Children's Home, Residential special school run by MacIntyre Care in Buckinghamshire

Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 1 SC043994

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MacIntyre Care

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is a part of an independent school for children who have autism spectrum disorder and/or severe learning disabilities. Children who attend the school live in its children’s home. The home provides 40 placements in seven houses.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has not had a registered manager since 26 July 2018. A new manager was appointed in May 2019 and has made an application to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out following the inadequate judgement made at the full inspection on 16 July 2019 and two subsequent monitoring visits for which separate reports are available.

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This monitoring visit

A suspension notice was lifted on 23 July 2019. A notice restricting accommodation was removed on 19 August 2019. The compliance notices were deemed to have been met on 27 August 2019.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to check that the provider had met the statutory requirements that were set at the full inspection, which had due dates of 22 September 2019.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit has identified that, despite the previous compliance notices, there are continuing failures in the promotion of welfare:

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This monitoring visit

 There was an unlocked deep chest freezer in a playroom. Staff did not understand the risk of having this appliance in a room that children use frequently. They removed the freezer during the monitoring visit at the request of inspectors.  The manager has not held key meetings to draw conclusions and inform the next Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 2 steps in accordance with good safeguarding practice.  The evidence that the manager has used to review the suitability of the home’s location is not clear. She has not identified the concerns raised by a local community group and whether there is any impact on the provision.  The manager’s monitoring of restraint is inconsistent.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders have increased the leadership support in the home, such as the appointment of a facilities manager and a health and safety officer. They have recently purchased software to manage routine maintenance. This is not yet embedded into practice. Although there has been an investment in the redecoration and refurbishment of the premises, staff practice requires improvement to keep the home safe. Examples are flammable paint stored in cupboards in the children’s home and substances hazardous to health stored in staff toilets.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders have appointed an activities coordinator who is responsible for organising and arranging a variety of activities within the home and out of the home. Children can now access regular weekend and after-school activities, such as drama workshops, small animal care and circus skills.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has concluded a safeguarding investigation, as required at the full inspection, and taken appropriate action. She has not concluded a disciplinary process for a member of staff who is no longer working at the setting. This means that it is unknown if a referral to the disclosure and barring service is required. This is a serious failure in meeting statutory guidance.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have worked closely with the nurse to improve children’s placement plans so that all the necessary documentation regarding health is in place. Staff have introduced a system that prompts them to ensure that children undertake routine health appointments. The nurse ensures that all children are up to date with their immunisations.

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This monitoring visit

There have been improvements to the arrangements for the handling of medication. Oral syringes are now stored appropriately. Records are in better condition. The school nurse does medication audits to ensure that staff have implemented the medication policy in practice. She ensures that all children are up to date with their vaccinations.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have reviewed children’s positive behaviour support plans to identify any areas of support that a child needs to manage their behaviour towards their peers. Staff record any incidents requiring physical intervention, but this recording is inconsistent. It is not always evident that staff have spoken to children about the use of any such intervention, nor that there is always managerial oversight.

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This monitoring visit

The therapy teams are now working closely together. They meet regularly with the care staff to discuss strategies for individual children. They observe care staff Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 3 working directly with the children. They have developed a one-page summary that shows all the key points of each individual child’s therapy needs. The manager has reviewed children’s files to ensure that all the latest information, such as looked-after child reviews, is available to her staff.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has notified Ofsted of significant events and has a clear process in place to notify relevant agencies in the future should such serious incidents occur.

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This monitoring visit

The statutory six-monthly report has now been completed and sent to Ofsted. Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/07/2019 Full Inadequate 09/10/2018 Full Good 24/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/06/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 5

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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

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 20/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child; and

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(i)(ii)) 20/10/2019

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— help each child to understand how to keep safe; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the 20/10/2019 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 6 registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; 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; that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that disciplinary proceedings are carried out even when a member of staff is no longer working in the home; and that the outcomes of these proceedings are referred to the disclosure and barring service (DBS) if required. 20/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— within 48 hours of the use of the measure [of control, discipline or restraint], the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“th the authorised person”) )— has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 20/10/2019

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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).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must 20/10/2019 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 7 consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1)(2)) Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 8

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 9

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 602 South Seventh Street, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK9 2JA

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Inspectors

Keith Riley, lead social care inspector Sarah Olliver, social care inspector Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 10 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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