Children's home run by MacIntyre Care

The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

children and young people since the most recent full inspection. This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness . Children living at this home experience a warm, nurturing environment where a dedicated staff team delivers consistent and familiar care. This well-decorated home offers ample community living space and personalised bedrooms for individual time. One child communicated that he was „happy and that the home was a good home‟. Children joining the home encounter a well-planned and considered transition. Staff work closely with the wider professional team and family members, taking time to understand the child, their individual personalities and care packages. Children experience introductory visits and overnight stays set at their pace to smooth their transition into full-time residence. The organisation has created an admissions

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

process, which considers the impact of a new resident on those already in placement. However, for an identified new resident, a child transferring from another of the organisation‟s homes, the process is not fully recorded. Similar to children joining the home, those leaving experience the same level of considered, well-planned transitions, with staff working closely with the transition team. Once again, individually paced plans assist in the smooth transition and help to minimise any potential stress or anxiety. All children placed continue to make progress. The home works in particular collaboration with school to set individual developmental targets. With this work linking across the two establishment‟s children, children experience a consistency in approach and continued support to achieve. Children placed at this home have a range of additional needs. As such, independence skills are particularly

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

encouraged. One parent commenting on her son‟s progress with communication reported, „He has more words and understanding. I offered him a yogurt and with prompt he said “spoon”.‟ This demonstrates progress in language and comprehension. Progress is also apparent in self-care skills. The home creatively uses visual aids to assist children in completing tasks such as making breakfast or bathing and washing alone. These opportunities provide children with effective key life skills as they move into adulthood. Children experience a range of social and leisure opportunities. One parent talking about how staff support her son in accessing the community commented, „They take him out a lot. They have opened up his world.‟ A social worker added, „They took him to London to see Big Ben as he likes big clocks.‟ Children also access activities such as youth clubs, holidays and numerous fun events. Such undertakings build self-esteem and confidence in children.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

The home appropriately reports and manages safeguarding matters. As children placed have limited verbal skills, the home has employed the specialism of a speech and language worker to support children to communicate their concerns or worries. All staff recently undertook positive response training. This new learning has reduced the need for staff to physically intervene into presenting risky behaviours. Instead, staff are using newly acquired skills to de-escalate situations, enabling children to gain control themselves. Staff receive regular formal supervision where discussions include meeting children‟s needs and the continued development of staff. Eligible staff receive annual appraisals where performance and targets are set against delivering a service as set out in the home‟s statement of purpose. Staff receive training to expand their knowledge and understanding of topics to meet the needs of children

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

placed. These include topics wider than disability issues such as attachment theory. The manager has effective monitoring tools in place to review the quality of care delivered to children and the analysed data adds to a continued development plan for the service. At the last inspection, two requirements and two recommendations were set. The home has met the first requirement. Care plans are up to date meaning that all current information is available to staff for them to ensure that they meet the assessed needs of children. The second requirement remains, as although processes are in place to minimise a particular identified risk, these have not been translated into an updated risk assessment. This has the potential for staff to miss the processes in place leaving both staff and the child vulnerable and at risk of allegation. The first recommendation is met. The home now has a workforce development plan, which details the necessary staffing structure, the experience and

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

qualifications of staff and the training undertaken to ensure that care is delivered in line with the home‟s statement of purpose. The second recommendation still stands. The children placed have a range of additional needs. It is usual that they move on to adult care post 18 years. The home has created a risk assessment to consider the likely impact of caring for an adult living within a children‟s home. However, this has a generic style. It lacks consideration of individual traits and behaviour. Neither does it consider how the promotion of an adult lifestyle may affect children. The home has yet to fully implement their revised processes, to both safeguard children and promote their welfare. However, children continue to make progress and their life opportunities are enhanced because of living at this home. The home has sustained its effectiveness.

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Information about this children's home

The home offers care and accommodation for up to five children with additional needs. A charitable organisation owns and operates this home. The organisation provides a separately registered education facility, which is based locally.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 19/01/2016 Full Good 23/07/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 06/01/2015 Full Adequate 19/11/2014 Full Inadequate

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meets the Care Standards Act 2000, 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

12: The protection of children standard: In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must ensure that staff— (2) (a) (i) 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. 28/10/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  The provider must identify and minimise the risk and impact to children of every young adult living at the home. (Guidance on inspecting and regulating children's homes that provide care and accommodation for adults, (wholly or mainly a children's home) point 6, page 4)  Ensure that the registered person only accepts placements for children where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the „Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection‟.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service 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‟. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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