Children's home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report children's home: SC442864 1 SC442864 Registered provider: Meadows Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately operated home provides care for up to three children. The provider states in its statement of purpose that care is provided for children with social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 15 and 16 December to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC442864 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/07/2019 Full Good 05/06/2018 Full Good 14/06/2017 Full Good 19/01/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC442864 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children were living at the home at the time of the inspection, and they both contributed to the inspection.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Overall, the children have made good progress. A child who previously lived in the home was supported with her decision to move to a placement that was closer to her family. The child remains in contact with the home and has formed strong relationships with her caregivers.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child is very aspirational. Generally, the child has positive relationships with the staff, which is helping them to plan the child’s move out of the home to live more independently. The child has been supported to improve their ability to manage their own finances and take care of themselves practically, for example learning how to cook and clean. The child has good attendance at college and frequently seeks additional learning. The child travels independently and has increased their ability to develop and maintain more-mature relationships with their peers.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The other child has made significant progress in relation to their social anxiety and ability to communicate effectively with others. The child has begun to express their feelings successfully, which has enabled them to regulate their own emotions better and reduce the number of incidents in the home. The child has expanded their relationships with the staff and their family. The child struggles to engage in formal education but is supported by a military mentor one day a week. This provides some practical, activity-based education. However, the child does not always engage with the mentor. Staff are promoting their independence in preparation for a move back to their family. A requirement has been raised in relation to improving engagement with education.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Feedback was sought from professionals. Only one was able to provide information as recent changes mean that one child’s social worker is yet to meet with the staff. One professional reflected the inspector’s findings. They said that progress in education has stalled. However, they said that progress around relationships, engagement generally, including with the provider’s therapist, and reduction in serious incidents, is good.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children have developed strong relationships with the staff. They told the inspector that they like the staff. They named some of their favourite staff and who they would go to for support. Staff spoken to talked with affection about how the children have progressed and about how they feel that the children have developed and matured. Staff know the children well and demonstrate that they understand their needs. The inspector observed a homely environment where the children are able to speak freely and jovially with staff and seek comfort and understanding when necessary. Inspection report children's home: SC442864 4 The needs of the children are discussed during team meetings, which include the provider’s therapist, who provides direction to staff and gives direct support to children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children are in good health. Staff have worked hard with one child to encourage his participation with healthcare services. Staff understand their anxieties well. Therefore, they are creative and supportive in finding care that meets the child’s needs. As a result, the child has received medical treatment when they would have previously refused and rather suffered pain.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children have been kept to a minimum. During periods of lockdown or isolation, activities have been encouraged in the home or garden. Family have been invited to the home, when appropriate, to take part in safely arranged special events. The staff have managed to cover absences or have spent longer periods in the home to manage isolation. This means that the children have received care from a stable staff team.

p.4

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

Children living in the home are safe. Staff have a good understanding of the children’s risks, all of which are low and well managed. There has been a low number of missing-from-home incidents, and staff have taken appropriate action.

p.4

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

The number of incidents which have resulted in episodes of damage or injury has significantly reduced. The manager has carried out some analytical work to evidence some of the triggers. With these removed, the incidents have reduced in number and severity, and children’s engagement with the staff has increased.

p.4

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

When incidents have occurred, the staff have felt confident in dealing with them. Training has provided staff with the understanding they need to deescalate or manage a situation. The inspector spoke to staff during the inspection. When given an example, staff were able to correctly explain how they would respond to a safeguarding concern. When allegations have arisen, these have included consultation with the designated officer and been investigated until a conclusion has been reached. Following conclusion, reparation work has been very successful.

p.4

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

One child has helped the provider to further develop their ‘Real Love Rocks’ programme. This programme is designed to help children to understand relationships and sexual health. It has been reviewed from a child’s perspective so that it remains current. This also refreshes the child’s understanding of the programme so that they can apply it to her current situation. Staff are aware of new relationships. They monitor these as they develop and provide support as necessary.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is operating as per its statement of purpose. The manager is currently working towards her leadership and management diploma at level 5 and is still within the timescales allowed by regulation. Inspection report children's home: SC442864 5 The requirement that was set at the assurance visit has been met and the recommendations have been actioned.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and the staff all show ambition for the children and can identify the progress that children have made. Refreshingly, staff can also recognise when children could have done better and accept that more could have been done in some areas.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is stable, and staff are very supportive of one another. This was a consistent theme when gathering feedback throughout the inspection. Staff provide cover for each other and provide a consistent level of care and implement suitable boundaries for children. Due to instances of long-term absence, the staff team consists of staff of one gender. It has been recognised that one of the children has responded positively to outside male influences and so the gender balance of the staff team should be considered. A recommendation has been raised.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported by the manager and leaders in the home. Supervision sessions are regular and effective. Staff spend time reflecting on the needs of the children and considering their strengths and weaknesses. Any actions resulting from supervision sessions are focused and timebound.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are regular and are used to ensure that staff understand children’s needs. The provider’s therapist also attends and provides guidance to staff on strategies to manage children’s behaviours. Staff are encouraged to reflect on what has gone well and what can be done better. Staff can nominate one another to celebrate achievements or pieces of work that have been done well and become ‘employee of the month’.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a comprehensive development plan for the home. This includes the hopes and aims for the children, staff and the home. Development of the staff is captured in supervision sessions and staff appraisals. This gives staff the opportunity to identify how they can progress and allows them to set goals.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When reviewing recruitment records, if applicants have previously worked with vulnerable adults or children, the reason for leaving those posts must be verified by the provider. Although references have been verified, those particular aspects have not been confirmed on two occasions. A requirement has been raised.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A review of the recent reports from the independent visitor identified some inconsistencies around explicitly, including their opinion about two matters required by regulation. A recommendation has been raised to improve consistency.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

During the inspection, the manager revised the home’s location risk assessment to remove some of the aspects that were not clearly identifiable as risks, and to review the risk rating against the assessment tool. This was up to date by the second day of the inspection. Inspection report children's home: SC442864 6

p.5

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, the 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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

p.6

Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

p.6

Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

p.6

Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(x))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This relates to providing support for one child to re-engage in school and/or expand the education currently taking place, to improve the child’s chances of returning to their school placement. 31 March 2022 Inspection report children's home: SC442864 7 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.6

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

p.7

Requirement Due date

If a person has previously worked in a position involving work with children or vulnerable adults, verification so far as reasonably practicable of the reason why the employment or position ended. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d)(Schedule 2)(4))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that the checks made to verify references record the reason why the applicant left their position when the above criteria applies. 28 February 2022

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the independent visitor routinely includes their opinion about whether children are effectively safeguarded and that the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)  The registered person should ensure that the staff team includes staff from different gender groups. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.22)

p.7

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: SC442864 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Meadows Care Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Mark Broomhead, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC442864 9 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9