Children's home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report children’s home: SC361811 1 SC361811 Registered provider: Meadows Care Limited 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 three children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: SC361811 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/06/2017 Full Outstanding 23/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 22/06/2016 Full Good 04/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC361811 3

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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

If the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c)) 20/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff: assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; help each child to understand how to keep safe; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from

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Requirement Due date

harm; and that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)) 20/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to: lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the 20/09/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC361811 4 approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) and (2)(a)(h))

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Recommendations

 Staffing structures should promote continuity of care from the child’s perspective. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.15)

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improvement to be good

The shortfalls in how well children and young people are helped and protected have influenced the overall judgement in this area.

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, two of the young people living at the home make good progress. Staff have worked hard to address their key issues and help them to achieve good outcomes. However, despite the best efforts of staff, one young person continues to place herself at significant risk. As such, her welfare and safety are seriously compromised.

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improvement to be good

Young people speak positively about living at the home. They know that staff care about them, and as a result, they have a strong and trusting relationship with them. Staff clearly demonstrate a nurturing approach to care and the young people respond well to this.

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improvement to be good

Attendance at school or other education provisions is good. Effective links are developed with education providers and this has helped to support and encourage most young people to reach their full potential.

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improvement to be good

The staff invest in young people and are attuned to their likes and dislikes. There is a full programme of extra-curricular activities that promote a healthy lifestyle. This combined with the opportunities to participate in activities such as ice skating and horse riding provides the young people with the same social experiences as any other young person of their age.

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improvement to be good

Through the effective support of staff, young people maintain contact with their family and friends. Staff are conscious of the impact of contact and remain supportive in their approach. They have forged positive working relationships with young people’s families and this enables them to work in partnership in the best interests of the young person. Inspection report children’s home: SC361811 5 The young people are helped by staff to voice their opinions and know how to complain. Good information is available to them in their welcome guide and includes the details of how to make a complaint. Following the last inspection, the manager has received two complaints from young people. These were resolved quickly and effectively.

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improvement to be good

Young people are supported to develop their self-care and life skills in line with their age and abilities. Young people are encouraged to take part with household chores and staff encourage them to keep their bedrooms tidy. For those young people with complex needs, small steps represent big improvements in terms of their emotional literacy and independence.

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improvement to be good

This home feels like an ordinary family home, the young people report that they like living there and that staff care about them. Group dynamics are positive, and the young people have forged positive relationships with each other. They occasionally have minor disagreements, but these are dealt with quickly by staff.

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improvement to be good

Most young people who live in this home are safe. However, at the time of the inspection, one young person is deemed to be high risk. The increasing pattern of going missing from home episodes is a serious concern. When this young person is missing from the home, she is clearly not safe.

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improvement to be good

Staff verbalise how they support and manage going missing from home incidents. However, written reports reviewed during the inspection highlight some poor practice. For example, not stringently following agreed protocols to ensure the young person’s safety.

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improvement to be good

Incident records are not completed with sufficient rigour and contain contradictory information. This makes it difficult for the manager to analyse the information provided.

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improvement to be good

Young people are supported to understand the risks associated with their behaviour. Staff undertake direct work on identified areas such as self-care, managing risk and maintaining healthy relationships. However, the impact of this work is variable as one young person’s risk-taking behaviour continues to escalate.

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improvement to be good

The use of cannabis and other substances is a concern for one young person. Staff have completed extensive work with the young person to address these issues and sought advice from professional services. Despite this, the young person continues to place her health and well-being at risk through her habitual use of substances.

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improvement to be good

Behaviour management focuses on praise and reward and the use of sanctions is minimal. Staff prefer to use restorative techniques to help young people to confront their unacceptable behaviours, to take responsibility, to make restitution and to reflect on how they can handle future situations more constructively. This approach has been successful Inspection report children’s home: SC361811 6 and has led to a reduction of challenging behaviours within the home.

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improvement to be good

Ten new staff members have joined the home since the last inspection. Safer recruitment practice has been followed in recruiting to these posts.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home is led by an experienced and dedicated registered manager. She is ambitious, energetic and passionate about improving the lives of young people and the development of her staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager is proactive in her efforts to develop strong links with partner agencies, including placing authorities, safeguarding professionals and the police. Underperformance is challenged by the manager, who is intent on ensuring that young people receive the services and support that they are entitled to. However, this could be improved with clearer processes for escalating concerns in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff report high levels of satisfaction in the level of support that they receive in the home from the registered manager. Supervision and appraisal are delivered regularly and meaningfully.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Core training is closely monitored and updated regularly. Staff also access training in the light of the identified and emerging needs of young people placed. All staff in the home are either qualified or working towards their qualification as required by regulation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff turnover is high. Since the last inspection, the young people have been cared for by over 50 different adults. However, the wider organisation has addressed the issue of staff recruitment and retention. As a result, in the last two months, there has been less need for agency workers and non-core staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Monitoring systems are not wholly effective because they do not provide a thorough assessment of the care and protection provided in the home. Some of the shortfalls found at this inspection had not been identified by the registered manager’s monitoring systems. This includes shortfalls in recording and care practices.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager and staff team acknowledge that this has been a very difficult time for the team and the young people. Staff spoken with during the inspection expressed dedication to their roles and acknowledged the challenges of recent months. Staff have shown resilience and strength and remain committed to supporting young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The recommendation from the last inspection has been met. This demonstrates that effective action is taken when shortfalls are identified.

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report children’s home: SC361811 7 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: SC361811 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Meadows Care Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Ceri Evans: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC361811 9 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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