Children's home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report children’s home: SC416464 1 SC416464 Registered provider: Meadows Care Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is one of a number of children’s homes operated by a private company. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

If required, children and young people can access the organisation’s school and therapy department.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, one young person has left the home as a result of being given a custodial sentence. During his time in placement, he was offered good support and made notable progress in many areas of his life. The young person’s social worker wrote, ‘[Name of young person] has received a high standard of care and support during his time at the home. [Name of young person] reported feeling well cared for and enjoyed his time there. He showed great improvements in behaviour and development.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two young people have moved into the home since the last inspection. Both have Inspection report children’s home: SC416464 2 arrived in a well-assessed and thoroughly planned way, which has resulted in a suitably matched trio who get on well with each other. Staff make every effort to welcome and get to know young people when they join the home. They take time to find out about their interests and hobbies and provide them with good opportunities to pursue these. One young person said, ‘Staff are looking for a football team for me. I have also started going to boxing since I have been here. This is my first residential home and everything has been good so far.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are skilled at supporting young people to develop positive, trusting relationships with them, building up trust and self-worth over time. This approach enables the young people to settle and has resulted in them engaging positively with staff and life in the home. All young people are making good choices in relation to their behaviour, with incidents of concern being exceptionally rare. For example, there have been no incidents of going missing, anti-social behaviour or behaviour that has required the use of physical intervention. Indeed, throughout the inspection it was noticeable how at ease young people are with each other and how relaxed staff are when around them.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are at different stages of their journey but all are making good progress, relative to their time in placement. This is because they are supported well by staff who have a good understanding of their needs. These are well documented in each young person’s records, which provide a comprehensive insight into their lives, as well as informing staff practice. However, the risk assessment pertaining to independence time for one young person does not accurately reflect the young person’s level of risk. Despite living at the home for a number of years and having made significant progress, he is still only allowed 15 minutes of time away from staff, despite not being assessed as high risk in any areas. This is an unnecessary risk management strategy that is restricting his opportunities to develop his independence skills because it limits what staff can allow him to do.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff work closely with the organisation’s therapists and other relevant agencies and professionals. They work together to make sure that young people receive the practical and emotional support they need. An independent reviewing officer said, ‘The consistency provided by the manager and the therapist has been a real positive. Staff have not given up on [name of young person].’ She went on to say, ‘There is a genuine care and fondness for [name of young person] and staff are aspirational in support of his development.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager is highly regarded by his staff, who confirm he provides good leadership and support. He is child-centred and strives to bring out the positives in each young person in his care. He is no longer responsible for the management of a second home, which allows him to focus all of his attention on driving improvement in this home. He uses a range of monitoring processes to do this effectively. This includes addressing the three recommendations from the previous inspection. Inspection report children’s home: SC416464 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/05/2017 Full Good 16/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 20/04/2016 Full Requires improvement 16/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC416464 4

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Recommendations

 Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) This is with specific reference to ensuring that strategies outlined in each child’s risk assessment are proportionate and based on the child’s current level of risk.

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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

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

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: SC416464 5

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Paul Scott, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC416464 6 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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