Children's Home run by My3 Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2636919 1 Registered provider: My3 Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a private organisation. The provider states in its statement of purpose that the service provides care and support for children aged eight to 17 with a primary diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. The home is registered to care for up to three children.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since November 2021.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2636919 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/07/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2636919 3

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outstanding

Children make exceptional progress in all areas of their lives. They live in a spacious, warm and welcoming home and receive consistent, nurturing care from a dedicated and committed staff team. As a result, children are thriving. They are helped to develop a sense of belonging in the home and staff spoke about feeling as though they are part of a family. One child said, ‘[Name of home] is my home.’

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outstanding

All children are in full-time education and have 100% attendance. This is significant progress from their starting points. Staff work closely with professionals in schools to provide a holistic approach to children. Professionals were positive about the support children receive in the home. One social worker said, ‘The staff go above and beyond to support the families as well as the children.’

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outstanding

Children benefit from excellent care-planning and high-quality, planned introductions. Staff take their time to get to know the children and this is done at the child’s pace. Staff form close links with parents and a range of specialist services. As a result, important information is continually shared to promote good outcomes for children. Video tours of the home are put together in a personalised way. This helps ease children’s anxieties and is a key strength of the home. One professional said, ‘This is one of the best and most successful transitions I have ever been involved in.’ A parent said, ‘The transition was amazing.’

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outstanding

There are excellent examples of direct work to help children to understand and overcome difficulties attending health appointments. Meticulous planning is in place, with the support of social stories. As a result, children’s health needs are well understood and fully met. Furthermore, staff have liaised with health clinicians to create medication reduction programmes to ensure that children are not taking medication unnecessarily. This has helped to considerably improve children’s health outcomes.

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outstanding

Staff actively encourage the children to become more independent. For one child who finds mobility difficult due to her health condition, staff have supported her mobility and she is now moving around the home with increased ease. Another child is developing her fine motor skills by dressing herself and eating independently.

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outstanding

Children’s wishes and feelings are at the centre of everything that happens in the home. They grow in self-esteem and confidence by having access to a wide range of communication tools that are bespoke to each child. Consequently, children are making exceptional progress using their preferred communication methods.

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outstanding

Children take part in a wide range of activities, such as going swimming and trips to safari parks and farms. Other activities provide children with opportunities to help Inspection report for children’s home: 2636919 4 others and include putting together Christmas hampers to be shared with the elderly. These activities help children to take part in community engagement.

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outstanding

There is a strong and proactive approach to keeping children safe. Staff receive child-specific safeguarding training to meet children’s individual and group needs. Safeguarding practice is effective and the use of high levels of staffing significantly minimises the risk of harm. Additionally, risk-management plans are reviewed following any incidents. Staff have a clear understanding of children’s needs and vulnerabilities and the potential risks they may be exposed to.

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outstanding

Medication processes in the home are safe. There are clear procedures for the administration and storage of medication. All staff are suitably trained, and the manager ensures that staff complete a series of competency checks. As a result, staff are skilled in understanding medication processes thoroughly.

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outstanding

Fire practices in the home are robust. All staff are suitably trained in fire awareness. Each child has a personal emergency evacuation plan that provides staff with details of the support they require in the event of a fire. Additionally, social stories are used with children to help them further understand the importance of staying safe when completing fire evacuations.

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outstanding

Effective and well-understood positive behaviour support is in place. Children benefit from consistent routines and boundaries. Restraint practice is used as a last resort and children are fully supported following any incidents. Therapeutic approaches are embedded into daily practice to ensure that the children are helped to overcome any anxieties they may face.

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outstanding

Complaints and whistle-blowing procedures are well understood by children and staff. There has been one complaint received; the manager and responsible individual were quick to respond and resolve the matter in a positive way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is suitably experienced and qualified; she is supported by a deputy. They work well together and have developed a positive, child-centred culture in the home. Managers are passionate, aspirational and knowledgeable about the needs of the children. They strive to make continual improvements to ensure that children receive exceptional care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers advocate for children effectively and robustly, challenging other professionals when appropriate. One parent said, ‘[Name of manager] is my child’s voice and really advocates for her.’ This ensures that children are living in an environment where they can flourish. Inspection report for children’s home: 2636919 5 The manager is highly skilled at using research to develop her knowledge of risk and shares this with staff. Research is embedded in bespoke direct-work sessions with children, which enhances children’s understanding. The organisation’s therapist is regularly present at team meetings. This helps to ensure that staff have a deep understanding of the model of care they provide. There are regular workshops where research and learning are shared. Furthermore, the team uses reflective practice effectively to continually evaluate situations and events.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Internal monitoring systems, implemented by the manager, provide excellent oversight of practice in the home. External monitoring processes are also used effectively to review all aspects of the children’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff benefit from reflective and detailed supervision sessions. Handovers are thorough and well organised. These provide staff with opportunities for highly effective information-sharing and planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff feel valued and listened to. They are highly complimentary about the support they receive from the management team. Staff benefit from a comprehensive induction programme and ongoing specialist training to enable them to meet children’s complex needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations were made at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2636919 6

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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: 2636919 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sinclair Accounting Co Ltd, 300 St. Marys Road, Garston, Liverpool L19 0NQ

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Inspector

Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2636919 8 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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