Children's home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report for children’s home: SC442864 1 SC442864 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 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.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2020.

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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: 10 January 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: SC442864 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/01/2022 Full Good 10/07/2019 Full Good 05/06/2018 Full Good 14/06/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC442864 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming. There are photographs of the children displayed around the house. Achievements are also well acknowledged, and children like to display their certificates around the home. This gives the children a sense of belonging. The children take pride in their bedrooms, which are personalised. One child said, ‘I love my room, it is mine and I can choose what I have in it and what posters I have on my wall.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff carry out regular key-work sessions with children. These include life-story work. This helps children to understand their backgrounds and to build connections with those adults who are important to them. A social worker said, ‘[Name of child] has been helped to learn how to play. He now feels safe and has the time to follow his passion for football.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand children’s physical and emotional health needs. They use a therapeutic model of care to consider the underlying causes of the children’s behaviours, and this helps the children to manage their emotions. This enables staff to sensitively support children who experience traumatic events.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff team have built positive relationships with the children’s friends and families. This means that the children see people who are important to them, and they are able to maintain relationships. This supports the children’s identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have up-to-date care plans which reflect the local authority’s aims and objectives. Therefore, staff have all the information needed to provide good-quality care. Individual aims and objectives are included in the children’s care plans, which allows the manager to monitor children’s progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress in their education and learning. One child had limited communication skills when they moved in. One social worker said, ‘[Name of child] has learned and progressed so much with the English language, and this supports him to let his wishes, feelings and views be known.’ One child is not in education, and the manager and staff team are working with external agencies to support the child to move to a specialist provision.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children access a broad range of activities in and out of the home. This promotes adventure and developing new skills. The staff promote community activities. This includes children accessing local youth facilities and half-term football camps. This means that children take part in regular, positive experiences. Inspection report for children’s home: SC442864 4

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

Leaders and managers respond to safeguarding concerns appropriately. Agencies are notified promptly to ensure that there is a transparent approach. Children can identify trusted adults in the home who they can discuss their worries with. The safeguarding concerns are thoroughly investigated, and any lessons learned are discussed as part of reflective sessions. This has supported staff in being confident in keeping children safe.

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

Staff have a thorough knowledge of the risks in the children’s lives. Detailed strategies are in place to support children to keep themselves and others safe. The strategies are informed by specialist advice and are tailored to meet the needs of individual children. This approach reduces the risks in children’s lives and helps them when they are struggling with their emotions.

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

Children are kept safe through physical interventions, which are minimal and proportionate. The staff are trained to safely intervene, and they follow good practice by recording incidents in detail. Children and staff review incidents together. This maintains positive and healthy relationships. The manager and staff are curious about children’s triggers and try to identify any patterns and trends. Safety plans are adapted to support children through difficult times.

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

Children have a good daily routine in place that supports positive behaviour. Staff are consistent in their approach. Positive behaviour is promoted. Good incentives support these routines. One child said, ‘Staff help me to go to bed on time, and sleep.’

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

When children go missing from home, staff are proactive in trying to ensure their safe return. Staff go and look for children and follow the clear strategies from the missing-from-home procedures. Staff work in partnership with other agencies responsible for safeguarding, including the police. Independent return home interviews are provided to help gain a greater understanding of the reasons why children go missing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is well managed by an experienced and qualified manager. They work closely with the independent person and follow the recommendations from their monthly reports. This helps to develop practice and improve outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers have a good knowledge of events in the children’s lives. Following a significant incident, the managers evaluate the reports well. The evaluation focuses on practice to establish if children’s plans have been followed by the adults caring for them. There is also a curiosity about why the children are struggling. This practice enables the managers to direct the team to consistently improve the care of children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC442864 5 The manager and staff work collaboratively with a range of agencies and professionals who are involved in the children’s care. A social worker said, ‘I could not ask for more. Staff are really helpful, and communication is brilliant.’ When services have been slow to respond or are not available, the manager has challenged the shortfalls effectively. This means that the children receive the services that they need in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safe recruitment processes for all staff are thorough. There is a robust checklist system in place to ensure that all recruitment checks are completed. Consequently, only suitable adults can work in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses internal monitoring and review systems to ensure they have a detailed understanding of the effect that the quality of care is having on the children’s progress and experiences. The manager uses this understanding to inform practice and find new and better ways to support the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they feel fully supported by their leaders and managers. Staff attend regular supervision and focus on children’s needs and progress. Supervision also enables staff to discuss safeguarding concerns, their practice and development with their manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers conduct appraisals with staff on an annual basis. Staff reflect on their work and set targets for the year ahead. The appraisals also include the views of children and key individuals. This supports ongoing staff development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s workforce plan does not detail the action that will be taken following poor practice, or evidence training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home. This limits the understanding around support, ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC442864 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should detail the action that will be taken following poor practice and should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home. This will support the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraphs 10.8)

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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: SC442864 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: Meadows Care Ltd, Egerton House, Wardle Road, Rochdale, Lancashire OL12 9EN

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Inspectors

Jennifer Quest, Social Care Inspector Pam Nuckley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC442864 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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