Children's home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection there has been one young person living in the home, who has made good progress. He recently moved on to another placement within the organisation, and his staff team moved with him. As a result, the home is now empty and has no staff employed to work there, apart from a newly appointed manager. The home has been closed for 10 days. The registered provider has indicated that the home will not be operational until a full staff team has been recruited, and the home has been decorated and necessary maintenance work completed. Should the home decide to accept placements, the registered provider is required to inform Ofsted of its intention.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager voluntarily cancelled his registration of the home when the young person moved out. He ensured that the requirements made at the last inspection had been met, which improved the quality of care provided to the young person. In particular, he ensured that there was greater consistency in staffing, which provided the young person with an improved sense of security. Staff were able to develop positive relationships with the young person and provide him with clear boundaries and consistency. As a result, he developed emotional resilience which enabled him to manage new situations better. His placing authority social worker said: ‘I am positive about the progress in the last six months. Staff know my young person well and I have seen changes in his behaviour as a result. There have been less incidents and he calms down more quickly. He manages change better.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff maintain agreed behaviour management strategies. They use their detailed knowledge of the young person to de-escalate situations effectively. This means that they need to use restraint less frequently and for shorter periods. Staff record the details of the restraint. However, there were delays in recording that staff had discussed the incident with the young person, and in the review of restraints which involved the registered manager. This prevented the necessary reflection taking place in a timely manner. However, staff work in partnership with the therapist to evaluate their practice and he identifies the impact of their care on the young person: ‘He is more resilient as is evident in reduced incidents and he is quicker to return to baseline.’ The young person was able to attend his looked after child review, with support from staff, for the first time without disrupting the meeting. This represents considerable progress from his starting point. Staff use reward

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

systems effectively to improve the young person’s personal care. This boosts his physical health and self-esteem.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff support the young person to engage with education when he is unable to attend school. They take him on educational visits to museums and assist him with work the school provides for him, which is consistent with his education plan. Staff encourage the young person to be involved in the local community. He attends boxing and youth groups and enjoys spending time at a local skate park. They encourage him to take age-appropriate risks. Staff promote carefully risk-assessed family contact. This maintains the young person’s sense of identity.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff understand what to do when a young person is missing. He is rarely missing, but when he is, they work in partnership with the local police to ensure that he is at risk for the minimum amount of time. They know where to look for him and keep searching for him. Staff ensure that he is offered an opportunity to speak to an independent person on his return, to inform their understanding of his missing behaviour. Staff work effectively with the police in helping the young person understand the implications of his aggressive behaviour. They use restorative practice rather than unnecessarily criminalising his behaviour. This is effective in promoting his welfare.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff inform Ofsted of significant events that affect the young person. However, on occasion staff have not provided the actions and their outcomes within appropriate timescales, which prevents the regulator from reviewing and monitoring practice. The registered manager has not ensured that staff rotas reflect who has worked in the home. This does not safeguard the young person or staff. The registered manager has only used an agency member of staff on one occasion since the last inspection, which represents excellent progress. He did not ensure that he obtained all the required information regarding this person. The safeguarding risks this posed were minimised as there are always two members of staff working with the young person. The registered manager has taken action to address this shortfall.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The new manager has submitted her application for registration with Ofsted. She is suitably experienced and skilled to fulfil the role, and is currently completing her level 5 diploma in leadership and management in residential childcare. The manager is committed to recruiting a full staff team before accepting new placements.

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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 15/06/2016 Full Good 22/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 11/11/2015 Full Requires improvement 10/02/2015 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 48 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so, has spoken to the user about the measure and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. The registered person must ensure that within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(b-c)) 28/02/2017

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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 the staff rota accurately reflects who has worked in the home. (Regulation 37 (2)(a)- (b)) 28/02/2017

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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

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, 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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