Children's Home run by MacIntyre Care in Buckinghamshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2742510 1 Registered provider: MacIntyre Care

p.1

Full inspection 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 with autism and learning disabilities. The home provides care for up to nine children and young people across two houses. At the time of the inspection, seven children were living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The inspectors only inspected the social care provision.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2742510 2

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the home was re-registered in December 2023, staff have supported three young people to move on from the home, and two new children to move in. All these moves were planned.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help young people to move on from the home successfully. When young people move, this is celebrated with an end-of-school prom and an activity, such as going to theme parks. Staff work closely with professionals to plan young people moving on at the earliest opportunity, and advocate for them to ensure that their new homes and higher education provisions meet their needs. The transitions facilitator visits young people in their new home to see if they are settled and ensure that all information has been handed over to provide consistent and supportive care.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The process of children moving into the home is expertly managed. Staff invest considerable time in gathering information about children from key adults and professionals that helps to ensure that moves are suitable and in the best interests of children. An experienced transitions coordinator oversees these moves and works effectively with the registered manager and school leaders in preparing children for change. New children have settled in well. One parent said, ‘My son is in the right place, with the right people.’

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

High staffing levels mean that staff spend quality time with children. Children seek out staff for play and meaningful interactions. Staff have good relationships with children and enjoy spending time with them. Staff read to children, go for walks, explore sensory enriching activities, support after school clubs, and promote leisure opportunities at weekends, such as visits to trampoline parks and local swimming pools.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are attentive to children, and they respond promptly to help children calm when they are upset. Staff use known calming strategies, such as fragrances and massage, to help children feel better. Staff seek out ways to reduce restrictions for children, such as replacing a mechanical walking restraint with an object of reference. One professional said, ‘Staff have good insight into the underlying reasons for a child’s distress and work well to reduce incidents for them.’

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with the school’s therapists. Therapists spend regular time in the home with staff and the children. They make suggestions for equipment to help children with their sensory play and with their communication. Therapists help staff to develop their skills and confidence when communicating with children. They observe staff interactions and model communication methods to staff. Observations are reported to the registered manager to help inform staff development opportunities. This close working helps to promote consistent staff practice between home and school. Inspection report for children’s home: 2742510 3 Staff support children to work towards accredited qualifications in their home, which is overseen by educational staff. This includes supporting children to use kettles and microwaves, to do their hair and bake. This way of working means that children achieve their educational goals in familiar and supportive environments. In another example,

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

staff supported one young person to complete their silver Duke of Edinburgh Award.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are systems in place to dispense and administer medications safely. When medication errors occur, staff take action to seek medical advice to ensure that the child is safe. The school nurses reflect on medication errors annually with staff, during refresher practice training, to help identify learning and improve practice. Where needed, staff are retrained, and managers oversee additional competency checks. As a result, medication errors are low. However, medication e-learning for staff requires more robust oversight by managers.

p.3

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

Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of children’s vulnerabilities. Risk assessments, combined with staff vigilance and awareness, ensure that children are kept safe. Clear plans are in place that guide the staff to help minimise risk. Carefully assessed staffing levels ensure that the children receive appropriate support and supervision while being free to move safely in their homes.

p.3

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

Staff are exceptionally proactive in seeking the views of children. They interact with the children using a variety of communication methods that are tailored to each child’s needs, helping and aiding them to have a voice in decision-making. Staff take time to ask and understand how the children are feeling using a range of expressive emotion symbols. This helps children to show staff how they are feeling without needing to communicate their worries or fears through undesired behaviours.

p.3

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

Plans for children are detailed to inform staff on how to respond to children when they are distressed. These plans are informed by the therapist’s assessments. Children are provided with support around understanding social rules. This links to the interventions developed by the therapists. One child is receiving support with understanding puberty and social rules around relationships. Plans for children are highly individualised.

p.3

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

Staff do not use physical intervention with children often. Staff are skilfully trained in de- escalation and distraction techniques, which promote the home’s ethos and directly contribute to the positive relationships between staff and children.

p.3

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

The medical needs of the children are prioritised by staff and the on-site registered nurses. Nurses are available to children all year round. They work collaboratively with external consultants and local GP services to ensure that children’s prescribed medication is regularly reviewed and all their health needs met.

p.3

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

Safer recruitment practices are good. They evidence that requests are made to obtain and verify references from the relevant employment history of potential new staff. Overseas checks are carried out diligently. Inspection report for children’s home: 2742510 4 Staff and leaders promote an open and honest safeguarding culture in the homes. Staff report concerns immediately to managers. Proactive measures are put in place to reduce the likelihood of reoccurrences for children, such as increased monitoring, working with therapies, reviewing children’s plans and staff debriefs. However, on one occasion, leaders missed an opportunity to review a delay in managers reporting procedures. Although this did not have an impact in the quality of care the child received, it may have hindered safeguarding procedures.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the re-registration, there have been changes in the leadership team. The previous manager is now the responsible individual, and a new registered manager has been appointed. The registered manager is experienced and qualified. They are present in the homes and know the children and staff well. A new deputy manager has been appointed to support the registered manager.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from allocated social workers was very complimentary about staff, the registered manager and the progress that children are making. One social worker said, ‘[Child’s name] has made remarkable improvements in their ability to communicate their needs with adults and initiate interactions. They are confident and regularly uses his communication aid and has added his own symbols.’ Another social worker said, ‘[Child’s name] is very active and going on long walks as well as developing their independence skills, including cooking and volunteering with recycling at school.’

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff recognise when children are displeased and encourage them to communicate their worries. Children are supported with visual and audio ‘problem books’ that staff frequently use to ensure that children understand their rights and values. On one occasion, staff supported a child to make a complaint. The registered manager was quick to respond and conclude with the child. This approach means that children feel empowered to communicate when they are not happy, and are provided with respect and advocacy.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The restructuring of the homes has had a positive impact on the quality of care that children receive. The staff team is now more stable, meaning children receive familiar and consistent care from staff who know them best. Staff say that they feel well supported through their supervision and training, and new staff benefit from a structured and professionally developed induction. However, staff have not received their annual appraisals, and one member of staff has not received supervision in line with the organisation’s policy. Inspection report for children’s home: 2742510 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, The 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 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

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.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff training is streamlined and regularly monitored by managers. The registered person should ensure that managers reflect on management reporting procedures following significant incidents. 20 December 2024

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.5

Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c)) 20 December 2024

p.5

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff receive regular supervision in line with the home’s policy. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2) Inspection report for children’s home: 2742510 6

p.5

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: 2742510 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Seebeck House, 1 Seebeck Place, Milton Keynes MK5 8FR

p.7

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Jennifer Marshall

p.7

Inspectors

Kelly Monniot, Social Care Inspector Mark Dawkins, Social Care Inspector Glen Strowbridge, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2742510 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

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.8

Inspectors

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

p.8

Inspectors

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

p.8