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 up to 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 providing support for young people who have autism spectrum disorder.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since January 2018 and was registered in November 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 6 November 2018

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1246331 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/11/2018 Full Good 01/02/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 17/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1246331 3

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Recommendations

 Case records must be kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff have an innate understanding of each young person: their needs, their personality, what is important to them, and their likes and dislikes. They use this information extremely well to provide a bespoke package of care. Young people are making incredibly positive progress in their education, their health and emotional well-being, building healthy relationships and managing their feelings. One young person said that because of this support she had the confidence to apply for her apprenticeship. She is now excelling in her new role.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people are thriving, and are growing in confidence and self-esteem. Professionals said that since coming to live in the home the changes in their young person are amazing. The young person is now talking about their future, something that they have not been able to do before. A parent said that they now have their child back.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are strong advocates for young people. They confidently challenge others when they feel that the young person is not getting the support that they need to overcome difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff work exceptionally well as part of a multi-agency team which includes education and therapeutic services. Schools are complimentary about the staff and their commitment to supporting young people. A deputy head said that the manager had sourced an alternative placement one day a week for a young person. As a result, the young person has been able to maintain their school place.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Some young people are very pleased with their examination results, having exceeded their own expectations. This was the catalyst for them to consider going on to further education. Each young person’s education is carefully tailored to their individual needs, so that they can make sustained progress from their starting point.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are skilled communicators who seize every opportunity to support the young people’s learning. Staff said that learning is not confined to the school day, and is an ongoing process. Some young people organised a coffee morning for Greenpeace. They created the invitations and flyers, and raised a considerable amount for the charity. All the while, the young people provided information for staff and other young people about Inspection report children’s home: 1246331 4 how they could do more to recycle.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people are encouraged to carry out independent research on items that they would like. One young person is taking driving lessons and is doing well. This will provide them with additional independence when they move on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff help young people to achieve their ambitions and have better life chances. Young people are increasingly confident in their own abilities. Staff make sure that young people have the skills, opportunities and emotional resilience that they need to move successfully into the next stage of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Careful thought and consideration are given to any young person’s move into or out of the home. This includes reflection on the potential impact of the move on the other young people living here. One young person is at the start of their journey of moving into their own home. Staff know that they are excited at the prospect, but are also extremely nervous. The young person had a potential moving date, but has asked for this to be extended. This has been agreed because it was in their best interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Excellent support is provided for the young people’s families. Staff sourced a training course for one family, to enhance their understanding of their child’s needs. Parents said that they are very grateful for this support. Visits to family are carefully and sensitively managed. Staff negotiated well on behalf of a young person who wanted to meet family members in more relaxed surroundings. This happened, and the young person and their family enjoy spending time together. Friends and family are welcomed into the home and regularly spend time with the young people here.

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

Parents and professionals have confidence in the staff because of their exemplary safeguarding practice. Staff act quickly and effectively to address any emerging concerns. The staff maintain and monitor comprehensive records about all aspects of safety and protection. These include detailed risk assessments that guide staff on the actions that they need to take to reduce the risks to young people. This attention to detail means that any issues are quickly identified and rectified.

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

Staff have a clear understanding of the potential risks to young people, such as county lines. Staff said that the recent training on this was invaluable to them and a young person who attended with them. Because of the training, the young person was able to reflect upon how they may have put themselves in danger, and was able to make positive changes to keep themselves safe.

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

There have been some concerns in relation to young people being missing from care. All concerns are managed well and are reported to the appropriate persons. Professionals were complimentary about the staff’s tenacity in sourcing information that enables them to locate young people quickly and helps to keep the young people safe. Inspection report children’s home: 1246331 5 Staff use acceptance and a nurturing approach to encourage positive behaviour. Staff spend considerable amounts of time talking to young people about better ways to manage their emotions. Discussions with young people indicated that they are much more able to reflect on situations that they find themselves in, and can resolve them on their own.

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

Young people live in a warm, nurturing family home. Their bedrooms reflect their own individual tastes and personalities. Young people are thrilled to choose their own furniture and the decor of their rooms. This gives them a real sense of belonging and of stability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is led by an inspirational and visionary registered manager. Her enthusiasm is infectious and provides the foundation for the innovative care and support each young person receives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has instilled in staff the importance of research-informed practice, and encourages staff to undertake their own research and bring their findings to the team. This has resulted in the fruition of various ideas which have enhanced the care and support provided for young people, for example with regard to their mental health.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

This has improved the staff’s response to young people’s emotional health and well- being needs. As a result, there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of incidents of self-injurious behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have regular opportunities to reflect on young people’s progress and their own performance, and to share and develop their skills and knowledge, through their engagement in constructive, practice-related supervision and team meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are very well supported and are encouraged to develop their expertise through good-quality training that is relevant to the needs of the young people. Staff make the most of their training opportunities and use their learning to improve the effectiveness of the support that they provide for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Records and documentation are maintained to a high standard, and clearly reflect the uniqueness of each young person. Documents such as the young people’s journals contribute well to the memories they have of their time here. Some records, such as monthly key-worker reports, would benefit from having the full date recorded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Thorough external scrutiny carried out by an independent person and comprehensive reviews of the quality of care help the registered manager to continue to make improvements that benefit young people. This is enhanced by the home’s detailed and organic workforce plan, which contributes effectively to the ongoing success of the home. Inspection report children’s home: 1246331 6

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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 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 7

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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 8 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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