Children's Home run by MacIntyre Care in Hertfordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2510323 1 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, which is run by a private organisation, looks after up to five children aged 11 to 18 with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since February 2022. The current manager has not registered with Ofsted and has resigned from their post.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2510323 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/05/2021 Full Outstanding 04/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 14/08/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2510323 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are four children living at the home. Two children moved into the home and two children have moved on from the home since the last inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children all have places in specialist education. School staff have enabled one child to attend school by adapting his start time so that he is not overwhelmed by other students. A specialist extra-curriculum coordinator ensures that the children’s targets from school are worked on at the home. Children make good progress, and their learning continues at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend valuable time with family members who are important to them. Staff support children with their family time. Staff take time to build trust with the children’s families. Parents said that their children are happy and safe. One parent said that she has not had to worry about her son since he has lived at the home because the staff are excellent. Families feel assured that their children are receiving good child-centred care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have positive relationships with children. Some children have complex communication needs. Staff use creative communication methods. During the inspection, staff were observed to be enthusiastic, patient and nurturing with children. The children were relaxed, happy and having fun with staff. Children feel loved, valued and understood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff explore independence goals with children. Goals include personal care, using public transport and cooking. One child has a voluntary job at a charity shop. The manager and staff actively encourage children to develop skills that will prepare them for when they move on from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has a self-contained emergency suite. Not all children can have a gradual move in to the home in emergency situations. However, the manager ensures that, whenever possible, children have a gradual and planned move in or out of the home. One child had an abrupt ending to living at the home due to safety reasons. The manager approached the move with sensitivity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are creative in how they help children to understand their rights and entitlements. One child made a video with staff to demonstrate what his rights are. On one occasion, staff made a complaint on behalf of a child; the child was happy with the outcome. Staff encourage children to have a voice and are good advocates for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is spacious, with different communal rooms for children to relax in. There is a sensory room and art room. Children’s bedrooms are personalised. The children have access to an outdoor gym and trampoline in the garden. New flooring has been laid throughout the home. The home has been recently redecorated after a water Inspection report for children’s home: 2510323 4 leak. However, there have been delays in completing maintenance around the home, including replacing a child’s en suite bathroom door that has mould on it. The external electronic gate only works intermittently. The manager does not have agreed dates for the work to be carried out despite chasing the external maintenance company. Some of the outstanding maintenance could pose a health and safety risk to children and other aspects do not make the home feel homely.

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

Children do not go missing from home. Physical intervention is used minimally and is proportionate. Staff talk to children after incidents occur to explore their thoughts and feelings. Staff have debriefs with children that are reflective and help to minimise the need for physical interventions.

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

One child has very complex needs. The staff have had specialist training to understand the best way to support the child. The child has weekly sessions with a therapist to help them process trauma and understand how to recognise safe and unsafe behaviour and to develop strategies to manage any intrusive thoughts.

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

The manager and staff benefit from the input of a positive behaviour support coach. The coach oversees children’s behaviour plans and gives staff good guidance. The children’s plans focus on positive behaviour reinforcement and include the children’s, parents’ and school staff’s views. Children are developing coping strategies to manage their emotions and behaviour.

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

There have been three safeguarding incidents that were not initially managed well. One of these incidents was an allegation about agency staff. The allegation was not reported to the manager promptly, leading to a delay in notifying the local authority designated officer and Ofsted. The manager did not ensure that agency staff signed in and out of the home, making it difficult to ascertain if the child was put at further risk. However, the manager completed a thorough investigation, revisited safeguarding training for staff and improved procedures. Staff have had a reflective debrief with the head of positive behaviour support and the organisation’s head of best practice. Being responsive and open to learning from incidents helps improve practice.

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

Staff carry out weekly fire checks and regular fire drills with children. However, the manager has not ensured that the fire risk assessment is up to date and there is no record of two staff completing fire training. The fire risk assessment identified actions to be taken to reduce fire risk. The manager could not confirm what actions have been addressed. During the inspection, the manager arranged a date for an independent fire company to complete the fire risk assessment and booked fire training for staff. Not having an up-to-date fire risk assessment, training or completing actions could put children at an increased risk of harm. Inspection report for children’s home: 2510323 5

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good

The registered manager left the home in February 2022. The deputy manager was promoted to the manager role and has been overseeing the home. This manager has had support from different managers within the organisation. However, the manager has not applied for registration and is due to leave the role. Although children have benefited from continuity of care, there has been a decline in the overall effectiveness of the leadership and management of the home.

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good

The manager has not ensured that staff have regular supervision and some supervisions are not recorded. Agency staff who regularly work at the home do not receive supervision. Staff said that they feel valued, respected and listened to by managers. Staff feel motivated, but they are not fully benefiting from regular opportunities to develop their own practice.

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good

The manager’s record-keeping is disorganised. On one occasion, investigation outcomes minutes were not documented. The manager has not ensured that the children’s most up-to-date plans are in their records. Some important records for children are not clear or accurate and could be confusing for children if they look at their records in the future.

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good

Staff receive specialist training that meets the children’s needs. Staff either hold a relevant level 3 diploma or are working towards the qualification. For two staff, the relevant date for the qualification has passed. One staff member is due to complete imminently and the other staff member has been appropriately performance managed with a strict deadline for completion. Good training helps staff to understand and meet the needs of the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2510323 6

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

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

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

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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—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all areas of the house, including the external gates, are maintained to a good standard, and that the house provides a homely environment for children. 27 May 2022

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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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)) 27 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2510323 7 In particular, ensure that children’s records are accurate and that investigation minutes are accessible to those who need to see them.

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(1) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the fire risk assessment is updated and that all staff have fire training. 6 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)) 30 June 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all staff, including agency staff, receive regular supervision and that staff access suitable fire training. 6 May 2022

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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 for children’s home: 2510323 8

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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

Amy Miles, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2510323 9 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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