Children's home run by MacIntyre Care

Inspection report children’s home: SC457423 1 SC457423 Registered provider: MacIntyre Care Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for five children with severe learning difficulties, social and/or communication difficulties, and children who have autism spectrum disorder.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since February 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 1 September 2020 to carry out a monitoring visit. This report is published on our website.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC457423 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/10/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/02/2019 Full Good 01/06/2017 Full Good 17/11/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC457423 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are making good progress with their independence and social skills. The staff understand the children’s individual communication needs, and this has helped develop the children’s communication skills. The staff gain children’s views in different ways, that support each child’s level of understanding. The staff recognise subtle communication cues from children who are non-verbal, and this helps the staff to recognise how the children are feeling.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children benefit from a range of stimulating activities that support their interests. Taking part in these activities builds children’s confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have individual needs that mean they require routine-based care. The staff provide a daily structure that helps the children to understand what is happening next. Some of the children’s routines are displayed in their bedrooms using symbols and signs. This supports the children to follow their routine, which alleviates their anxieties.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff provide regular key-work sessions and children’s meetings. The staff fully involve children in making choices about the home. The children participate in choosing paint schemes and help to decorate. The children’s wishes and feelings are listened to and acted on. This helps children to feel that their views are valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s bedrooms are personalised. They have chosen the colours for the walls, the soft furnishings and pictures for their rooms. This helps to give the children a sense of belonging at the home.

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

The children’s individual behaviour plans guide the staff in the care of children. Staff recognise when a child may require additional support. The behaviour plans are effective and provide clear information that supports the staff to keep the children safe.

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

The staff have undertaken safeguarding training and have a good understanding of who to report concerns to. Social workers said that they are confident that the staff understand the children’s vulnerabilities, and this keeps the children safe.

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

The children know how to complain and are supported by staff to complete a complaints form. Although staff support children to share their concerns, one child did not receive any outcome. Therefore, it is unclear whether the child is happy with the complaint outcome.

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

The staff do not use sanctions. Instead, they encourage children’s positive behaviours and achievements. However, staff do not celebrate these achievements Inspection report children’s home: SC457423 4 in a way that children can recognise and, therefore, this is not meaningful for the children.

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

Several staff have recently left the home. This has resulted in a shortage of core staff at the home. Staff recruitment is underway. In the meantime, the manager is using consistent agency staff to ensure continuity of care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in post since November 2020 and has the relevant qualifications. She has a clear vision for the home and recognises the strengths and the areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff receive regular supervision that supports them to work effectively with children. The supervision meetings cover the staff’s personal development. Regular staff meetings support staff in their work with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff have undertaken mandatory and additional training to support the children’s specific needs. The staff have obtained, or are working towards, the relevant level 3 qualification. This means that the staff have the necessary experience and skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager monitors staff practice effectively. Audits are completed by the regional manager. Feedback from the independent person’s monthly visits is used to drive improvement. This ensures that monitoring is rigorous and supports the manager to improve the quality of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The statement of purpose does not contain details of the staff’s experience and qualifications. This means that commissioners do not know if the staff are qualified or have enough experience to look after the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The location risk assessment has been updated. However, it does not clearly identify the risks in the area and the strategies in place to minimise these. This means that staff may not fully understand the risks in the local area and extra safety measures that may need to be put in place. Inspection report children’s home: SC457423 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 registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the detail of the staff’s experience and qualifications. 9 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to providing children with an outcome to their complaints. 9 July 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the staff recognise and celebrate the achievements of the children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.7)  The registered person should ensure the location review includes the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and the strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC457423 6

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Trish Palmer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC457423 7 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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