reduce risks to children.

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improvement to be good

Staff have awareness of the risks present for children in the home and follow guidance detailed within children's risk assessments and safety plans. Children's views are routinely sought following significant incidents and missing-from-home episodes, and staff utilise these conversations to encourage children to reflect on their experiences and provide education about the risks associated with being missing from home. This helps children feel listened to while increasing their understanding of why adults are concerned for them.

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improvement to be good

Staff and managers record and report allegations appropriately, and there is oversight from senior managers where required. Outcomes following investigations and complaints Inspection report for children's home: SC370956 5 are shared with children, helping to reinforce that adults have taken their concerns seriously and have acted upon them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have created a positive and supportive culture in the home. Staff describe managers as approachable and value the support they receive through regular supervision and team meetings. These provide opportunities to reflect on practice, discuss current issues affecting children and share ideas to improve care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leadership arrangements are stable. A new manager has been recruited and intends to apply to register. They have received a comprehensive handover and report feeling well supported, with access to ongoing development through the organisation's leadership programme.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safer recruitment processes are effective, and mandatory training is up to date in most areas, although some training relating specifically to children's needs has not yet been completed. Managers have accessed additional training in relation to exploitation, strengthening their understanding of risks affecting children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers work proactively with other professionals and provide effective oversight of children's care. Professionals value manager's attendance at meetings and report they contribute positively by identifying practical solutions to improve outcomes for children. There is evidence that children's views are listened to and considered as part of decision- making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management oversight is evident following significant incidents. However, this has not always been sufficiently evaluative to identify and respond to concerns raised in staff debriefs and has not consistently demonstrated professional curiosity when evaluating information raised in the investigation of allegations. Inspection report for children's home: SC370956 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child's relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare. (Regulation (12) (1) (2)(a)(i)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure robust exploration of any concerns shared by others that suggest significant risk of harm to the child outside of the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure robust actions are taken and recorded when specific risks are identified within the home. They must ensure that when risks are identified by other professionals, these are acted upon swiftly. 29 December 2026

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children's home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 29 December 2026 Inspection report for children's home: SC370956 7 ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation (13) (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that staff have received sufficient training to meet the needs of children living in the home.

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Requirement Due date

This also specifically relates to the manager ensuring that staffing arrangements enable continuous care to be available to all children living in the home, including throughout the night and when children are missing.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home. (Regulation (14) (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, where it is identified that risks for a child moving into the home are likely to impact on children already living in the home, the manager must ensure that robust actions are put in place to manage these risks. 29 December 2026

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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: SC370956 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: c/o Pinsent Masons LLP, The Soloist Building, 1 Lanyon Place, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT1 3LP

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Inspector

Terrianne George, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC370956 9 regulates 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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Inspector

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