Children's home run by Meadows Care Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1241855 1 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

The home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A private company owns and operates the home.

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Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection in June 2017, Ofsted made six requirements and one recommendation. The registered manager has taken effective action to address these shortfalls.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager ensures that permanent staff working in the home now hold relevant qualifications, or are working towards completing these. Since the last inspection, there have been a number of changes to the staff team. The registered manager is successfully rebuilding the team and leading the service to better establish an ethos of consistent practice. This supports young people’s development. Nevertheless, during this stage the service is reliant on the regular use of agency staff. There has been one occasion when the registered manager did not fully complete vetting checks to ensure the suitability of agency staff to work with young people. The Inspection report children’s home: 1241855 2 registered manager took action during the inspection to address this shortfall. A requirement is raised to ensure that systems are implemented to prevent this shortfall from happening again.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff now ensure that young people’s case files include all necessary information and statutory documentation. This improvement means that staff devise internal care plans that better reflect young people’s individual needs. As a result, young people now receive personalised care that supports their progress and development. Staff now demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of young people’s individual circumstances and backgrounds. This is because they have access to all pertinent information. Subsequently, young people benefit from integrated and holistic care.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Relationships between young people and staff are generally positive. Staff now use these relationships to encourage young people to express their views and wishes regarding their care and the development of the home. For example, when reviewing internal care plans, staff now compete bespoke one-to-one sessions to help young people to understand the purpose and content of these plans. Young people’s opinions are an essential part of this process. As a result, young people said that they ‘feel included’ in decisions about their care.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the time of the last inspection, young people’s individual risk assessments did not include all known risks. Managers did not appropriately record the negative impact that some risks factors had on young people’s safety and welfare. Staff practice was inconsistent. This was because risk assessments did not include clear strategies for staff to follow to manage and reduce young people’s individual risks. Managers and staff now regularly review and update young people’s risk assessments. Young people continue to display challenging and risk-taking behaviours, such as violence and aggression, that place them and others at risk of harm. However, risk assessments are now fluid documents that reflect young people’s progress and take account of their changing circumstances and behaviours. These improvements protect young people from harm and promote their safety.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff encourage and support young people to manage their own behaviours and take age-appropriate responsibility for their actions. As a result, the use of sanctions and the need for physical restraint continues to reduce. When it is necessary for staff to use these measures of control, they now ensure that records of these events include all relevant information. This means that the registered manager is now able to fully review these incidents.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people make progress in all areas of their development. They have suitable school placements and enjoy a variety of hobbies and leisure interests. These positive activities help young people to develop their social skills and build appropriate relationships with each other. Although there have been some incidents of bullying in the home, staff are quick to challenge and address these behaviours. As a result, young people understand that bullying is unacceptable.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been one occasion since the last inspection when young people have been Inspection report children’s home: 1241855 3 missing from the home. Records of this event detail all relevant information and include the actions taken by staff to inform other agencies, and to quickly locate the young people. This positive improvement to practice means that records now demonstrate steps taken to protect young people in these circumstances.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager now monitors all incidents in the home. For example, log books of significant events enable her to note any patterns or trends, and consider any possible underlying reasons for these. As a result, the registered manager is able to identify and action any areas for development.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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 recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(1)(2)(a)(3)(d)) 27/04/2018

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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 Inspection report children’s home: 1241855 4 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’.

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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

Jo Stephenson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1241855 5 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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