Children's home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report children’s home: SC477939 1 SC477939 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 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 two 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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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC477939 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/06/2017 Full Good 14/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/09/2016 Full Good 01/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC477939 3

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) In particular, that staff evaluate and record in detail the impact that their work has on young people’s understanding and development.  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two young people have lived at the home since the last inspection. They have both benefited from a high standard of personalised care that has made a positive difference to their lives. One young person said, ‘This is a good place. I have definitely changed for the better. I feel safe and can always have a laugh with staff, no matter what.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Enabling young people to develop life skills and become more independent is an integral part of living at this home. An independence programme is used to assess each young person’s ability. Plans are implemented based on assessment of need. This has been effective in helping one young person prepare for, and successfully transition into supported living as a stepping stone to full independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are ambitious for young people and make every effort to support them to engage and do well in education, training and work. One young person has successfully completed two years at college and is well on the way to acquiring a qualification in performing arts. Staff have supported another young person to successfully find work; this is in recognition that she is not currently motivated to commit to post-16 education/training. A social worker said, ‘Staff are trying everything and do everything they can to help [name] get their qualifications.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Good working partnerships with health providers ensure that young people’s emotional and physical health needs are met. The organisation’s therapist contributes to care planning, in particular managing risk and behaviour. She attends staff meetings and supports the staff in delivering structured and personalised care that promotes emotional well-being. A social worker said, ‘There has been a significant change in [name]’s emotional well-being. This is because [name] gets the attention and emotional support she needs.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC477939 4 Young people have positive and trusting relationships with staff. They enjoy spending time with staff, who are clearly interested in what they have to say. They are supported well to contribute to their plans, express their opinions at meetings and influence the decisions about their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are able to maintain, and in some cases rebuild important familial relationships. Staff are acutely aware of the impact that some contact can have on some young people. They ensure that it is planned well in advance and supported by the right people.

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

Thorough and professionally informed risk assessments are in place for each young person. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of these documents and ensure that risk management strategies are implemented consistently. This means that the right action is taken when young people choose to engage in risk-taking behaviours such as substance and alcohol misuse and self-harm. One young person said, ‘When I have returned under the influence, staff have stayed with me to make sure I am OK.’ She went on to say, ‘I don’t self-harm as much because there are staff here that I can talk to.’

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

Staff understand the need for the young people to take age-appropriate risks. They provide good information and support that enables the young people to understand their own behaviours, risks and vulnerabilities. This has been an essential component in helping them make safer choices in respect of some of their risk-taking behaviours.

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

Staff maintain regular telephone contact with young people when they are out in the community, and actively search for them if they do not return on time. They will inform the police if they are unable to locate the young people and work with them, family members and the placing authority to secure a safe return as quickly as possible.

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

Some young people are placing themselves at risk of being exploited online. The manager has been proactive in her efforts to promote a multi-agency response to these concerns. For example, she has notified and involved safeguarding professionals and agencies, including the police child sexual exploitation team. She takes her safeguarding responsibilities very seriously and is willing to question and challenge when agencies do not offer their full support.

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

Young people are aware of, and respond positively to family-like boundaries and expectations. Positive behaviour is encouraged and incentivised through individually negotiated rewards. Negative and seriously challenging behaviour is an infrequent occurrence, but when it does occur it is managed in a respectful way that encourages young people to reflect and moderate their own behaviour. Consequently, sanctions are rare and the use of physical restraint has not been necessary since the last inspection. Inspection report children’s home: SC477939 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager provides effective leadership for a competent and committed staff team. She is fully involved in ensuring that good standards of care are maintained, with a clear focus on helping the young people to progress and achieve their individual goals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Suitable action has been taken to address the two requirements from the previous inspection. This has improved staff practice in terms of keeping the young people safe and ensuring that staff are familiar with, and adhere to child protection policies and procedures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Further work is required to address the recommendation made previously. It is clear that staff are engaging young people in numerous individual conversations and direct work sessions covering a range of needs-related topics, including their risk-taking behaviours. However, staff do not evaluate and record the impact of these interventions. This is not helpful in informing future planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff confirm that they are supported well by the manager. They have regular opportunities for practice-related supervision and team meetings. These forums are used effectively to reflect on young people’s progress, staff practice, share skills and develop practice and knowledge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New staff are prepared well for their role. They undertake a planned induction programme that equips them well to carry out their roles before commencing on a programme to acquire a relevant qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Mandatory and needs-led training is delivered as part of an ongoing programme of support. However, a small number of staff are overdue refreshers in restraint training and administration of medication. More pertinently, a number of staff are yet to complete the organisation’s formal training in self-harm, child sexual exploitation and substance misuse. The manager’s focus on promoting experiential learning and involving external agencies goes some way to reducing the impact of staff not having this training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager maintains good oversight through the effective use of a range of quality assurance processes. Monthly scrutiny by the independent visitor further strengthens monitoring activity and ensures that shortfalls are identified and addressed quickly.

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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: SC477939 6 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: SC477939 7

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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: SC477939 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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