Children's Home run by My3 Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2636919 1 Registered provider: My3 Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to three children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children and one young person were living at the home.

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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

Date of last inspection: 29 November 2023

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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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

29/11/2023 Full Outstanding 26/07/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2636919 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children continue to make exceptional progress in key areas of their personal development and all children have made a measurable progress in their speech and language development. A particularly remarkable achievement is that one child who was previously reliant on a wheelchair is now highly mobile and able to navigate the home and school independently, using their wheelchair only for longer journeys.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have positive experiences of living at the home. Staff go above and beyond to make events special, often dressing up as characters or inviting guest characters to the home to engage children in exciting activities. A particularly notable example is the home’s Christmas event, which featured a live reindeer and was a large celebration that families and professionals attended. One social worker who attended an event said, ‘Lots of thought had been put into this event, it was great to see [name of child] in their element.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff ensure that children’s health needs are met. There are clear plans in place with guidance for staff to follow. Staff take children to routine and specialist health appointments. Staff cook healthy, well-balanced meals and encourage physical activities. This supports children to lead a healthy lifestyle.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children attend an education provision appropriate to their individual needs and are making good progress. One child is making exceptional progress following a three-year period of non-attendance at school. Additionally, staff are proactive in supporting family members with key aspects of their child’s education. This includes offering practical and emotional support for parents to attend meetings with prospective new schools that can meet their child’s individual needs. Staff provide guidance and reassurance throughout the process to help parents make informed decisions about their child’s education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are actively involved in supporting charity fundraising events. Staff help children to understand the importance of the causes they are supporting in a way that is accessible and meaningful to them. Staff explain to children the reasons behind these efforts, ensuring that the children understand how they are supporting those in need. This helps children to learn valuable lessons about empathy and kindness, as well as helping them to develop a broader understanding of the world around them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is a warm and welcoming environment. Staff help children to personalise their bedrooms according to their individual needs and interests. There are photos of the children and people who are important to them throughout the home.

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

Staff have the necessary knowledge and skills to keep children safe and support children to take managed risks and develop their independence. Staff identify potential risks and are proactive in implementing strategies to mitigate them. Practice is supported by Inspection report for children’s home: 2636919 4 detailed written information about children from their placing local authorities. Children’s individual risk assessments and safety plans demonstrate a detailed understanding of children’s individual needs.

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

Staff know the children well and can pre-empt behaviours to prevent incidents escalating. Staff implement effectively behaviour management techniques identified during regular reviews with the home’s therapist. As a result, staff are consistently following children’s current care plans.

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

Children are supported to step outside of their comfort zones and participate in a variety of activities. Staff are encouraging and enthusiastic about what children can achieve. This builds children’s self-esteem and helps to develop their resilience and confidence. Staff’s confidence in children’s potential enables them to achieve goals they may have previously thought were beyond their reach, enhancing children’s overall development and providing them with a sense of accomplishment.

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

Life-story work is a key component of children’s individual development. Children have memory books that document their progression through activities, holidays and milestones. These books capture positive memories, but also serve as a reflective tool that helps children to see how far they have come on their journey. Additionally, staff use specific target books to focus on children’s individual goals, outlining the targets they are working on and tracking their progress. As a result, children have a clear visual representation of their journey and achievements.

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

Staff demonstrate an effective approach to supporting children’s development through researched-based direct work that is tailored to children’s individual needs. They use creative and engaging methods, including personalised books and social stories, to address important topics with children in a way that is accessible and meaningful to them. These tools are specifically designed to help children understand complex issues such as emotions, relationships and personal challenges at their own pace. Additionally, this approach is used to develop children’s understanding of their individual rights and the home’s complaints process.

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

The registered manager ensures that staff are recruited safely and that they receive a quality induction. Monitoring of visitors to the home further ensures the protection of children from potential harm.

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

Complaints are managed efficiently and appropriately. Records of complaints demonstrate the actions taken by the registered manager to resolve issues and evidence a clear rationale for decision-making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is highly skilled and experienced and is supported by a skilled deputy manager. There are effective monitoring and review systems in place to ensure that there is excellent oversight of the home. The registered manager and deputy have an excellent understanding of the children’s individual needs and are child centred. They Inspection report for children’s home: 2636919 5 have high expectations of staff, lead by example and drive improvement in the service to ensure that children continue to receive exceptional care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Partner agencies and family members say that they are happy with the care provided to children by staff. The registered manager provides educational professionals with training, behaviour management strategies and research-based resources to support their care of children in school. The registered manager advocates strongly and effectively on children’s behalf and shares relevant information to keep professionals and family members well informed of children’s progress. One parent said, ‘[name of child] could not be more loved or more cared for by staff, I trust them wholeheartedly.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a stable staff team in place that is committed to providing high-quality care to the children. Staff describe ‘loving’ their jobs and enjoy coming to work. Staff say that leaders and managers are approachable and that they can raise any worries or concerns. Staff say that the home is ‘like a family’ and that they feel valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Team meetings are consistently well attended by staff and used to share updates from a range of sources such as research in practice and NSPCC guidance. These meetings ensure that staff are kept informed of the latest best practices and evidence-based strategies. There is a strong focus on professional development for staff and how strategies can be incorporated into their day-to-day work to improve outcomes for children. Practice is supported by clinical input from the therapist. As a result, staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills to meet the evolving needs of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Supervision is regular and of good quality. It provides an opportunity for staff to reflect on their care of the children. Staff have annual appraisals and children contribute to these appraisals. Continuous learning and improvement are a priority. Research and expert guidance contribute to the high standard of care provided to the children and enhance the overall effectiveness of the home. 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: 300 St. Marys Road, Garston, Liverpool L19 0NQ

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Inspector

Leanne Carr, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2636919 8 and inspects 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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