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

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 1 SC043994 Registered provider: MacIntyre Care

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is part of an independent school for children who have an autism spectrum disorder and/or severe learning disabilities. The home provides care for up to 20 children across four houses.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in December 2019.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This unannounced monitoring visit took place following a complaint being received by Ofsted. The nature of the complaint raised concerns regarding staffing levels and how safeguarding concerns are managed in the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

There are currently 30 staff vacancies at the children’s home. The registered manager and senior leaders are taking action to address this shortfall, such as reviewing salary structures and piloting new recruitment campaigns. These are positive steps. However, the outcome of these strategies will not be immediate.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Currently, shortfalls in the staff rota are being covered by permanent staff doing extra hours, including on occasion the registered manager. Additionally, relief and agency staff also undertake regular hours. Some of these staff are regularly working long hours each week. This has the potential to affect staff performance, as staff could become tired.

p.1

This monitoring visit

During two overnight shifts in November 2021, the number of external agency staff exceeded the number of core residential workers. Additionally, on further nights, half of the staff on shift overnight were agency workers. Although some of these agency workers work regularly in the children’s home, not all these agency workers have undertaken the behaviour management training or epilepsy training provided by the Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 2 school. This means that on these nights, children have been supported by staff who do not have the required skills and experience to meet their needs.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The current staffing pressures mean that at times shifts are filled at short notice. This means that senior staff are dynamically managing the teams around the children to ensure a balance of experienced staff, and those with the correct training, to meet the needs of the children. This has not always been successful. In one house, a serious incident occurred when one staff member was working alongside three agency staff. The registered manager openly said that the staffing situation is currently ‘in crisis’.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Staff overwhelmingly state that they enjoy their role in supporting children in the home and feel supported by senior leaders. Staff show their commitment to the children by working extra shifts to help provide the children with consistency. However, this means that some staff are working high numbers of hours. One staff member commented: ‘At this point, I feel it is currently affecting the staff that are on shift rather than the children… However, over time, this could start to affect staff that are working long hours and therefore affecting [staff]’s home lives.’

p.2

This monitoring visit

Since the previous inspection in September 2021, there have been some allegations made against staff at the children’s home. These have been reported appropriately to external safeguarding partners. Some internal investigations into allegations against staff have taken place. Decision-making around next steps in an investigation, and consultations with external safeguarding agencies, are not consistently recorded on safeguarding records. As a result, records do not show how some significant decisions, in some safeguarding cases, were made.

p.2

This monitoring visit

A small number of incidents have taken place since September 2021 where agency staff have been involved and they have not yet completed their behaviour management training. There is a risk to children that there may be an inconsistent response to incidents, as not all staff on a shift have been trained in the same techniques, such as de-escalation. A permanent staff member commented that ‘it would make shifts more consistent’ if the agency staff had completed the same training course as the core team.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Some agency staff who undertake regular hours are not receiving regular feedback on their performance and are not having the opportunity to discuss their residential role with senior staff. This means that these adults remain working high numbers of hours without regular formal guidance and supervision.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Children are supported on school day mornings by some learning support assistants (LSA) who work at the on-site school. This provides children with support for their morning routine from staff who they are familiar with. However, the regular use of LSAs to support children in the children’s home is not described in the statement of purpose. Consequently, the description of the staffing structure in the statement of purpose is inaccurate. Additionally, the LSAs’ skills and experience to undertake such a role within a residential setting have not been considered and they do not receive Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 3 specific feedback on their care practice. This means that some staff may not hold the relevant qualifications as required by the children’s homes regulations and may lack specific residential experience.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The registered manager has failed to maintain effective oversight and monitoring of the staffing levels in the children’s home, both during the day and overnight. The registered manager was unable to produce an accurate record of which staff had worked within each house base and when. Additionally, the staffing records produced did not demonstrate whether children who are funded to receive additional support at specific times actually received this level of support.

p.3

This monitoring visit

In one instance, the registered manager decreased the level of support for one child without formal consultation with the relevant placing local authority. The reduction in staffing occurred without clear dialogue with the placing local authority to outline why it was deemed safe to do so and inviting its views on this change. This is a failure in partnership working with this placing authority.

p.3

This monitoring visit

There are several regulatory breaches identified at this visit which relate to weaknesses in the leadership and management of the home, and how care is monitored. The registered manager has not demonstrated that she has the skills and competence to manage the children’s home and address the areas of identified weakness.

p.3

This monitoring visit

This was a focused monitoring visit, and as a result the previous requirements set with regard to systems related to reviewing the quality of care, and the safeguarding policy, were not considered. These requirements are restated.

p.3

This monitoring visit

During this inspection, it was noted that staff now discuss safeguarding scenarios during some of their individual supervision sessions. This provides staff with an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of safeguarding procedures and ask advice from senior staff if needed. This change in practice means that a previous recommendation is now met. The previous recommendation relating to children’s records was not considered and is restated. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 4

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/06/2021 Full Good 21/10/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/07/2019 Full Inadequate 09/10/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

p.5

Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

p.5

Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

p.5

Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”). (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3)) 15 October 2021

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each 15 October 2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 6 child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)) The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

p.5

Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

p.6

Requirement Due date

provide for liaison and co-operation with any local authority which are, or may be, making a child protection enquiry in relation to a child accommodated in the home;

p.6

Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)) 15 October 2021

p.6

Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)) 12 December 2021

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

p.6

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vi)) 12 December 2021

p.6

Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. 12 December 2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 7 The registered person must—

p.6

Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

p.7

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.7

Requirement Due date

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))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 12 December 2021

p.7

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.7

Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)) 12 December 2021

p.7

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.

p.7

Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 12 December 2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 8 The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.7

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 12 December 2021

p.8

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—

p.8

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.8

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.8

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d)(e)) 12 December 2021

p.8

Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

p.8

Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children. (Regulation 28 (1)(b)(i)) 12 December 2021

p.8

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.8

Recommendation

 The registered manager must ensure that the home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. Staff should understand their important role in encouraging the child to reflect on and understand their history, according to their age and understanding. Staff should keep and encourage children to keep appropriate memorabilia of the time spent living at the home and help them record significant life events. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5) Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 9

p.8

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.

p.9

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 10

p.9

Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

p.10

Children’s home details

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

p.10

Inspectors

Anna Williams, Social Care Inspector Sara Stoker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC043994 11 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.

p.10

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.11

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.11

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.11