Children's home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report children’s home: SC411030 1 SC411030 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 home is privately operated and provides care for up to three children. The home’s statement of purpose states that it provides support, assessment and therapeutic intervention for children in need of short-, medium- and long-term care packages.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2021.

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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

Date of last inspection: 1 February 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC411030 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/02/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/07/2019 Full Good 23/10/2018 Full Good 24/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC411030 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children make progress from their starting points. This progress is individual to each child and reflects the adaptive and flexible support that the staff offer children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children grow in confidence and, through consistent care, they develop trusted relationships with staff. This enables the children to talk about things that are important to them and discuss any worries or concerns they may have.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children attend education regularly, and one child has made significant progress in his attendance since living at the home. Another child is being fully supported to complete exams and choose their next area of study.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child continues to refuse to attend formal education. Staff have worked hard to understand the child’s barriers to learning and have advocated well on his behalf. The manager promotes the child’s wishes and feelings. As a result of the manager’s active liaison with other agencies, his care plan has been reviewed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to develop their leisure pursuits and talents. For example, children enjoy running, attending a gym, going to the cinema, and other activities based on their requests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A new child feels welcomed and has quickly settled into the home. The local authority considered that staff were well prepared to meet his needs and works in partnership to ensure that he remains safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children have access to individual therapeutic support and most children access this service. When children choose not to receive this support, the therapist works closely with the staff to provide advice and guidance on the child’s care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the previous inspection, a recommendation was made to improve the aesthetics of the home through the introduction of soft furnishings and pictures. This recommendation has not been met and is restated.

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

Since the last inspection, there have not been any restraints of children, allegations against staff, complaints received by the home or concerns with regards to substance or alcohol misuse by children. Professionals spoken to feel that all children are helped by staff to stay safe.

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

The number of incidents of children going missing from home is low. When children do go missing, staff search for them and try to keep in contact. Two incidents have occurred and staff have ensured that children have returned to the home safely. However, staff have not always tried to contact children’s known associates in Inspection report children’s home: SC411030 4 attempts to locate children. Although the manager has instructed staff to check a child’s mobile phone on a weekly basis, this has not always been carried out.

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

Overall, risk assessments are detailed and reflect the risks that children face. These are regularly reviewed, and the structure and format of these assessments have recently been updated to provide greater streamlining and focus.

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

There have been two significant incidents in the home since the last inspection. These incidents resulted in substantial damage to the furnishings. The child’s motivation and actions are understood well by the manager and staff. Despite the damage caused, suitable boundaries and expectations are maintained, and staff responded in a calm and measured way. Furnishings are promptly replaced. However, soft items that create a homely environment are absent.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager understands the children well and is active in driving forward their plans. She advocates well for children and represents their wishes and feelings to other agencies. As a result, one child, who has voiced and acted on their feelings of discontent with their care plan and professionals’ perceived lack of action, has had their care plan reviewed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is stable, well qualified and provides consistent and predictable care to children. Staff establish and maintain routines for children, despite some significant challenges from some children to these expectations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff and managers take a flexible approach to children’s care. They work hard to develop different ways to incentivise and motivate them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have access to a wide range of training. Since the last inspection, staff have refreshed their knowledge base in important areas of care. However, not all staff are trained in some areas that are pertinent to some children’s histories and risks. Staff who have completed this training did so several years ago and would benefit from up-to-date training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular, structured supervision that is clearly recorded. Staff and managers routinely discuss children’s progress during individual staff supervision sessions and team meetings. In addition, the home’s therapist regularly reviews children’s care with the staff and advises on adjustments or changes that might further improve children’s outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

At the last inspection, a recommendation was made regarding the male-to-female ratio of staff on the team. Some limited improvement has been made with regards to this, although further adjustments would benefit the role models who are available to children. Inspection report children’s home: SC411030 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This refers to ensuring that staff follow management directions to contact children’s known associates when incidents of missing from home occur, and that staff check children’s devices at a frequency directed by the manager. 31 May 2022

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This refers to ensuring that staff receive up-to-date training in areas of risk for children, such as sexually harmful behaviour. 30 June 2022 Inspection report children’s home: SC411030 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children. Specifically, develop the aesthetics of the home to create a homely and cosy environment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should, whenever possible, ensure that staff who are in day-to-day contact with children include staff from different gender groups. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.22)

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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: SC411030 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Meadows Care Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Pauline Yates, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC411030 8 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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