Children's Home run by Meadows Care Limited in Oldham

Inspection report children’s home: SC066072 1 SC066072 Registered provider: Meadows Care Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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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 who have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 16 February 2017

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home is outstanding because: Inspection report children’s home: SC066072 2  Young people receive excellent, person-centred care from a motivated and enthusiastic staff team which always goes the extra mile to give the young people opportunities to achieve their full potential.  The staff take a sincere interest in the lives of young people. Young people spoken with during the inspection acknowledge that the home is a loving and caring environment where they can be themselves and feel safe.  Playfulness, appropriate banter and humour are central to the home’s operation. This approach has enabled young people to relax and become less anxious in response to everyday stresses.  Young people enjoy living in a homely, friendly environment that provides security, warmth and a strong sense of fun. As a result, young people have a clear sense of belonging and enjoy settled placements.  The staff team has developed a thorough understanding of safeguarding and

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Key findings from this inspection

managing risks.  Behaviour management is effective. Staff are consistent and emotionally responsive. This therapeutic response to trauma-led behaviour has helped young people to manage their frustrations and talk about their anxieties.  Managers promote a positive culture of improvement in the home that is forward thinking, inspirational and dedicated to meeting the individual needs of young people.  The staff are very well supported in their roles by the manager, and have regular supervision and team meetings. They participate in regular training. This ensures that they are well equipped to meet the individual needs of the young people placed at the home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18/07/2016 Full Outstanding 22/03/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 22/07/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC066072 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The relationships forged between young people and staff are exceptionally positive. This is because staff act as positive role models and do what good parents would do. They fully understand the model of attachment and successfully use playfulness, respect and empathy in their day-to-day care. This approach serves as a ‘secure base’ from which young people are able to be who they are, explore the world and enjoy their childhood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager and the staff team make a difference to young people’s lives because they take time to really get to know each of them, including their needs and personalities, family histories and family dynamics. Staff understand young people’s care plans and, in consultation with young people and their families, implement these successfully. The staff have shown great skill and tenacity in promoting and sustaining young people’s progression, with examples of highly creative and innovative approaches to meeting young people’s needs. For example, they use role play and story-telling to help young people develop social skills, express emotions in a safe way and have fun. This reinforces the message that staff are physically and emotionally responsive to young people’s needs, and enjoy spending time with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people at this home have complex and challenging individual needs. However, this does not inhibit their progression. On the contrary, young people are ambitious, motivated and want to do well for themselves. One young person wrote: ‘Coming from a disadvantaged background I’ve seen a lot of kids in the system amount to nothing. I want to be in the percentage who is motivated to be successful in all aspects of my life .’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people who have missed significant periods of education before moving to the home are making extremely good progress and enjoying school. Those who recently completed their GCSEs have done exceptionally well, and have gone on to access learning opportunities in accordance with their wishes. Partnership working with schools and education providers is very strong. Staff are proactive, and any small issues that arise are dealt with immediately. This ensures that learning opportunities are maximised. Young people receive excellent help to form, develop and sustain positive attachments to family members and friends. Staff arrange and facilitate supervised contact when necessary. Families and friends are most welcome at the home, enjoying celebrations, including Christmas, with staff and young people. Staff also recognise the importance of friendships, and have established good links with young people’s peer groups and their

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

parents. This enables young people to have the same social experiences as any other young people of their age. Care planning and care practice are highly influenced by the therapeutic input provided by the organisation’s therapy team. This enables staff to develop innovative and individually tailored strategies of support for young people. Examples include using mindfulness techniques to help with relaxation and reflection. This is helping young people to relax and develop the resilience they need to overcome the complexities of their lives. Inspection report children’s home: SC066072 4 Young people are provided with opportunities to develop increased independence and life skills relative to their age, ability and level of understanding. They are routinely involved in basic tasks such as cooking, shopping and keeping the home tidy. One young person is approaching a point of transition, and very detailed work is in place to support

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

him. Consequently, he has made tremendous progress in acquiring not only the practical skills needed but also the emotional intelligence required for adult life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people live in a large, suitably designed and comfortable home that is furnished and maintained to a high standard. Young people like their home and take pride in it. When damage occurs, which is rare, it is repaired quickly. This is a comfortable home where young people feel relaxed, safe and happy.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, and keeping young people safe is integral to daily practice. Staff are highly motivated and work hard with young people to help them to address their risk-taking behaviours. Young people confirm that they are safe and feel safe. This is because young people feel a strong sense of attachment to the home and have excellent relationships with staff.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Young people’s experiences since living at the home have had a significant impact on many aspects of their lives. This has been demonstrated by extremely positive feedback received from professionals and young people themselves. One social worker said: ‘The staff team have nurtured [name]’s resilience which has enabled him to make excellent progress. This service isn’t maverick, but they are innovative and use their initiative. This is the best children’s home I’ve used. I have been very impressed. The progress [name] has made would not have been possible without the help he has received.’

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Personalised and detailed risk assessments identify the risks pertinent to each young person, and ensure that staff understand the most appropriate way to respond. These plans are understood and consistently implemented by staff. They are reviewed and updated by leaders and managers following any significant events, and then shared appropriately with the staff team. This ensures a consistent response to risk-taking behaviour. Key conversations are regularly undertaken with young people following any significant incident. This affords them the opportunity to discuss their wishes, views and concerns in a safe space. This supportive approach provides young people with the opportunity to reflect on their behaviours and make positive changes in the future. Consequently, the young people have matured and are making more informed choices about their personal safety.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Most young people do not go missing from the home. However, records demonstrate that, in the event that young people do go missing from the home, staff take proactive measures such as contacting young people’s mobile phones and going out searching for them. There is clear evidence that missing-from-home episodes are well managed. Furthermore, professionals confirm that very effective inter-agency communication is in place, which helps to ensure young people’s safety. Inspection report children’s home: SC066072 5 Staff are skilled and meticulous in using de-escalation techniques to channel young people’s behaviour in a positive direction. As a result, physical intervention is only used when absolutely necessary. All staff are trained in its use, and regular refresher training ensures that staff maintain their skills in safely managing physical intervention techniques. Effective use of child-friendly records ensures that debriefs help young

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

people to understand their experiences before, during, and after a restraint. Moreover, these records enable the staff team to adapt future interventions in the best interest of young people.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Staff empower young people to take age-appropriate risks necessary for their continual development. The staff team strikes a balance between promoting independence and taking measured risk. This enables young people to enjoy independent free time with their friends out in the community. Clear expectations are in place, and staff maintain regular contact with young people when they are away from the home. As a result, young people are enabled to enjoy appropriate freedoms that don’t compromise their safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is tenacious and leads effectively by example. She has successfully created a culture where staff unequivocally place the needs of young people at the heart of their practice. She is genuinely proud of young people’s achievements, and demonstrates real care and ambition for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There have been a few staff changes since the last inspection. However, key staff remain and new ones have quickly been inducted into the home’s ethos. There has been minimum disruption to young people. The staff team is cohesive, supportive and brings to the home a variety of different skills which are valued and acknowledged by the manager. Morale is very good, and the team members work very closely together. The consistency they offer in their approach greatly benefits the young people, and there are positive relationships across the board.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a clear focus on professional development which ensures that staff are fully equipped to care effectively for this diverse group of young people. The manager maintains good oversight of training and makes sure that all staff are up to date with mandatory courses such as safeguarding, first aid and physical intervention. This mandatory training is supplemented by a range of needs-led training opportunities that are delivered by the organisation’s therapy team. For example, staff have undertaken attachment training to help them understand and manage behaviour more effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager makes effective use of research, and this forms a strong foundation in respect to changing and improving practice in the home. For example, attachment parenting models are implemented in daily practice. This ensures that young people receive the most up-to-date research-based care from a well-informed staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Liaison with other agencies is particularly effective, and the manager collaborates well Inspection report children’s home: SC066072 6 with a wide range of external agencies in order to provide the best possible care to young people. She is an effective advocate, and is persistent in her efforts to ensure that the young people have everything they need. The registered manager appropriately challenges other professionals as necessary and, as a result, other professionals hold the service in high regard, stating that this is their ‘number one choice of home’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are provided with excellent-quality supervision that includes the extensive use of reflective practice. This ensures that staff are well equipped to meet the diverse range of needs which young people currently have. Team meetings now include the opportunity for reflection on things that have gone well and not well. The manager uses a range of theory-based learning with staff. This allows staff to highlight areas that are concerning them, and promotes self-awareness and self-development. This ensures the continual development of the staff team for the benefit of the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has high expectations of her staff and motivates them to be imaginative in their work. She regularly monitors the quality of care provided at the home, learning from practice and seeking feedback from young people to improve their care and experiences. External monitoring is also effective. Shortfalls are quickly identified, and prompt action is taken to effect improvements. This results in a home where there is ambition to provide good care for children and young people.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC066072 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Egerton House, Wardle Road, Rochdale OL12 9EN

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Niel Shelmerdine

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Inspector

Ceri Evans, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC066072 8 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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