Children's Home run by Keys Nhcc Ltd in Shropshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC020611 1 SC020611 Registered provider: Keys Nhcc Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to 2 children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living at the home. Both were seen and spoken to by the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2023 and is suitably qualified.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC020611 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/03/2026 Full Good 07/01/2025 Full Good 14/12/2023 Full Good 15/12/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC020611 3

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Summary of findings

Children are making good progress and benefiting from nurturing, individualised care that promotes confidence, independence and positive outcomes. The home provides a stable, safe and welcoming environment where children feel valued, maintain important family relationships and receive tailored educational support. Staff use empathetic, restorative approaches to help children manage risks, make informed decisions and develop resilience. This results in few incidents and no physical interventions. Strong leadership, effective training and a stable, experienced workforce ensure children receive consistent, high-quality care. Leaders maintain robust oversight, continuously seeking improvement and promoting positive experiences and opportunities for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress from their starting points. This is supported by them receiving consistent and attuned care. Staff celebrate these steps forward with children, ensuring they feel valued and recognised for their successes. One child said, ‘When I first moved here, I was running off and getting into trouble. Staff are amazing and have helped me make changes. Now I’m near the end of being here, I’m proud of myself.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Moves into the home are well considered, with time taken to think about how any new child’s needs could impact on the child already living in the home. Where one child moved in in an emergency, the manager ensured that they were provided with relevant information about the home and quickly supported them to personalise their space. The child already in the home was consulted and felt included in the changes. This allows children to have a good understanding of what is happening in their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is a warm and calm space, which is nicely decorated and furnished. The children’s belongings are evident throughout the home, which is personalised to reflect the children who live here. One child said, ‘I got to choose the things in my room, make posters to display and make it my own.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children get to see the people who are important to them. Staff offer practical support, such as transport and supervision, to enable visits to take place. Positive relationships with children’s families are a focus, and this supports collaboration in the best interests of the child. One parent said, ‘They are amazing; they will always spend time talking with us. We know she is safe and couldn’t ask for a better place for [name of child] to be.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is promoted in the home. One child has been supported to remain at the school they attended before moving to the home, as it was recognised that this was important for them. A positive working relationship with the school has been developed, allowing for daily communication and ensuring a joined-up approach. There is an Inspection report for children’s home: SC020611 4 abundance of books and educational activities available in the home. Another child, who has struggled with attendance for some time, was supported to engage with online training, with courses tailored around their future. This child has been motivated to seek employment, and this is something that has been encouraged and supported by the team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide personalised care based on a comprehensive understanding of children’s different needs. They help children follow their interests and find creative ways to build up relationships. For example, one member of staff has been teaching a child magic tricks to build their confidence. One social worker said, ‘[Name of child] was really trying to push adults away, but they continued to work hard and remained present.’ The positive impact of this is observed in interactions in the home, and in how the child is now more able to communicate their wishes and feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop their independence skills. One child is now budgeting their money throughout the week and has been travelling independently and coordinating medical appointments. Where a child’s circumstances mean they will soon be moving on from the home, staff are focused on ensuring this is a positive transition for them. This has included communicating effectively with other professionals and advocating for the child.

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

Children enjoy significant stability in the home. A low number of incidents occur, and those that do happen are managed well. There have been no instances of physical intervention being used. When children are frustrated, staff use empathy and understanding to support them to calm effectively.

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

Where children misuse substances, staff speak to them and support them to understand the risks and impact. The registered manager proactively seeks advice and resources from specialists within the organisation. Conversations are completed non- judgementally, providing the child with the information they need to make informed decisions. One child said, ‘They have always respected when I wanted help and when I didn’t but kept rules in place. They haven’t judged me but helped me think about it.’ When there have been additional safeguarding concerns, appropriate steps have been taken without delay. Staff discuss these actions with the child, allowing them to understand the decisions made.

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

Consequences are rarely used. Managers have oversight of proportionality and will consider learning where it is identified. In one instance, it was found that 2 consequences were given to a child for the same incident. This finding fed into supervision and team meetings, supporting a consistent approach from the staff team moving forward. Achievements of children are recognised, with praise given and small gifts purchased to celebrate them and what they have done well. Inspection report for children’s home: SC020611 5 Children are supported to remain safe online. Proactive restrictions are in place; however, these are not relied on entirely. Conversations are also held with children about how to be safe, alongside device checks. When children do not follow agreed plans and expectations, staff support them with empathy, seeking to understand what has happened. The child is then supported to reflect on the situation, and further

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

learning is completed. This means children can move forward from situations with an increased understanding of risks and how to keep themselves safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has significant experience and knows the needs of the children and staff team incredibly well. There is a focus on staff development, with the manager seeking to support staff to reach their goals, while also promoting consistency in practice. Supervision is used effectively to discuss staff wellbeing and practice and is held at greater frequency if required. All staff report feeling listened to and well supported by the management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from a comprehensive training offer, which includes consistent refreshers, ensuring knowledge is renewed for staff. One staff member said, ‘The training I have received so far has increased my understanding of the needs of children who have experienced trauma. I feel confident to manage behaviour safely by using de-escalation techniques as the first approach.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When children’s needs change and evolve, the registered manager seeks further advice and guidance from specialists within the organisation to inform practice. The details are then shared with the wider team via bespoke training or discussions in team meetings. This means children are supported by adults who know the best ways to meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are experienced, and all are either qualified or undertaking their qualification. Agency staff are not used, with core staff and the registered manager covering shifts when needed. This means children are supported by staff known to them and who know them and their routines. Morale in the team is positive, and staff report confidence in their colleagues.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team has strong oversight of the care received by children, and demonstrates knowledge of the strengths of the home, alongside the continued areas for development of practice. Leaders recognise the stability that has been achieved but are not complacent. The registered manager takes decisive action, when needed, to improve the support received by children. They are ambitious for children and staff alike and seek to continue the process of learning for the team and themselves. Inspection report for children’s home: SC020611 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 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: SC020611 7

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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

Fran Dallow, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC020611 8 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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