News

Welcome back. Schools return!

9th September 2020

We’re delighted to be welcoming back all of our schools after their summer break. As we all know, the weeks and months before the end of the summer term were very different, and challenging for everyone within our school communities – staff, children and wider families. While all of our schools stayed opened throughout lockdown and as it began to ease, our attendance levels were excellent compared to the national average and it was a great…

1st June 2020

Keys Group Ltd is pleased to announce the recent acquisition of South West Childcare Services and to welcome the young people it supports, and their staff team, to the organisation. South West Childcare Services supports children and young people in residential children’s homes and leaving care services across the Plymouth and Somerset areas. The group’s children’s homes are predominantly single or dual occupancy and provide 19 placements for vulnerable children and young people, while its…

14th May 2020

As the UK, and indeed the world, faces unprecedented challenges due to COVID-19 and its impact, Keys Group has remained at the forefront of supporting vulnerable children and young people in our schools, residential children’s homes and leaving care services. Our young people’s services have remained open throughout the pandemic, as a consequence of the unrelenting commitment of our staff. We are all proud of the achievements of the young people during these difficult and…

12th March 2020

Keys Group Ltd are delighted to announce their recent acquisition of Unique Care Homes Support Limited and welcome the staff and young people supported there to the group. Based in Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, the business comprises of 5 residential homes, providing 28 registered places for young people and a school which is registered for 42 students. Managers from Unique joined other Keys Group managers at our recent annual conference and celebrated one of the…

4th March 2020

Keys Group held their annual conference last week, where managers across the organisation came together to share the future vision for the company. This year’s theme was “Good to Great!” and focused on how everyone can excel to achieve greatness. The day included a guest appearance from Aleks Kashefi, who ran barefoot from Land’s End to John O’Groats as well as an iconic run throughout Europe – demonstrating the greatness that can be achieved, even…

Build-A-Future joins the Keys Group Family

27th December 2019

We are delighted to welcome the staff team and young people from Build-A-Future Ltd to the Keys Group family. Based in Lincolnshire, Build-A-Future compromises of a school split across two sites, which currently supports over 70 students and is registered to support 125. Build-A-Future will continue to trade under its current name and brand and is well placed to benefit from further growth over the next 12 months. Head Teacher, Adam Webb and staff team…

17th December 2019

Tourmaline Residential Service is celebrating after being awarded an Outstanding Review in their recent Ofsted Inspection. The Home provides specialist care and accommodation for children and young people who have complex health needs relating to learning and physical disabilities. Ofsted commented that the young people receive exceptional care from staff who are dedicated, attentive and highly sensitive to their needs. A social worker complimented staff at Tourmaline for ‘their ability to transform personal care into…

Broadwood School’s Artwork displayed in Department Store

6th December 2019

Talented pupils from Broadwood School, which provides specialist education for young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs, were delighted to see their artwork displayed in the window of Harvey’s Department Store in Halifax. Young people at the school had been studying the work of abstract expressionist artists such as Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. Based on their studies, pupils were asked to create their own art, linking to the theme of positivity in…

Keys announces the opening of Crescent House

29th November 2019

Keys Group are pleased to announce the opening of Crescent House, a 4 bed home for young people aged between 10 and 18 years who need skilled therapeutic support with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The well trained Crescent House staff work closely with the Keys Group expert psychology and therapy team to deliver bespoke care programmes supporting young people to live happier, healthier and successful lives. Based close to Hereford City Centre, the home has excellent…

Keys Group Celebrates Opening of Second Family Assessment Centre

4th November 2019

Keys Group are excited and pleased to announce the opening of our second residential family assessment centre, Victoria Villa in Stourport upon Seven, Worcestershire. Amanda Pomell and her team bring many years’ experience of working in the field of family assessment and are delighted to be able to offer their expert service to an additional six families. Amanda commented: “Victoria Villa has been developed as a “sister” service to our highly successful Crown House family…

Keys Group announce the release of their first Annual Quality Report

22nd October 2019

Keys Group, the independent provider of residential children’s care and specialist education is pleased to announce the release of its first Annual Quality Report. The report charts the journey that the business has taken since August 2017, when Keys Group was bought by G Square and documents the successes to date. It also demonstrates how the business is continually improving, meeting and exceeding a range of standards and expectations. The new senior leadership team has…

16th September 2019

Keys Group are celebrating after finding out that they have been shortlisted as finalists in some of the most prestigious awards in the care industry. The Laing Buisson Awards announced Keys as the finalists in both the Public Private Partnership Award and Children’s Services Award categories. A few days earlier a young person supported by Keys Group was also announced as a finalist for the Children’s Achievement Award in the Children and Young People Now…

9th September 2019

Four local authorities in Thames Valley are set to boost therapeutic residential care and education to local young people with complex emotional and behavioural needs in collaboration with Keys Group. The unique partnership, known as the Thames Valley Contract, commenced in August and is the first of its kind in the UK. The collaborative project is based on the secure base model therapeutic approach which is rooted in the belief that building strong emotional attachments…

13th August 2019

A talented young person from Westways Residential Home is celebrating winning a number of medals after competing at the ISF World School Inclusive Games. Millie* was delighted to be selected to represent England at the exclusive World Games held in Portugal last month. The world-wide event saw young athletes from around the globe come together to compete in a variety of sports. Millie was proud to represent her country taking part in Boccia, Goalball and…

Fun Day at Fairways School Fundraises for the Trussell Trust

17th July 2019

Fairways School in Birmingham recently held its first end of year Fun Day after opening its doors in Autumn 2018. Parents, carers, social workers and staff from the special educational needs assessment & review team all attended the event, which was a great success and also raised £165 for the Trussell Trust. Young people at the school created posters to promote the Fun Day, baked cakes and biscuits to sell, as well as coming up…

3rd July 2019

Somerset Progressive School is celebrating receiving a National Award, after being announced winner of the Positive Behaviour Support Category at the National Learning Disabilities and Autism Awards 2019. The school, which is headed up by Head Teacher Karl Templeman, provides individually tailored education packages for young people aged 7-19 years. Somerset Progressive enables young people to experience holistic education in a rural environment, which alongside the core academic subjects, allows students opportunities for outdoor education,…

A New Look for EPIC Keys Group

11th June 2019

Keys Group, the leading provider of innovative care and education for young people, has today announced a refresh of its brand, which encompasses the positive transformation and progression of the company since its change of ownership in 2017. A new logo with a clean and modern colour-scheme has been designed to represent the company. The 4 orbs within the logo represent the Keys Group’s EPIC values, which are: Excellence – Accountable and intent to achieve…

Leaving Care’s Bespoke Achievement Recognition Scheme for Young People

25th April 2019

Leaving Care is committed to providing bespoke individual support packages to young people who are making the transition to independent living. We have an excellent record in transitioning young people into employment – our NEET (young people not in employment, education or training) currently stands at 24% compared to the national average of 46% for care leavers. In addition, we have a bespoke education programme for young people who are NEET, the Unit Award Scheme…

1st April 2019

Fairways School in Birmingham has recently celebrated British Science Week, with thanks to a grant from the British Science Association to get involved with extra curricula activities. British Science Week is an annual ten day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths, which features entertaining and engaging events and activities for all ages. Eager to get involved, Fairways School applied for a dedicated science grant which they were delighted to be awarded. With the funding,…

The Day With No Name – Tackling Exploitation

20th March 2019

In late February 2019, Keys Group Policing Specialist Steve Challinor, North Wales Inspector Vic Powell and Quality Education with Care Director Natalie Fletcher, hosted an event to raise awareness of exploitation. The event, held at Deeside College, was attended by more than 200 front-line professionals from across North East Wales who are directly involved with vulnerable individuals at an increased risk of being targeted by criminal gangs. Keys Residential Children’s Home Managers attended the event,…

13th March 2019

Fairways School in Birmingham has been rated Good by Ofsted Inspectors, just five months after opening its doors. The school, which caters for students with specialist social, emotional and mental health needs, was described by Ofsted as having a ‘warm and friendly atmosphere’ which significantly impacts on pupils’ engagement with school life. Teachers at Fairways were praised for their strong subject knowledge, along with their skilful methods of making the work relevant to pupils’ interests….

Keys Conference and EPIC Awards 2019

6th March 2019

Keys are delighted to launch their official new values EPIC – Excellence, Passion, Integrity and Caring. These values underpin the whole ethos at Keys Group and were chosen by asking others to describe the company in their own words. At the annual conference held last week, managers across the organisation came together to plan the future vision for Keys Group, incorporating the EPIC Values into all aspects of the conference. This included a heartfelt speech…

4th March 2019

Fran Gracie, National substance misuse specialist advisor for Keys Group, has been delivering Substance Misuse Training in Wisbech and Rockingham for one of Keys Group’s most recent acquisitions, Direct Care. Staff were trained in all substances, including new and emerging drugs and their harmful effects on young people. Staff and Managers are now more equipped in spotting the signs of any drug use, where to access support from and are able to offer our young people…

Keys Early Intervention Strategy alongside Neighbourhood Policing

25th January 2019

At Keys Group we are firm believers that prevention is far better than cure. As part of this we work closely with neighbourhood policing teams, as well as having our own dedicated Police Liaison Officer, encouraging a positive relationship between the young people we support and the police. One of the recent projects Keys have been involved with is having Humberside Policing Early Intervention Teams spend time in Keys South Park Enterprise College, a specialist…

Outstanding Ofsted Reviews for Keys Children’s Homes

10th January 2019

Following recent Ofsted inspections, Keys Group has been awarded a further three Outstanding reports for their Ashbank, Adoquin and Topsgate Children’s Homes. All three residential homes received the highest possible Ofsted rating, recognising the outstanding service they provide to the young people they support. Ashbank Ashbank is one of Keys’ residential children’s homes, specialising in young people with attachment difficulties, who may have had multiple placements breakdown in the past. Ofsted described Ashbank as having…

24th December 2018

We are delighted that High Trees, a residential home part of the Keys Group, has received an Outstanding judgement from Ofsted in their latest report. Ofsted were full of compliments for the team at High Trees home, commenting that ‘staff show the children they care about them’, giving them ‘their full attention when they are in the home.’ Ofsted also noted that the children’s safety is top priority and that ‘staff are highly motivated and…

19th December 2018

Ofsted has released a report on the inspection profiles of the largest private and voluntary providers of children’s homes*, reporting that 87% of Keys Group’s Children’s Homes were rated either Good or Outstanding, significantly above the national average for all homes of 82%. At Keys Care Group we pride ourselves on creating nurturing, safe and positive home environments and were delighted to see our successful achievement of this objective reflected in many Ofsted reports. We…

Keys leaving care service registered by the Care Quality Commission

30th November 2018

Keys Leaving Care seeks to support those care leavers who at the age of 16 and beyond are unable to live independently, are particularly vulnerable in the community and whose needs remain highly complex. Our passion is to deliver positive outcomes in line with the Every Child Matters framework, to empower all young people to develop effective life skills and make positive changes that make a real difference. The Keys leaving care service was registered…

Alcohol Awareness Week (19-25th November) at Keys Group 2018

27th November 2018

For Alcohol Awareness Week, staff at Keys Group have been promoting the theme ‘Change’ with the young people we support by discussing the harmful effects of alcohol and the impact it has on individuals and society in general. Fran Gracie, Keys National Specialist Advisor for Substance Misuse, has been leading the sessions using some great resources from Alcohol Change UK. These resources have been shared across the company, and many of the Keys services have…

Direct Care joins the Keys Group family

29th October 2018

We are very pleased to welcome the staff and children of Direct Care to the Keys Group family. Located in Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Northants this highly regarded children’s company comprises seven residential homes and one registered school providing up to 29 residential placements for young people with complex needs. Trish Lee, CEO Keys Group commented; “This acquisition not only enhances Keys Group’s position as a leading, independent provider of specialist residential care for young people…

Keys Group Open New Crisis Intervention Service

10th October 2018

Keys Group are delighted to announce the opening of their new Crisis Intervention service located in Gloucestershire. The service is one of the few specialist homes that supports young people with complex needs to move from a disrupted or broken down placement to a more stable, permanent placement. Selfwood is a newly refurbished 6 bedded home registered with Ofsted and is licensed by AALS (Adventurous Activities Licensing Service) to operate using adventurous activities. The service…

Our young people do not live in our work place, we work in their home

4th September 2018

Keys Group are perhaps best known for supporting young people with emotional or behavioural needs but we have a number of niche services providing support for young people with differing complex needs. One such service is Tourmaline in Hampshire. Tourmaline offers residential and respite care supporting up to six young people up to the age of 18. The home is specifically adapted to meet complex health needs. This can include life limiting conditions, disability associated…

Fairways School in Birmingham Opens in September

27th July 2018

We are delighted to announce that our latest school has been approved by Ofsted and will open for students in September. The fully refurbished building opens its doors to students in September 2018 as a result of an initiative to provide locally based, easily accessible, high quality learning experiences to young people with ASD, SEMH and other moderate learning difficulties such as dyslexia and ADHD. Fairways School is situated in an attractive location in the…

Focus on The Keys Academy

11th June 2018

In January 2018 Keys Group opened its new training academy. Based in Wrexham this central educational and training hub offers company specific training and development to the 1,500 employees at The Keys Group across England and Wales. Supporting the philosophy of caring and commitment to making a real difference to young lives; the Keys Academy strives to ensure staff reach their potential and offer a real career pathway in childcare. We offer the right blend…

The Duke of Edinburgh Award at Unity College

4th June 2018

Unity College is a specialist education provision in Buckinghamshire which provides for students aged 11-16 years with social, emotional and mental health needs who can benefit from a smaller, more nurturing educational placement in order to succeed academically. Students at the college are very proud to say that they have successfully completed the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award for the first time ever this year. They overcame some real challenges to achieve this, particularly on…

The ‘Outstanding’ Famous Five

11th May 2018

Our region in Hampshire comprising 5 homes supporting young people with a variety of complex needs have recently completed a full house of ‘Outstanding’ inspections from Ofsted, the highest grade that Ofsted award. This amazing achievement is the result of the dedicated work of the five managers of these homes, their brilliant staff teams and the leadership provided by Michelle, their Regional Manager. Pictured are the Famous Five – Chrissy, Sam, Anna, Karen and John…

Keys Awards 2018

6th May 2018

The achievements of some of our brilliant staff were recently celebrated at our new Halesowen Support Centre. Several hundred nominations were received across six award categories making the selection of a winner an extremely difficult task. The awards were organised by Pauline Paterson, Quality Director at Keys, who said: “It is really important to recognise the work that our dedicated staff do in going above and beyond what could reasonably be expected of them. The…

Keys Group opens new Support Centre in Halesowen, near Birmingham

1st May 2018

Keys Group are delighted to announce the opening of a new Support Centre for the business in Halesowen, near Birmingham. The move follows the closure of the previous Head Office for the business which was based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Halesowen office will house the key support functions for the business as well as providing a convenient central meeting point for all staff. Trish Lee, Group CEO commented: When I first started with the…

Alliance Care and Education Ltd join the Keys Group family

20th March 2018

Keys Group continues to grow by welcoming the staff and children of Alliance Care and Education Ltd to the Keys Group family. Located in Cheshire and Lancashire this highly regarded children’s company comprises four residential homes and two registered schools. All four residential services are rated ‘Good’ with Ofsted and provide residential therapeutic services for young people displaying high-risk behaviours. We are delighted to add these high-quality homes to our portfolio of services across England…

Kingdom Care joins the Keys Group family

21st February 2018

We are very pleased to welcome the staff and children of Kingdom Care to the Keys Group family. Located in West Sussex this highly regarded children’s company comprises two residential homes providing twelve highly specialist placements for young females. Trish Lee, CEO Keys Group commented; “This acquisition not only enhances Keys Group’s position as a leading, independent provider of specialist residential care for young females with complex needs but also extends Keys Group’s service offer…

The children’s services division of Aspirations Care join the Keys Group family!

6th February 2018

We are pleased to welcome the former Aspirations Specialist Children’s Services Division and The Leaving Care Company to the Keys Group family. The Specialist Children’s Services division includes ten residential homes and two schools based in the South West and Midlands. The Leaving Care Company operates throughout England and Wales supporting young people transitioning from residential care to independence. Trish Lee, CEO Keys Group commented; “This acquisition enhances Keys Group’s position as a leading, independent…

Brookfields heading for “Outstanding” Ofsted

1st August 2017

Peter O`Neill (Marketing Director, Keys Group) commented “Massive congratulations are due to Mumtaz (described as inspirational, confident and ambitious for children in the report) and all the team at Brookfields in West Yorkshire for their fantastic recent Ofsted inspection. The verbal feedback suggests they will have achieved “Outstanding” status when the formal Inspection Report is produced.” “In addition to the obvious very positive, child centred work that is a hallmark of Brookfields, particularly pleasing is…

Trish Lee appointed Chief Executive Officer of Keys Group

We are delighted to welcome Trish Lee to Keys Group. Trish joins the group as Chief Executive Officer as of todays date. Trish brings a wealth of experience to the business having previously worked with Nuffield Health and more recently Embrace.