Children's Home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report for children’s home: 1250915 1 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 a privately owned home which provides care for up to three children. The provider’s statement of purpose states that children may have severe emotional and behavioural difficulties (social and emotional difficulties).

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 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: 22 February 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1250915 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/02/2022 Full Good 12/02/2020 Full Good 08/08/2018 Full Good 14/02/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1250915 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved on from the home. One child has moved to semi-independent living and one to another home run by the same organisation. There have been some unsettled behaviours due to a delay in finding appropriate semi-independence accommodation, and the child disengaging with the staff and their agreed care plan. However, staff continued to provide good levels of care and support and assisted the child to move in a planned and positive way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children currently living at the home have been appropriately matched with each other and this is reflected in the positive interactions that they have with each other and with staff. One child said, ‘I really like living here. There is lots to do, and I get on well with the staff and the other children living here. We do some activities together as well as individually, which is good.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of education for children and work in partnership with the children’s school and education provisions to support this. However, educational attendance is not consistent for all children. This could negatively affect their future life chances and opportunities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to good healthcare support, including their physical and emotional health. This includes regular access to a therapist, who is available to provide children with one-to-one support. The therapist also attends staff meetings to offer guidance, training and advice to staff. The manager ensures that when there are additional healthcare needs, appropriate advice and training is in place so that staff can provide support for children. For example, staff have received training in relation to how to manage diabetes, and have developed a comprehensive healthcare plan in place to support the child’s care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged and supported to learn and develop skills to help them with independence. These are age appropriate and incorporated in their day-to-day life. These skills include maintaining their bedrooms to an acceptable level of tidiness, learning to budget, go shopping and preparing meals. All of these skills prepare children for moving on to independent living.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain close links with family and friends in accordance with any restrictions which may be in place to reduce risks to children.

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

Staff support children to become increasingly safe. Individual risk management plans are detailed and identify individual risk-taking behaviours. Strategies are implemented to manage and, over time, reduce individual risks. These plans are kept under regular review to ensure that they reflect current concerns as well as previous concerns. The manager reviews and evaluates the plans as part of her Inspection report for children’s home: 1250915 4 overall monitoring of the service. This enables her and the staff to be responsive to any ongoing concerns.

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

There have been some occasions when children have been missing from the home. Staff follow agreed procedures, working with other agencies, to take action to locate the children and support them to return home. Independent return home interviews enable children to raise any concerns or explain the reasons why they left the home.

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

Children say that they feel staff listen to them and include them in their individual care and safety plans. One child said, ‘Since I have been living here, I think that I am safe, and staff care about me.’ Social workers also commented positively about the strategies and support provided to the children to help them to remain safe, while, at the same time, enabling them to take age-appropriate risks as part of their ongoing development.

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

When there have been significant incidents, the manager ensures that all relevant people are notified. She works in partnership with other agencies tasked with safeguarding children, to effectively support children’s safety and welfare.

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

Staff have high aspirations for all children. Children are encouraged and supported to follow house rules with a focus on positive praise and rewards. When sanctions are given for negative behaviours, these are fair and proportionate. As such, the children say they feel that the house rules are fair and they feel that staff treat them with dignity and respect.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager, along with the staff team, have high aspirations for all children. They work in close partnership with other agencies to promote the ongoing development and outcomes of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, there has been a change in the staff team, with some staff leaving and others joining the home. Induction for all new staff is detailed, and new staff say they have received exceptional support to help them gain the knowledge they require about their role. The manager ensures that all staff receive regular supervision on a formal basis, which is also complemented by informal supervision and support. Monthly team meetings are held, which are attended by the therapist who works alongside children to discuss and share progress and ongoing support required to help them to achieve their full potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training for staff is reviewed and updated, and all staff complete mandatory training within agreed timescales. Additional training to support specific needs of the children in placement is arranged. For example, staff received bespoke training from the diabetic nurse to help support and understand the healthcare needs of a child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff complete daily logs and records on the organisation’s chosen electronic tool. However, some recordings are not always concise and clear, which may be Inspection report for children’s home: 1250915 5 problematic if children wish to access their records in the future. Further training in relation to recording and report writing is being planned.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good oversight of all the home’s documentation and is fully involved in the children’s care planning. She helps staff understand and implement plans and reviews these on a regular basis. In addition, the manager reviews the home’s practice and plans in the six-monthly review of the quality of care. However, the latest review lacks evaluation and critical challenge. As a result, targets for the following six months are insufficiently challenging to demonstrate the home’s continual development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Suitable action has been taken to address the two recommendations made at the last inspection. Risk assessments are in place for internal locks on bathrooms, and children’s bedrooms have been redecorated in their choice of decor. Staff encourage and support children to keep their rooms clean and tidy. Inspection report for children’s home: 1250915 6

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

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

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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. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to children maintaining attendance in education. 30 October 2022

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the review is evaluative and critically challenging to support improving the quality of care. 30 October 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1250915 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff can access appropriate resources and training to support their training needs and understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. In particular, ensure that staff complete recording and report writing training to effectively contribute to children’s records. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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 for children’s home: 1250915 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: Egerton House, Wardle Road, Rochdale, Lancashire OL12 9EN

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Inspector

Sarah Oldham, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1250915 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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