Children's Home run by My3 Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home: 2508601 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

This home is owned and managed by a private company. It is registered to care for up to 3 children who have learning disabilities and who may experience social and emotional challenges.

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Information about this children's home

There was one child living in the home at the time of this inspection, and one child who had recently moved out of the home. The inspector spent time with the child who lives here.

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Information about this children's home

The manager of the home registered with Ofsted in May 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 6 November 2024

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2508601 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/11/2024 Full Good 20/02/2024 Full Good 28/02/2023 Full Good 20/04/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2508601 3

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improvement to be good

The child who lives here is relaxed in their home. Another child who has recently moved on to adult services lived here for several years and considered this their home. However, children's wellbeing and progress is limited by poor management in the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff develop fun and trusting relationships with children. This enables staff to support children to make meaningful progress. The child who currently lives here has made significant progress in their ability to communicate and their tolerance of fabrics and crowds. The child's parent said of the staff team, 'I couldn't sing their praises high enough'.

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improvement to be good

The manager considers whether the staff and home can meet the needs of children before they move in. When a child is due to move in or out of the home, these transitions are planned in a child-centred way. For one child, that included a welcome video with a puppet of the child's favourite cartoon character showing the child around their new home.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to improve their communication when they live here. However, staff do not consistently seek children's views to enable them to contribute to their own care and interests. This does not give children the message that their voices are valued.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to develop key skills that they will need when they are adults. This is done at a level that is right for the individual child, to help them to live as independently as they can. One child who moved on to adult services made significant progress with their independence and social skills while living here.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff team do not provide meaningful challenge to other professionals when children are out of education for extended periods of time. One child has been out of school for over three months and has struggled to engage with tutoring in the home. Despite this, there was no evidence found of challenge to ensure that the child benefits as soon as possible from a positive school environment. Additionally, there has been little challenge or escalation to ensure that the home has copies of relevant documents for children, to inform the care provided.

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improvement to be good

The child who lives here appears to feel safe and comfortable with their staff team. The child smiles when they see familiar members of staff and enjoys playing with the adults who care for them. Inspection report for children's home: 2508601 4 Incidents in the home are rare. Staff have a good understanding of children's needs and are typically able to support children to calm without the need to hold them to keep them safe. However, when staff have physically held children, they have not always documented this appropriately. The manager does not consistently review all types of incident records and therefore, this error has not been identified. When the manager does review incidents, there is little evaluation to determine whether the incident was managed appropriately.

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improvement to be good

The manager does not consistently speak with staff after incidents to check on their wellbeing or have oversight of the accuracy of records completed. Similarly, staff and managers do not consistently speak with children after incidents. While staff did speak with one child after incidents to understand how they felt, no attempts were made to support the other child to communicate how they were feeling.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always document when they give consequences to children. One child was given a financial consequence on at least two occasions. However, there is no record of the amount the child was expected to pay, how long they would have to pay for, or whether the consequence was effective. Another child was told that they would have to go to their room if they didn't do as they were asked.

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improvement to be good

Staff and managers complete appropriate assessments of risk for children. These provide staff with basic strategies to minimise risk if an incident occurs. However, staff do not consistently follow these strategies. When a child made threats to harm themselves, staff did not complete welfare checks as stated in their risk assessment, did not seek mental health support for the child, and did not inform other professionals of the threats made. The manager did not identify that recommended strategies had not been followed.

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improvement to be good

Staff use a camera to monitor the child who currently lives there, when the child is in their bedroom. While the camera is used at the request of the child's parents, it has been used for over a year with no clear purpose. Managers have not collected data to identify whether potential risks have presented or reduced and have not reviewed the costs and benefits of the camera use. Therefore, it is unknown whether the camera has served a purpose or simply intrudes on the child's right to privacy. This concern has been raised by an external auditor on three occasions in the previous year, but the manager has not actioned this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager is experienced and currently manages two homes in this company. However, significant shortfalls were identified in the leadership and management of this home. The registered manager took a period of leave in the eight weeks prior to the inspection. A deputy manager in the company stepped up to manage this home in the interim period. Since stepping up, the interim manager has identified a wide array of improvements to be made and has started taking action to address these. Inspection report for children's home: 2508601 5 The staff team are positive about their experiences working here. Many members of staff spoke about how much they loved their job, which is reflected in the interactions they have with the child living here. Staff enjoy the support they receive from the management team and find managers approachable. Staff benefit from training relevant to the needs of the children they care for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has failed to maintain sufficient oversight of practice in the home. The registered manager does not consistently evaluate incidents and does not ensure that all documents have been completed as required. As a result, there is no consistent learning to improve the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are regular internal and external audits completed, to assess practice in the home and identify areas of improvement. However, the registered manager has not consistently implemented learning from these audits. This means that practice has not improved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has not provided staff with regular supervision to assess their practice and support their development. One new member of staff who had not worked in a care role before, did not receive any supervision in their first three months in the role. Additionally, new staff have not benefitted from reviews of their progress through their probation period, and experienced staff had not benefitted from appraisals of their performance. This was a requirement at the last inspection which has not been met. This shortfall was identified by the interim manager in the two months before this inspection. The interim manager completed all staff appraisals in the first 6 weeks of her role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is no evidence that references have been sought for new staff who have joined the team. This does not ensure that all adults employed are safe to work with vulnerable children. Safer recruitment was a shortfall identified at the last inspection, which has not been met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager completes a bi-annual review of the quality of care provided in the home. However, this includes no evaluation of the care provided and does not include feedback from children or meaningful feedback from others. Action plans are superficial and do not focus on improving practice in the home or the care provided to children. Inspection report for children's home: 2508601 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

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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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they have oversight of all work being completed.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that work is evaluated to establish patterns and trends, and that areas of learning are identified in order to make continuous improvements. 22 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that staff— 22 March 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2508601 7 assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child's relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home's child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that relevant risk assessments are kept up to date to meet the presenting needs of each child, and that identified strategies are consistently followed.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child's behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is 22 March 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2508601 8 authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all incidents that involve a member of staff physically intervening with a child are accurately recorded as a restraint. All restraint records must include debriefs with staff and the child involved, as well as an evaluation of staff practice during the incident. The manager's evaluation must consider staff practice and whether the situation could have been managed differently to avoid an intervention.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all children are consulted about their feelings following a restraint, including children who do not communicate verbally.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that they have oversight of all consequences or measures of discipline used in the home. This means that accurate records of consequences must be kept and evaluated. Children should not be sent to their bedroom as a consequence.

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Requirement Due date

The children's views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children's care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child's views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child's best interests when making decisions about the child's care and welfare; 22 March 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2508601 9 help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child's views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home's care. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children's views are regularly sought to ensure that they know their views, wishes and feelings are taken seriously.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child's need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that cameras are used only when required to keep children safe. Camera's should not be used as a default approach. 22 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children's home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character; 22 March 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2508601 10 the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that full, verified references are sourced for all employees prior to their employment.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all staff receive regular supervision and an annual appraisal of their performance. Employees who are in their probation period should receive regular probation reviews in line with the company policy. Records should be completed after each session and should be unique to the discussion held.

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Requirement Due date

This was a requirement at the last inspection and is restated. 22 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority's or a relevant person's performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child's needs are met in accordance with the child's relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they provide robust challenge when children do not have a school placement. The registered person must ensure that when children's documents are not shared with them by other professionals, such as the local authority or health services, that they 22 March 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2508601 11 challenge this and escalate their requests to ensure that these are effective.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person's report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (5))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must consider whether actions from independent audits need to be implemented. If these are not implemented, there should be clear rationale to clarify why these were not felt to be needed. 22 March 2026

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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.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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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

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the quality of care review incorporates feedback from children, families, staff and professionals. The quality of care review should be evaluative in nature, and should identify learning from the past six months. This should then be carried forward to create an action plan with clear, measurable goals. 22 March 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2508601 12

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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: 2508601 13

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 300 St. Marys Road, Garston, Liverpool, England L19 0NQ

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Inspector

Aislinn Cooper, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2508601 14 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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