Children's Home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

SC390577 Unique reference number 20 July 2009 Inspection date Helen Walker Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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You can obtain copies of The Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters and The National Minimum Standards for Children's Services from: The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Cripins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcome for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and relevant National Minimum Standards for the establishment.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is strong Good: this aspect of the provision is sound Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is not good enough Inadequate: 3 of 8 Inspection Report: SC390577

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Brief description of the service

This home provides care and accommodation for one young person of either gender, aged from 10 to 17 years old. The home is a three bedroom detached property situated in a residential area of a large town. The accommodation is over two floors. The ground floor has an open plan hallway with the following rooms leading from this; lounge, schoolroom, cloakroom with toilet, kitchen with dining area and utility room.

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Brief description of the service

On the first floor is the young person's bedroom with fitted furniture and a hand washbasin, a house bathroom and two staff bedrooms with one incorporating the office. Externally the home has a garage and driveway to provide off road car parking. The front garden is grassed with a pathway which leads to the rear garden. The rear garden has a patio area with a split level lawn, mature trees and shrubs. The home is close to local amenities with good access links to public transport.

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Brief description of the service

One young person lives in this home and participated in the inspection process.

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Summary

This home was first registered in March 2009. At this first full unannounced inspection all the key national minimum standards relevant to a children's home were inspected.

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Summary

Young people's health needs are positively promoted. Contact with health professionals is good and the services of a clinical psychologist employed by the provider enable young people to access therapeutic support. Staff take all reasonable steps to keep young people safe from harm and know how to respond in the event of any allegation or serious concern about a young person's safety.

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Summary

Education is seen as an important part of young people's lives and staff are proactive to encourage young people to attend school. Young people benefit from being looked after by a caring staff team who have a range of experience and a very good understanding of their needs.

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Summary

Actions and a recommendation have been made to promote the welfare of the young person. These relate to the recording of medication and staff qualification. Also, for the provider to notify Ofsted of the absence of the registered manager of the home if for a period of more than 28 days. The overall quality rating is good. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

This is the first inspection of the home since registration in March 2009. This means there are no previous actions or recommendations for improvement.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Young people are significantly involved in menu planning and choice of food for meals. They take an active role in shopping, preparation and cooking of meals in the home. Young people 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC390577 said staff encourage them to eat healthily and that snacks, such as fresh fruit, are always available. Young people said they enjoy making 'smoothie' drinks, from fresh fruits.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people learn skills, to prepare them for independent living and this includes good advice from staff, about eating a balanced and varied diet. Culture nights in the home provide young people with opportunities to gain an understanding about cultures and foods associated with different countries. For example, the home recently had a Mexican night. Young people said this was a really good evening.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff have a good understanding of young people's health needs and these are positively promoted. Additionally, key worker sessions also incorporate promotion of health. More specialist advice is available to the young people from health professionals, for example, the Looked After Children (LAC) nurse and the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). The services of a clinical psychologist employed by the home provide young people with access to therapeutic support.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people are discouraged from smoking, drinking alcohol and taking drugs. Staff emphasise the need to maintain a healthy way of life. Young people participate in activities, such as cycling and dancing which helps them gain the physical health benefits associated with these pastimes.

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Helping children to be healthy

Guidance is in place for the safe storage, administration and disposal of medicines. However, medication records are not detailed to give full information about the quantity of medicine in the home and date of receipt of this. Therefore, records are not accurately maintained to ensure relevant information is available. Staff are qualified to administer first aid treatment as needed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Young people's privacy and confidentiality is maintained in the home. For example, young people have individual bedrooms and access to a telephone that can be used without reference to staff.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has a complaints system in place and young people are made fully aware of this. No complaints have been made by the young people but opportunities exist for them to discuss any matter they are unhappy with. This includes contact with staff, their key worker and with other professionals, in health and education. Young people said they feel able to talk to the 'team' of staff and especially their key worker.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff take all reasonable steps to keep young people safe from harm and know how to respond in the event of any allegation or serious concern about a young person's safety. Safeguarding training helps staff to protect and promote the welfare of young people. Procedures in the home support staff to take the appropriate action if a young person is missing from the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff work well with the young people to ensure suitable incentive schemes are in place to encourage young people to develop socially acceptable behaviour. Young people said consequences are fair and there are ways in which they can achieve rewards, such as tickets to concerts of their choice. 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC390577 Young people confirm there is no bullying in the home. Key-work sessions give the young people the opportunity to talk through and gain a better understanding about dealing appropriately with any situations of bullying.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The house is well-maintained and staff understand the need to keep a safe home environment. Health and safety systems are in place and checks of equipment in the home are routinely carried out, to confirm this is safe to use.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Thorough recruitment and employment procedures are in place, to ensure staff are suitable to work with young people. Young people take an active part in the recruitment process and have a say about the people employed by this company.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The home has good links with a range of agencies, for example, health and education professionals, to provide young people with a consistent level of support from more specialist services. Staff are knowledgeable about the young people's individual needs and provide them with opportunities for discussion about a broad range of issues including, health and personal safety.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people consider staff to be approachable and listen to what they have to say. They say they get on well with their staff team and key work sessions allow them to talk about 'all sorts' of things. Young people have the support of staff to participate in leisure activities they enjoy.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Education is seen as an important part of young people's lives and staff are proactive to encourage young people to attend school. Good dialogue exists with local schools. Documentation held in the home shows young people's educational achievements and needs. To support young people's education the home has a school room which provides a suitable environment for study and access to books, games and a computer with internet access.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Young people have individual placement plans to identify their assessed needs and to show how these are to be met in the home. Opportunities exist for young people to have input into their placement plans through discussion with staff and more formally, the statutory review process.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The home has systems in place to review young people's care and placement plans. Young people say they are listened to and have the opportunity to attend their review meetings. This allows them to have their say about care in the home and plans for their future.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are enabled to make choices about contact with family and friends. Contact is actively promoted and done so in line with placement plans for the young people. This enables young people to continue to have positive links with those that are important to them outside of the home. Practical support is given for contact to take place, such as the provision of transport, use of the home's telephone and private space, to see visitors in the home. Young people said they look forward to visits to and from their family. 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC390577 Good systems enable young people to move into and leave the home in a planned way. Wherever possible, planned placements occur and involve a visit by the young person to the home. This allows young people to meet staff and consider a placement at this home. Staff try to ensure young people are adequately prepared for leaving the home through a planned ending to the

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are asked their opinions about issues that affect their daily life and future. This includes obtaining their views about aspects of the running of the home, for example, choices of decoration for their bedrooms, menus and activities. This level of consultation helps to improve young people's quality of life.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. Staff encourage young people to learn and develop skills to help them as they move towards leaving care. Good advice and support is given about educational opportunities and practical matters, such as housekeeping, cooking and saving money. Young people in this home are not of an age to have a formal leaving care plan. However, their placing authority has introduced a pathway plan and this runs alongside the home's independence plan in order to provide a well-informed transition to adulthood.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Young people enjoy spacious and homely accommodation that is decorated and furnished to a very good standard. This means the home is a welcoming and well-maintained environment for young people. Young people have their own bedroom which is decorated to their choice and reflects their individuality.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The statement of purpose reflects what the home offers and was reviewed in April 2009 to update the staffing details. Young people have written information about the home and this describes the routines and care offered in this home.

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Organisation

Appropriate staffing levels means young people have good supervision and care. To provide consistency of care members of staff transferred to the home from a young person's previous placement. This also ensures continuity of care from staff who are familiar with the young person's care needs. Young people said they consider staff as their 'team' and that they are all approachable.

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Organisation

Young people benefit from being looked after by a caring staff team who have a range of experience and a very good understanding of the young people's needs. To increase staff competency and skills, further training is provided, for example, 'cultural awareness' and 'caring for children who self-harm'.

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Organisation

Some of the staff have yet to obtain a relevant childcare qualification, to help them in their understanding of caring for the young people. However, there is an ongoing programme of training for staff, to enable them to obtain the appropriate National Vocational Qualification at level 3. 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC390577 The promotion of equality and diversity is good. The staff group provides positive role models to young people in relation to values and attitudes in life. Young people are supported to achieve their potential throughout their time at the home.

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Organisation

The Registered Manager of this home is also manager of another children's home owned by the same company. However, the manager is currently absent from the home and an acting manager is in post. Ofsted have not been notified of the interim arrangements in the absence of the manager, as is required by regulation.

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Organisation

There are good arrangements in place to monitor the performance of the home against its statement of purpose. This enables management to have an overview of how the home is running and brings to light any issues that require action to be taken.

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Organisation

Documentation in the home relating to young people's individual history and progress is kept securely and in good order.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person meets the Care Standards Act 2000, The Childrens Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider must comply with the given timescales.

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Due date Action Standard

3 August 2009 make suitable arrangements for the recording of any medicines received into the home (Regulation 21.1) 3 August 2009 ensure notice is given in writing to Ofsted of the absence of the registered manager from the home if for a continuous period of 28 days or more, additionally the arrangements for managing the home in their absence (Regulation 37).

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure a minimum of 80% of care staff have the appropriate NVQ level 3 care award or equivalent qualification (NMS 29.5). 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC390577

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