Children's Home run by Meadows Care Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report children’s home: 1240936 1 Registered provider: Meadows Care Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It is one of four operated under a contract with a large local authority. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children who may have experienced trauma, placement and family breakdown.

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Information about this children’s home

The organisation’s clinical team provides a service to children and staff.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has managed the home since June 2019. She is in the process of completing her level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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Inspection date: 20 February 2020

Date of last inspection: 23 September 2019

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Inspection date: 20 February 2020

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 20 February 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1240936 2

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children 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 sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff work with children on an individual basis to provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs. This helps the children to reflect and be included in the decisions that are made about their care.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been an increase in challenging and negative behaviour that has meant children’s progress overall is not consistent. However, children continue to make good progress in their education. This is because staff work well in partnership with schools and colleges to promote children’s education. As a result, children are encouraged to reach their full potential.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children’s health needs are not consistently met. Staff have not been proactive in encouraging children to keep routine health appointments. For example, on one occasion, a child’s dental appointment was not swiftly rearranged by staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been a high level of damage within the home. Although the manager is swift to ensure that repairs are undertaken, the home is not a warm and nurturing environment for children to live in. Communal hallways are bare, and children are without wardrobes and curtains in their bedrooms for longer than is necessary. This does not encourage children to develop a sense of belonging or to take pride in their home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers and the therapy team have developed a variety of ways to support staff throughout this period, including reflective consultations and training to help staff meet the children’s needs. This helps to develop staff’s knowledge and skills to work effectively with children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, staff recruitment practices have improved. These now ensure that only suitable people work with children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has developed systems since the last inspection to help her review and to assess the quality of work being conducted with children. However, she does not evaluate patterns and trends to improve the quality of care for children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s statement of purpose has not been reviewed to accurately reflect who is working in the home and to reflect their level of qualification. This gives a misleading view to external professionals looking to place children in the home and may lead to children being inappropriately placed. Inspection report children’s home: 1240936 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/09/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/03/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 23/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 02/11/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: 1240936 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

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(i)(ii)) 27/03/2020

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 27/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 27/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 1240936 5

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Recommendations

 Ensure each child’s attendance at the necessary primary and secondary health services. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.11)

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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

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: 1240936 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 Limited, Egerton House, Wardle Road, Rochdale, Lancashire OL12 9EN

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Inspector

Sue Young, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1240936 7 to 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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