Children's Home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

Requires improvement

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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because:

 Not all staff provide care and support in line with the ethos of the home.  Since the last inspection, there have been serious shortfalls in staffing. Consequently, a number of temporary staff have been working in the home.  Staff are not consistent in their responses to risk-taking and challenging behaviour. For example, some temporary staff have not followed risk assessments. This has led to an escalation in young people’s behaviour.  Some temporary staff are not sufficiently skilled or competent to meet the needs of young people.  Young people do not have positive relationships with each other. The manager has taken some action to address this issue with the aim of improving group dynamics.  Some young people are making steady progress, particularly in their education. That said, the above shortfalls impact negatively on the quality of care afforded to them.

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because:

 The staff rota does not consistently reflect who is working in the home. This makes it difficult to track who has been caring for young people.

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because:

 The shortfalls in staffing have impacted on staff morale. The manager is working hard to address this issue in order to regain team stability.

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because:

 Requirements are raised to help the home to address the shortfalls and improve the quality of care afforded to young people.

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The children's home strengths

 Young people said they were safe, happy and settled. They reported good relationships with the core staff team. They said that staff actively listen and take action if they have concerns or requests.  Young people receive education specific to their needs. As result, young people are continuing to make educational progress.  The home has strong and sustained partnerships with other professionals such as the police, health, education and placing social workers. This effective collaboration promotes the well-being and welfare of young people.  The home maintains a homely and welcoming environment. The manager and staff team ensure that the home is clean and well maintained, and that repair work is undertaken in a timely manner.

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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 ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the positive relationship standard, the registered provider must ensure—

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Requirement Due date

(2)(b) that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered provider must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a)(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 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered provider must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a)(v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered provider must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

(2) (a)(iv) manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; 30 June 2016 13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

(2)(c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

(2)(e) ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child; 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4 and ensure that the records are kept up to date.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, in relation to ensuring that staff rotas are kept up to date (Regulation 37(4)(3). 30 June 2016

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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 two 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

6 January 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

13 January 2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Requires improvement

Positive relationships are formed between core staff and young people. However, in recent months some relationships within the home have come under strain. This is because a number of changes have been made to the core staff team, and temporary staff have been used. As a result, young people have not received consistent care by people whom they know and trust.

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Requires improvement

Young people are usually admitted to the home in a planned manner and in accordance with the home’s statement of purpose. The manager ensures that a vacancy risk assessment is completed. She uses this assessment appropriately to ensure that the mix of young people and their individual risks to each other can be safely managed. However, effectiveness of risk management is compromised when young people’s individual needs are not fully understood by staff. While core staff implement boundaries, temporary staff have not been able to care for young people in a consistent manner. This undoubtedly exacerbates young people’s anxieties, which has led to increased challenging behaviour.

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Requires improvement

Young people are encouraged to develop positive peer group relationships in the wider community. However, relationships between the young people in the home fluctuate on a daily basis. When this occurs, staff have not responded appropriately. For example, staff failed adequately to risk-assess a situation which led to a physical altercation between both residents. This reflects a significant shortfall in keeping young people safe. More positively, the manager has acknowledged the importance of creating a stable environment where further work can be undertaken to help young people to resolve conflict positively. Staff have undertaken some restorative work and have liaised closely with the in-house therapist around ongoing repair work. This much-needed intervention will help young people to develop a harmonious relationship with one another.

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Requires improvement

The promotion of education is a key strength of this home. Staff are proactive in supporting young people’s educational achievement and attendance. They develop strong links with education providers, with whom they communicate regularly to monitor progress. Professionals spoken with during the inspection confirm this. Comments include, ‘staff are very supportive of (name)’s education. He is doing brilliantly. He has completed some exams and has the ability to do well. Staff keep in contact with school and always attend meetings. He has become quite a polite and mature young man, and I am sure he will do very well.’ Young people have a positive sense of identity, and are proud of their heritage and culture. This is promoted through contact with family and significant others. Arrangements are appropriately supported and facilitated by staff. This ensures that contact is safe, well organised and enjoyable for all.

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Requires improvement

Staff encourage young people’s individual interests and ensure that they have access to community facilities. For some, this has been very successful and they have clearly identified hobbies and interests in the community. For example, one young person attends a boxing club three or four times a week. He has a good relationship with his coach, and has made friends and competed in boxing matches across the north west. Young people’s engagement in activities broadens their outlook on life, improves their social skills and fully integrates them into community life and wider society.

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Requires improvement

Risk assessments are sufficiently detailed. They are clear, concise and regularly updated. However, when young people have known complex needs and unpredictable behaviours, risk management plans are not consistently adhered to. As a result, staff are not completely aware of the potential risks and, therefore, do not understand how to manage them. Consequently, some young people have been exposed to further risk.

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Requires improvement

Young people are encouraged to behave positively. Individualised incentive charts have been implemented to help them to achieve this. However, the effectiveness of behaviour management strategies is variable. This is largely due to inconsistent staffing and an over-reliance on temporary workers. More positively, the manager has now taken action to reduce staff turnover. In recent weeks, the use of agency workers has steadily decreased. The manager is passionate about creating an environment which is characterised by warmth, nurture and consistency. There is a clear commitment to getting things back on track. There are effective and well-embedded working relationships with a range of safeguarding agencies. This is confirmed in comments made by various professionals contacted during the inspection. For example, a local police officer stated, ‘generally, we have a good working relationship with the manager, and

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Requires improvement

information sharing is good. Staff will request police support if needed, and I feel that this is conducted appropriately, leading to us having a good working relationship which is positive toward the safeguarding of the children in their care.’ This inter-agency working provides young people with a range of support mechanisms that promote their safety and protection.

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Requires improvement

Missing from home episodes are well managed. Young people are actively discouraged from leaving the home unauthorised. However, when young people do go missing or fail to return home on time, staff are proactive. They go out and look for them, and are often able to persuade them to return home. Local ‘missing from care’ protocols are followed appropriately, and effective communication between the home, social care and the police promotes young people safety.

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Requires improvement

Physical intervention is rarely used to manage challenging behaviour and, when it is, it is only as a last resort. Any incidents of restraint are thoroughly documented, and young people are fully involved in discussion on the prevention of further incidents.

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Requires improvement

All significant events relating to the welfare and protection of young people are reported to the appropriate authorities in a timely manner. This ensures that all professionals are kept informed and that young people receive appropriate input for relevant agencies.

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Requires improvement

The manager was registered with Ofsted in December 2015. She has the national vocational qualification at level 3 and is currently undertaking her level 5 management qualification. She is 'hands on', and a visible presence in the home. Young people feel comfortable in approaching her with their worries. One young person stated ‘I trust Gemma and I know she has my best interests at heart.’

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Requires improvement

The shortfalls in staffing have impacted on the care and welfare of young people, particularly over the last three months. Since the last inspection there have been a number of changes to the core team, leading to temporary staff working in the home. It is abundantly clear that not all temporary staff are sufficiently equipped with an in-depth knowledge of managing challenging and complex behaviours. Furthermore, the fundamental issue of staff trying to care for young people who they do not know has created a significant shortfall in keeping young people safe. Moving forward, some progress has already been made in addressing these shortfalls. Nevertheless, requirements have been raised to ensure continued improvement to the care and protection of young people.

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Requires improvement

Staff feel well supported by the manager and there is evidence to confirm that this is the case. Core staff receive suitable training, supervision and appraisals to ensure that they are able to fulfil their role to the best of their ability. The majority of staff possess recognised qualifications, while suitable arrangements are in place for others to gain these in the required timescales.

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Requires improvement

The manager ensures that the home’s statement of purpose is kept up to date and reflects the aims and objectives of the service. An independent visitor undertakes monthly monitoring of the home. Shortfalls are identified. This enables the manager to take action to address any issues identified. Reports include clear action plans and shortfalls are subject to a review in the following month. This ensures their completion in a timely manner.

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Requires improvement

Young people’s written records are well organised by a manager who ensures that they are accessible and kept up to date. Records are securely stored in the home, managed confidentially and provide details of young people’s progress and day-to- day life in the home. However, other records are not kept up to date. For example, staff rotas are not always robust in detailing the names of the staff on duty at the home. This lack of scrutiny makes it difficult to determine who is caring for young people on a day-to-day basis.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time.

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What the inspection judgements mean

A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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What the inspection judgements mean

In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people.

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What the inspection judgements mean

A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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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.

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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 ‘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 0300 123 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, work- based 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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