Children's home run by Meadows Care Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1241855 1 Registered provider: Meadows Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people who have social and/or emotional difficulties. A private company operates this home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has recently been registered with Ofsted

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 10 to 11 December 2019

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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: declined in effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1241855 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/03/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 09/07/2018 Full Good 20/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 07/06/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 1241855 3

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Recommendations

 The behaviour management strategy should be understood and applied at all times by staff, and must be kept under review and revised where appropriate. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34)  Where children placed in a home are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some other reason, the registered person and staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 15.5)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people like living at the home. Staff form strong bonds with young people that are built on trust and respect.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are actively involved in how they want the home to run. Their views, wishes and feelings are considered in all aspects of their daily lives through active participation in group meetings and on an individual basis. When young people are not happy, they use the formal complaints procedure to raise concerns. This ensures that staff listen to and remedy any issues without delay.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are fit and well. Staff encourage them to have an active and healthy lifestyle that enhances their physical, emotional and psychological welfare. As a result, young people thrive and improve their well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some young people make good progress in their school attendance and attainment. When young people face barriers to learning or access to education, the manager works in partnership with the virtual head to ensure that appropriate services are provided. However, staff do not provide a structured plan of learning to help young people to study while out of education. This hinders young people’s ability to access suitable learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff go above and beyond to ensure that young people understand the importance of keeping in touch with loved ones. Because of the dedicated approach by the manager and staff to extend their support to family members who face difficulties, young people’s relationships have significantly improved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help young people to prepare for independence by encouraging them to develop Inspection report children’s home: 1241855 4 life skills. As a result, young people feel confident about their ability to manage independently when they leave care. When young people move on from the home, staff arrange parties to say their farewells. This helps young people to feel valued.

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

Young people who go missing from care are helped by staff to return safely. Staff follow the protocols and liaise with the police. Staff carry out effective key-working sessions to help understand why young people go missing from the home and how to prevent this from happening in the future. As a result, incidents of going missing from care are reducing.

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

When conflict between young people arises, staff are quick to intervene. For example, staff arranged a group activity for all young people when relationships were becoming strained. This group activity has given young people the chance to rebuild relationships and to recognise how to be socially accepting to others who may be different to themselves.

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

Staff know how to manage young people when their behaviour can be challenging and only use physical intervention as a last resort.

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

Staff do not always use sanctions in line with young people’s individual behaviour plans. Although the manager picked up the shortfall in practice through her monitoring and removed the sanction, staff do not demonstrate a joined-up approach. As a result, practice is inconsistent.

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

The manager ensures that all staff are safely recruited. This ensures that young people are protected from unsuitable people having access to them .

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

The staff monitor fire safety and health and safety in the home effectively. Routine monitoring by the staff helps to keep the home free from hazards. This protects anyone living or working in the home or visiting it from the risk of harm or injury.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a newly registered, qualified and experienced manager. She is motivated and passionate in driving improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External professionals comment that there is good sharing of information between the manager and themselves.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular supervision and training that helps to develop their skills and knowledge. As a result, staff keep abreast of current developments, which helps them deliver good-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is clear about each young person’s individual needs because she takes an active role in getting to know the young people. As a result, young people develop good Inspection report children’s home: 1241855 5 relationships with the manager and staff in a nurturing and homely setting.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has met the seven requirements made at the last inspection. The manager has challenged professionals when the services they offer do not deliver suitable standards. Improvements to the home environment, including soft furnishings and redecoration, have been made. There are suitable arrangements in place to ensure that staff are skilled to manage the shift in the absence of the manager. The manager oversees the records and includes the views of young people following a restraint. The manager tracks young people’s progress towards the outcomes and aims of their placement. The manager ensures that allegations are reported and investigated appropriately.

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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

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: 1241855 6

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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 Ltd, Egerton House, Wardle Road, Rochdale, Lancashire OL12 9EN

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Inspector

Michelle Spruce, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1241855 7 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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