Children's Home run by Meadows Care Limited in Oldham

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has Declined in effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Suitable action has been taken to address the two requirements and one good practice recommendation made at the last inspection in July 2015. Improvements have been made to the making of placements. A matching risk assessment is completed prior to admission and careful consideration is given to the potential impact on the other young people living in the home. Other areas of improvement include how progress is monitored. There is a clearer picture in records to show how young people are doing in key outcome areas. Finally, some progress has been made to include the views of young people, relatives and professionals in annual appraisals. Moving forward, this will strengthen the manager’s ability to critically appraise professional practice and competency.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

While good practice is noted in some areas, evidence gathered at this inspection highlights that there has been a considerable amount of disruption in the home since the last inspection. This has undoubtedly had a negative impact on young people’s progress, safety and well-being.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff make every effort to encourage young people to engage in education. They work very closely with education professionals to develop appropriate strategies that improve young people’s attendance. However, efforts have proven ineffective and young people choose not to engage. Attendance levels have steadily decreased which seriously compromises future prospects.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some young people engage in risk taking behaviour that impacts on their physical and emotional health, which includes smoking cannabis and taking legal highs. Young people are offered lots of support and guidance from staff. However, interventions have not always been effective as young people continue to be at risk of harm as a result of their own behaviour.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff spoken with during the inspection express genuine concerns for the safety of young people. The team are resilient and have remained committed despite the recent challenges. Professionals such as the police speak highly of staff and their efforts to safeguard. However, despite this some young people continue to put themselves at risk.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Missing from home is a concerning feature in this home. Some young people go missing on almost a daily basis. This behaviour exposes them to significant risk; these include Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE), substance misuse and anti-social behaviour. When young people do go missing staff respond promptly and are resourceful in seeking them out. They make a concerted effort to keep in contact and locate young people as quickly as possible. However, the manager has not sufficiently escalated her concerns regarding risk management with the placing authority through a formal review of the young person’s care plan. This results in a fragmented approach to risk management which compromises the young person’s safety. The leadership team have fully acknowledged this shortfall and are taking the necessary action to review plans.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

More positively, the home has forged good links with other professionals to address missing from home concerns. Close working relationships and regular professional meetings ensure that information is shared with relevant parties. Furthermore, good arrangements are in place for missing from home return interviews. The manager ensures that these are undertaken by an independent person after every missing episode. This is a key opportunity to gather information and to help young people make safer choices in the future.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Individual risk assessments and crisis management plans are not robust. They do not take into account young people’s emerging needs and concerns. Furthermore, they do not adequately reflect known levels of risky behaviour. For example, gang involvement is categorised as low risk. However, there is evidence to contradict this classification. This has been acknowledged by the manager who is in the process of remedying the shortfall to ensure more robust recording systems.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are clear that physical intervention is very much a last resort and are more comfortable using therapeutic techniques to defuse situations. As a result there is minimal use of physical restraint. However, not all records are fully compliant with legislation. In particular, one record was not signed, nor evaluated and monitored by the manager. Furthermore, the manager has not consistently documented that she has spoken with the young people and member of staff following an incident. Records made in this way do not stand up to scrutiny in the event of a complaint and does not promote comprehensive learning from such situations.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In general the home is well resourced in terms of staffing. The manager ensures that young people are cared for by a core group of staff and the use of agency workers is kept to a minimum. The team have a broad range of experiences and skills to meet the everyday challenges of caring for young people. The manager ensures the team are effectively supported, guided and valued through regular supervision, team meetings and training. Core training events such as first aid, safeguarding and behaviour management are up to date. However, the team would benefit from further training on the dangers of legal highs and the management and prevention of young people going missing. This would further enhance their knowledge and better equip them in the management of such behaviour.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s notification system is robust. The manager ensures that Ofsted is kept informed of serious incidents relating to the safety and wellbeing of young people. This enables the regulator to effectively carry out its safeguarding responsibilities to ensure that young people are protected from harm.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

To conclude, whilest young people benefit from being cared for by a committed staff team there has been a marked increase in risk taking behaviour. The manager has acknowledged this and is keen to make the necessary improvements so that young people are safe and can expect to achieve their potential.

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Information about this children's home

This is a privately run children’s home that provides care and accommodation for up to three young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

03/03/2015 CH - Interim improved effectiveness

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, 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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

(1) The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

(i) help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans.

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Requirement Due date

(iii) understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; 30/04/2016

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Requirement Due date

(1) 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

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

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Requirement Due date

(i) 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. 30/04/2016 With specific reference to ensuring that individual crisis management plans and risk assessments are kept up to date and are offer sufficient detail as to how to manage risks.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the care planning standard with particular reference to ensuring that children receive care that is well- planned the registered person must ensure-

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Requirement Due date

(2) (e) that the child's placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child's relevant plans is requested, when

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Requirement Due date

(i) the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet his or her needs; this relates to ensuring that risk management.

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Requirement Due date

(ii) the child is, or has been, persistently absent from the home without permission . 30/04/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development. Staff should receive additional training in the management and prevention of missing from homes and the dangers of legal highs. (Regulation 33(4) (a)) 30/04/2016

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24hours 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 the effectiveness and consequence of the use of the measure and within 48 hours has spoken to the user about the measure and within 5 days has spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c) 30/04/2016

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This 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 Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, 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,

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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