Children's Home run by My3 Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report children’s home: 1246331 1 Registered provider: My3 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

The home is owned and managed by a limited company. The home provides care and support for four young people who are no longer able to live at home and who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The home specialises in support for young people with autistic spectrum disorder. The manager has been in post since February 2018, and became the registered manager on 2 November 2018.

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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: 1 February 2018

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Good

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Following the declined in effectiveness judgement, a monitoring visit was carried out on 21 March 2018. This was because the arrangements for safeguarding young people were inadequate; staff were not fully aware of their roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting young people and effective action was not always taken when there were serious concerns about a young person’s welfare. This was compounded as there was no consistent management in place. The monitoring visit confirmed that the young people Inspection report children’s home: 1246331 2 are safeguarded, and no further enforcement action was needed.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/02/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 17/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1246331 3

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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, 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

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration. (Regulation 35 (3) (a)(iv)) 14/12/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). (Regulation 46 (1)) 14/12/2018

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11) In particular, ensure that staff develop their knowledge and awareness about the subject of county lines.  The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and external monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. They should be skilled in anticipating difficulties and reviewing incidents. They are responsible for implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)  Ensure that the case records are kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. Information should be recorded in a way that is helpful to

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Recommendations

the child or young person. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraphs 14.3 and 14.4) In particular, consider the use of language, such as absconding and negative behaviours. Inspection report children’s home: 1246331 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are thriving because the staff know them well, listen to them and invest considerable time in them. A young person said that they know that the staff care about them. The young person said, ‘They do not rush home at the end of their shift; they will stay if we need them.’ Staff have consistently high, but reasonable, aspirations for all young people and they want young people to achieve their individual goals. Social workers and parents are very impressed with the progress that the young people are making. One social worker said, ‘This was a child with no sense of hope; now [name of child] is planning their future.’ Staff know the young people extremely well and understand what is important in each of the lives. They consistently follow in-depth and well-informed plans that are tailored to meet each young person’s personal needs. Staff work effectively with therapists and social workers to ensure that young people continue to receive the right support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A key strength of the setting is the high level of consultation undertaken with young people. Young people have a strong voice in the home. They are consulted on all aspects of their care and are treated with the utmost respect. Young people spoke enthusiastically about the recent holidays and the planned trip to London that they had chosen. Staff are good communicators, who skilfully adapt their communication style to meet the diverse needs of each young person. A social worker said that the staff excel in communicating with young people, and this has resulted in a dramatic decrease in incidents for one young person. This is because the young person is now able to reflect on incidents and think about the impact on themselves and others. The social worker said that this is a ‘massive achievement’ for the young person. Parents also commented on the very good communication between them and the staff. They said that they feel

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

fully included in all aspects of their child’s care and education. Young people’s health and emotional well-being continue to improve. Staff have a good understanding of each young person’s specific health and emotional needs. They plan effectively for visits that a young person may find difficult, such as attending the dentist. As a result, young people can see the dentist and receive the treatment that they need. Young people’s educational needs are well supported. All young people attend education and their attendance and attainment are improving in relation to their starting points. One young person’s attendance has improved from 35% to 98.1% in the last year. They are now enjoying their education and have realistic goals for their future. The young person said, ‘The staff are brilliant and help me with my homework. All I have to do is ask.’ Staff are aspirational for young people and work collaboratively with schools and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

colleges to ensure that young people continue to make progress. Young people enjoy an extensive range of self-chosen activities. Staff used social scripts effectively to gather information about what young people would like to do, such as working at an animal rescue centre, or undertaking driving lessons. These activities have significantly enhanced the young people’s confidence, independence and self-esteem and have helped to reduce their anxiety in social situations. Because of this increased Inspection report children’s home: 1246331 5 confidence and self-esteem, some young people are increasing their circle of friends and are spending more time away from the home. Young people are actively encouraged to be as independent as possible. For some young people, this means taking more responsibility for their self-care needs, while for others it means learning about budgeting and travelling independently. Above all, it is about

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

young people gaining the skills that they need to live their lives to the fullest. Parents are complimentary about the staff. They said that they always feel welcome in the home. Staff encourage them to spend time with their child here, and arrange hotel accommodation for families who live a long way from the home. A parent said that they know their child is happy here as they do not call home as often. Another parent commended the staff and their attention to detail when their child moved into the home. They said nothing was missed and that staff quickly understood their child’s needs. As a result, their child has settled in and is happy.

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

The registered manager and staff have created an open and transparent culture that protects young people from harm. They are proactive in risk-reduction but are not risk- averse. This approach means young people can understand and take proportionate risks and as a result are becoming increasingly aware of how to keep themselves safe. For example, one young person reported concerning text messages to staff, which enabled staff to act, in consultation with the young person, to keep them safe. Staff maintain positive relationships with the police missing from care coordinator, who talks to young people to help them understand the risks that they could place themselves at if they ran off from staff. Young people rarely go missing from the home. However, when this does occur, staff take swift and immediate action to locate them. Staff know and understand the risks for each young person, including those associated

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

with previous trauma, attachment difficulties and social anxieties. Staff have a clear insight into the reasons for this behaviour and implement effective strategies to reduce the perceived risks. The staff work very well in partnership with other agencies, social workers and therapists to ensure that there is a clear strategic plan to support the young people. Staff work positively and confidently with young people to help them to find the best way to express their emotions and moderate their behaviour when they are upset. Consequently, young people are much more tolerant of one another and are more able to show empathy and concern for others. A young person said, ‘We all get along’ and ‘It’s a bit like living with housemates.’ Staff’s calm approach helps them to support young people when they are having a difficult time. They use well-planned strategies that help young people to reduce and manage unsafe or aggressive behaviour. This is reflected in the decline in physical

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

interventions. The registered manager reviews each incident, identifies effective practice and responds quickly to emerging issues. On one occasion, she had not identified that the time of the intervention was not recorded; however, this did not impact on the young person. Staff recruitment practices are robust. The home no longer uses agency staff to cover Inspection report children’s home: 1246331 6 for staff absences because the manager has employed a team of bank staff. This has improved the consistency of care for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and suitably qualified. She was appointed in February 2018 and became the registered manager in November 2018 after a delay in submitting her application. Since the last inspection, the manager has worked hard with the staff to make the necessary changes and to improve the outcomes for young people. She has created a positive and aspirational culture that is improving the lives of young people. The quality of record-keeping has significantly improved. Files are well ordered, and records provide a much clearer insight into the young person’s time and experiences while at the home. There are some minor shortfalls, such as the use of some language, and staff do not always record the date when they have updated a record. The independent person’s scrutiny of the home does not always provide a detailed assessment of the progress of young people and fails to identify the home’s areas for

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

improvement. The location risk assessment is not sufficiently thorough as it does not reflect all the potential dangers within the immediate locality, such as the farmer’s fields and the lack of street lighting on the main road. An effective therapeutic approach is embedded in the running of the home and professional practice. Staff and therapists work closely together to understand and support each young person’s needs and provide them with the best possible support. The registered manager and staff are confident to challenge others to ensure that this happens. The registered manager actively encourages staff to undertake training relevant to their position and to extend their knowledge and skills. Several staff members are undertaking a level 5 qualification, and the registered manager is about to commence a higher national diploma course in autistic spectrum disorder. However, staff would benefit from

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

training regarding the emerging risks associated with potential criminal exploitation through involvement in county lines. Staff use practice-based supervision, team meetings and consultation with teaching staff and the therapist well. This approach allows staff to reflect on young people’s progress and on ways of improving the support that they provide to young people. This reflective practice is helping to drive forward improved outcomes for young people.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look Inspection report children’s home: 1246331 7 after.

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Information about this inspection

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 children’s home: 1246331 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: West House, King Cross Road, Halifax, Yorkshire HX1 1EB

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Inspector

Chris Scully, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1246331 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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Inspector

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