Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report for children's home: SC370910 1 SC370910 Registered provider: Keys 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 privately owned. It provides care for up to 3 children who experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in 2024.

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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: 14 October 2025

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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: SC370910 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/10/2025 Full Good 10/03/2025 Full Good 07/11/2023 Full Good 17/01/2023 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC370910 3

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Summary of findings

Children have made progress. They benefit from warm, trusting relationships with a dedicated staff team who demonstrate a strong commitment to meeting each child's individual needs. Children feel valued, listened to and supported.

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Summary of findings

Children enjoy a wide range of meaningful activities both in the home and in the wider community. These activities contribute positively to their development and wellbeing. Children attend education provisions that are tailored to their individual needs, helping them to engage in learning and make progress. Staff provide clear structure and consistency through established routines, which promote stability and support positive outcomes for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well presented and suitably furnished, providing a welcoming, comfortable, and nurturing environment for children. It is spacious and offers a variety of areas where children can relax, spend time together and socialise. Children's bedrooms are personalised to reflect their individual interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop and preserve positive memories of their time at the home. Staff regularly take photographs of children participating in activities and celebrating significant events. Individual memory albums are being created for each child. This helps children to reflect on and make sense of their experiences and achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children are accessing education. Staff recognise the challenges that some children may experience in attending educational settings and provide tailored support to promote consistent attendance and engagement. Staff have successfully supported one child to move to a school that is better able to meet their needs. Another child attends a school some distance from the home. Staff recognise the importance of continuity and trusted relationships and therefore provide transport themselves rather than relying on taxis commissioned by the local authority.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals spoke positively about the staff team's regular, open and honest communication. Effective partnership working helps to ensure that children receive coordinated support and are able to engage with and benefit from their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have regular conversations with children to help them understand, express and manage their feelings. They are attentive to children's emotional wellbeing and seek specialist support when required. Staff also work proactively with children and, where appropriate, involve parents to encourage attendance at health appointments and to promote an understanding of the importance of maintaining good physical health and emotional wellbeing. Inspection report for children's home: SC370910 4 Children are supported to spend time with the people who are important to them. Staff keep parents informed about their child's progress, and parents spoke positively about the quality of care and support provided by the staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to make choices and contribute to decisions about their day-to- day care and future plans. Staff use creative tools, including choice boards, to promote communication and support children to express their wishes, feelings and emotions. This approach helps children to feel safe, valued and listened to, while also developing their understanding of their own emotional experiences. However, on one occasion, staff did not fully take account of a child's wishes and feelings. As a result, the child became upset.

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

Staff are undertaking training in a therapeutic model of care. This has helped to equip staff to repair relationships quickly following incidents of conflict, helping children to maintain trusting and secure relationships with the adults who care for them.

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

Staff demonstrate a strong understanding of children's individual needs, strengths and vulnerabilities. Risk assessments are comprehensive, regularly reviewed and clearly identify the support strategies required to keep children safe. This helps to ensure that children receive consistent, well-planned and coordinated care.

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

Some children have experienced brief episodes of going missing from the home. Staff respond appropriately to these incidents and take effective action to promote children's safety and wellbeing. When children return, staff ensure that they are safe, supported and provided with opportunities to talk about their experiences. Staff also hold regular discussions with children about risk and personal safety, helping them to develop a better understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

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

Staff's approach to care and risk management is coordinated and promotes effective multi-agency working. Professionals spoke positively about the quality of care provided to children. One social worker said, 'The staff are caring and want the best for the child.'

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

When children experience difficulties with their emotional wellbeing, staff take appropriate action to keep them safe. On occasion, this includes the use of physical intervention. Physical intervention is used only as a last resort, when other strategies have been exhausted and there is an immediate need to prevent harm. Following incidents, staff and children are supported to reflect on what happened through restorative conversations. This helps children to feel listened to and reassured while promoting learning and reflective practice among staff.

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

Leaders and managers respond promptly to concerns about staff practice. Where necessary, appropriate safeguarding action is taken without delay, and children's welfare remains central throughout any investigation. Leaders and managers use learning from incidents effectively to strengthen practice and improve the quality of care and support provided to children. Inspection report for children's home: SC370910 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in post since August 2024. She has established a clear vision for the home, with children's welfare, experiences and outcomes at the centre of her practice. The manager knows each child well and maintains a strong presence in the home, actively contributing to the children's day-to-day experiences. Children spend time with her and have developed warm, trusting relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is reflective and committed to continuous improvement. She regularly reviews practice and the quality of care provided to ensure that children receive effective support. Staff benefit from regular supervision sessions that promote reflective discussion about children's progress, professional practice and individual development. The manager has a good understanding of the strengths in the staff team, as well as areas requiring further development. Staff reported that they feel valued, well supported and able to seek guidance whenever needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This supportive leadership approach promotes staff development and contributes to a positive and stable workforce. The manager also benefits from strong support provided by the responsible individual and the wider management network in the organisation. This enables opportunities for professional reflection, challenge and shared learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most staff are either appropriately qualified or working towards a relevant qualification. However, one staff member has exceeded the prescribed timescale for achieving their level 3 qualification. Leaders and managers are aware of this shortfall and have taken appropriate action to support the staff member to complete the qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has shown creativity and initiative in developing resources to support children and staff. These include comprehensive parenting guides that provide staff with detailed practical guidance, alongside bespoke books and social stories designed to help children understand their emotions, build resilience and navigate challenging situations. These resources strengthen the home's therapeutic approach and enhance the quality of support available to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Relationships with parents, social workers, schools and other professionals are exceptionally positive. These strong partnerships play a significant role in supporting children's progress and enhancing their experiences. Parents and professionals consistently spoke highly of the manager and staff team. Inspection report for children's home: SC370910 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children's home; or

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual— 30 November 2026 Inspection report for children's home: SC370910 7 does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part-time basis. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b) (6)(a)(b))

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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: SC370910 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

Tam Musvaire, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC370910 9 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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