Children's home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report children’s home: SC066560 1 SC066560 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 children’s home is operated by a private company. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 7 November 2017

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last full inspection, this home was judged requires improvement to be good.

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and young people since the most recent 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

The young people who live at this home are making good progress in all aspects of their development, such as education attendance and keeping safe. Since the last inspection, there has been one new admission. The registered manager has improved the home’s admission plans. He robustly evaluates the potential impact of a new admission on the other young people who live at the home. He gathers historical information and speaks with young people’s previous carers. He ensures that his staff are experienced and qualified to meet a young person’s complex needs. The staff support the young person to gradually make the transition into the home. This has proved to be effective. The new young person has settled into the home quickly and has made positive relationships with staff and the other young person who lives there. A therapist said, ‘ I am impressed with how the manager met with me to discuss (name’s) paperwork prior to her

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Inspection report children’s home: SC066560 2 admission and how we would manage her risks.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some young people’s education attendance is 100%. Staff work with education staff to support young people to overcome any issues that they may have. Key staff encourage and help young people to engage in the specific level of education provision which is right for their needs. This has resulted in young people aspiring to careers in the police service, for example.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person is currently making a gradual transition from the home back to his family home. The manager reviewed the young person’s patterns and trends. He identified that, when the young person went missing from the home, they would return to his family home. The manager challenged the placing authority about the young person’s long-term plans. This has been effective and the young person is making a gradual transition to his family home. It has also assisted in reducing the number of incidents of young people going missing from the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff promote young people’s hobbies and interests. Some young people have a talent for baking. Staff use praise and rewards, and this has assisted in increasing young people’s confidence. For example, they do baking for visitors and participate in meetings.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff promote young people’s contact with their families in line with young people’s care plans. Staff supervise some young people’s contact sessions, if this is required. They ensure that contact is a positive experience for the whole family. This means that young people maintain relationships with those who are important to them in a safe way. A therapist said, ‘ (Name) had never spent a Christmas with his family, and the manager and myself advocated to his placing authority, and his contact with family went well.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff support young people to learn independence skills, such as cooking. Young people take charge of some household chores, for example polishing and hoovering, which staff incorporate into the rewards system. This will ensure that they are well prepared for adulthood. Staff promote and encourage young people to maintain positive friendships. Staff support these relationships. They ensure that these friendships are safe. They support young people to enjoy contact with these friends, both inside and outside of the home, for example going shopping or to the cinema, and enjoying tea together at the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager currently manages two homes of the organisation. This has not proved detrimental to the running of this home, because the homes are in close proximity to each other. He has a team leader in each home, which assists him to manage the two homes effectively. He now has a core staff team to ensure that young people receive consistent care and stability. He has devised a system for the staff rota that enables him to track and identify the staff on each shift. Managers and staff are child focused, and they are committed to young people’s individual development, safety and care. The manager makes Inspection report children’s home: SC066560 3 good use of internal and external monitoring systems to check the young people’s progress and the care that staff provide.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A serious incident was not notified to Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector. This was in relation to the dismissal of a member of staff. This delays the opportunity for the inspector to track patterns or trends. Also, it does not contribute to the safeguarding of young people. There has been one occasion when a member of staff did not adhere to young people’s risk assessments. This did not have any detrimental effect on the well-being of the young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has implemented robust arrangements for the safe administration of medication. Clear records show an accurate audit of the medication administered to young people. This means that young people’s health and well-being are promoted.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff work with a number of professionals. They communicate with education and nursing staff, placing social workers and the organisation’s therapist. This holistic approach means that young people receive sound advice on all aspects of their development. The home’s staff and therapist devise strategies to help young people to manage their anger and anxieties. For example, some young people care for pets. This has been successful in helping young people to remain calm. It has also taught them how to care for and consider others. A therapist said, ‘The manager takes on board advice and suggestions; he listens and implements strategies suggested to meet their needs. He is brilliant with communication and working together.’

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/11/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 18/10/2016 Full Good 18/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC066560 4

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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

(4)(e) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. 04/05/2018

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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 home regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Recommendations

This is with particular reference to all staff consistently following young people’s individual risk assessments to ensure that young people are safeguarded.

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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 difference 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: SC066560 5

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Jo Hornby, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC066560 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 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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