Children's Home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

Unique reference number SC390577 Inspection date 17/03/2014 Inspector Helen Walker Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 26/06/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This is privately run children's home provides care and accommodation for up to two young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A school, registered with the Department for Education, operates on site.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

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Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making good progress .

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Progress

The home was last inspected in June 2013. It received an overall judgement of good with three recommendations made to improve some areas of practice. These have been successfully addressed. At this inspection the home is judged to be making good progress.

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Progress

The manager ensures young people have support and guidance as necessary about keeping good health and personal care. This includes appropriate sex and relationships advice from health professionals who regularly visit the young people at the home. This means young people are well informed about positive sexual health.

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Progress

Young people have a range of opportunities to make their views known about all aspects of their care and support at the home. Regular young people's meetings take place and a 'views and wishes' file has been created. This enables young people's opinions to be heard and acted on such as their request for more food choices. For example, young people are now fully involved in choosing, planning and shopping for meals and snacks at the home to their choices. Young people benefit from staff who understand the importance of their history and support them to keep appropriate memorabilia of their time in this placement. This helps young people to gather information about their past so that their heritage is not lost or forgotten.

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Progress

The current staff team are consistent and provide continuity and a very good level of care to young people. They understand their duties to promote young people's wellbeing and have a thorough knowledge of their safeguarding responsibilities. A young person said 'It's lovely, staff are nice and I like them. It's what I wanted.' On asked about feeling safe in the home a young person said 'of course, staff look after me.'

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Progress

Staff are committed to improving young people's life chances and are strong advocates for young people. This includes regular contact with schools to ensure young people continue to make progress with their education. Young people said they are confident their health needs are met and have routine appointments with primary health care services.

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Progress

Interaction between staff and young people was seen to be extremely positive with fair and firm boundaries in respect of their behaviours. Young people said they consider staff are 'fair' with them and have had the routines and rules of the home explained to them. Young people are encouraged to learn independence skills as appropriate to their age and ability. For example, young people took delight in making a healthy teatime meal with the support of staff.

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Progress

The home is effectively managed with appropriate monitoring systems in place. The systems such as the monthly visitor report, assist staff to provide good quality care to the young people. Young people enjoy living in the home and the environment is spacious and comfortably furnished. However, some parts of the home are in poor decorative condition, furnishings such as the lounge carpet are stained and some of the lounge windows are without curtains. Therefore, these areas look uncared for and dirty.

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Progress

One recommendation has been made as a result of this inspection in relation to the decorations and furnishing of the home environment.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure the home environment is well maintained and decorated. (NMS 10.3)

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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 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection.

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