Children's home run by My Life - My Choice Ltd in Hyndburn

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 .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The members of the staff team are demonstrably motivated to provide good- quality care and improve the operation of this short-break service. Children and young people make good progress and have positive experiences.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff know children well and understand their care plans; this ensures that care effectively meets children’s individual needs. A parent said ‘I think the care is outstanding, it feels like a second home. She is very settled here and I have peace of mind knowing that she is happy and very well cared for.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have high expectations for children; innovative and carefully monitored individual goals for children’s short-break stays result in children making progress. Staff promote activities and opportunities for children. Children’s preferences guide the activities that they participate in and activities are tailored to maximise children’s engagement and to meet their specific needs. There are some missed opportunities for children to be part of community groups, particularly when it is known that children will stay at the service on the same day each week. Attendance at the groups would provide further opportunities and would meet individual needs.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home promotes positive behaviour through encouragement and praise; there is no use of sanctions. Physical intervention is very rarely used and is only implemented to promote safety. Where used, it is effectively recorded with timely management oversight.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager and the staff also continue to make progress in improving child-centred records. For example, a selection of key-working records have clear written dialogue so that children and young people can return to and understand the support that they receive. The care plans provide meaningful information for children, young people and their families. Some care plans are more advanced than others, and the staff team acknowledges that work is ongoing.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Risk management is has been greatly improved. The home is well maintained. The safety of children and young people has been greatly improved, as staff carry out daily checks to ensure that all areas, including the swimming pool, are safe and free from hazards. However, during the visit it was found that a member of staff had left another member of staff alone in the swimming pool with three children. This compromised the staff’s and children’s safety and placed them at risk. The responsible individual fully accepted that the staff member should not have been left alone and was disappointed that, despite additional training and improved risk management plans, staff had failed to follow the home’s safety protocol.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Compatibility is high on the agenda when selecting groups for short stays at the service and there are no concerns about bullying at the home. Transition is extremely effective because staff are sensitive to the individual needs of children, young people and their families. For example, one child has a different pattern of scheduled stays to help with her anxiety.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager and the responsible individual are working hard to reduce the number of adults that use the provision. Plans are in place to move the post-18 young adults to an adapted house nearby that is registered with the Care Quality Commission. Two young adults are moving to a residential special college and another two are being supported in their own homes. The responsible individual accepts that the short-break provision is for children, but acknowledges that at times of crisis, such as situations in which a child needs to be supported into adulthood, she finds it difficult to turn a family away when they need respite. The new service, which opens in April 2017, is intended to support the young adults and allow the responsible individual to give the right care in the right environment at times of need. As a result, this will provide a much more child-focused provision at the short-break service.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Effective partnership-working skills with schools are mirrored in the staff’s ability to work with families and health agencies to promote good health. For example, effective liaison with children’s and young people’s doctors, consultants and parents contributes to safe medication procedures that meets children’s and young people’s medical needs.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager maintains effective monitoring systems and is quick to respond to independent monitoring visits. Internal monitoring ensures that the home continues to improve and moves towards compliance with the children’s homes regulations and quality standards.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to accommodate up to eight children, irrespective of gender, aged 5 to 17, on a short-break basis. The home specialises in the care of children who present with learning disabilities. It is operated by a private organisation.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 14/06/2016 Full Good 10/11/2015 Full Good

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meet(s) 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

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; with particular reference to the staffing arrangements in the swimming pool. (Regulation 12(2)(1)) 30/04/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Settings should support children both to leave the home smoothly at the end of each stay, and eventually permanently, or when they move to another provider (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.33)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are offered a wide range of opportunities and encouraged to participate in fun and enjoyable activities. Staff should support children to take part in school trips, clubs, volunteering and leisure activities (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 27, paragraph 6.5)

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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 that 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 children looked after 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

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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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