Children's home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has made good progress in addressing the shortfalls identified at the last inspection. He has built up his staff team so that young people now benefit from continuity of care. The registered manager uses safer recruitment practices when he appoints permanent staff to the team. However, the information that he obtains for temporary agency staff is not always as detailed and robust as it should be. The dramatic decrease in the registered manager’s use of agency staff over the period since the last inspection ameliorates the impact of this shortfall on young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has established a more stable staff team. Consequently, young people are now able to develop positive relationships with staff and their outcomes are improving. One young person said: ‘It’s much better now. There are less changes in my staff.’ As the registered manager has strengthened the staff team, there is greater consistency in staff’s approach to behaviour management. Staff support young people to develop strategies for managing their behaviour. This, along with the positive relationships which exist, has led to a decrease in the number of incidents within the home and less use of restraint. Staff have a detailed knowledge of young people and are able to use de-escalation and distraction techniques to redirect young people when their behaviour begins to show signs of deterioration. As a result, the registered manager has been able to reduce the staffing ratios in the home and admit a new young person to the home. The

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

registered manager ensures that staff record all appropriate details when physical intervention is used and he reviews staff’s actions to reflect on and improve practice. He provides a timely debrief for staff and the young person. The registered provider reviews their position on which behaviour management techniques the staff should record as restraint. However, the organisation does not adequately disseminate this information to staff, which leads to a lack of clarity about what staff should record as restraint.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager only admits a young person to the home following careful consideration of the impact this will have on both the existing young person and the young person who is joining the home. However, these assessments have not been adequately recorded. Staff quickly respond to the new young person’s needs. They understand and manage risks well. They make him feel welcome and are proactive in helping him join new activities in the local area, such as the gym, rock climbing, army cadets and bowling. Staff promote his education and support him to go on educational visits to museums. He attends the organisation’s school as part of his educational assessment. The placing social worker said: ‘I was pleasantly surprised as it was quite late when I arrived with the young person but the manager waited for us to arrive. The young person’s induction to the home was the most thorough I have experienced and he has settled well. Staff engage him

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

with lots of activities and education and he is very positive about the home.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager makes improvements to his monitoring and reviewing of the quality of care and is able to recognise the progress that young people make. He has been robust in his partnership working with placing authorities, virtual school head teachers and schools to secure appropriate school placements for young people. Unfortunately, young people have not been able to maintain educational placements and the registered manager is reviewing alternatives with the placing authority. The registered manager identifies patterns in a young person’s behaviour regarding their self-care and having an identified school placement. Staff work in partnership with the in-house therapist to address his poor self-care and he is making some progress. A therapist said: ‘Staff have positive relationships with my young person, which makes a difference. Staff are more proactive with him. He is more tactile and doesn’t respond as quickly as he

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

was and is using his own strategies effectively.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager ensures that staff receive regular supervision and informal support. He addresses with staff any developmental issues that have been identified, so that their practice continually improves. He manages allegations against staff quickly and robustly, which protects young people and staff. He has a positive relationship with the designated officer, and works in partnership with the officer to resolve allegations promptly. The registered manager notifies all relevant authorities, including Ofsted, when young people make allegations against staff. However, he has not informed Ofsted of the outcome of allegations so that the regulator can monitor the conclusions of these investigations.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s progress has improved since the last inspection as a result of improved leadership and management within the home. In particular, young people now benefit from significantly improved continuity of care from a staff team who they are able to develop positive relationships with. The registered manager has an improved understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses, and has plans in place to address the latter.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for two children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home forms part of a large social care company.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 20/04/2016 Full Requires improvement 16/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 26/08/2015 Full Good 30/01/2015 Interim Declined in 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

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4 and ensure that the records are kept up to date. In particular that all temporary staff records are complete. (Regulation 37(2)(a)-(b)) 27/02/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations:  The registered person must ensure that the behaviour management strategy is understood and applied at all times by staff, and must be kept under review and revised where appropriate. In particular that the registered person ensures that following a review of practice all staff understand the definition of physical intervention. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, April 2015, page 46, paragraph 9.34)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. In particular, that the registered manager records this impact risk assessment. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, April 2015, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. In particular, it is recommended that staff include details of the outcome of any resulting investigation. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. April 2015. Page 63, paragraph 14.13)

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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 that 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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