Children's home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report for children’s home: SC069198 1 SC069198 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 one of a number of children’s homes owned and operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

If required, children can access the organisation’s therapy department and school.

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Information about this children’s home

There is an acting manager in post who is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living in the home, and two of them spoke with the inspectors about their experiences of living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspectors only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC069198 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/03/2022 Full Outstanding 15/05/2019 Full Outstanding 28/08/2018 Full Outstanding 14/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC069198 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home and one child has moved in. Planning for these changes did not reflect robust decision-making and key risks were not considered. Children and staff have identified that group-living dynamics have caused tensions.

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improvement to be good

Individually, all children have made some progress in all areas of their lives. However, due to the complexities of these children living together, their experiences are not always positive.

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improvement to be good

There are ongoing issues between children that are not being well managed by all staff. Opportunities to challenge inappropriate behaviours have been missed. Inconsistencies in approach across the staff team mean that children are not routinely helped to understand and develop socially-aware behaviour. The children are not being taught positive ways to resolve conflicts.

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improvement to be good

Boundaries implemented by staff are inconsistent, and children are not always supported to develop positive relationships with the adults caring for them. Children do not experience consistency from the adults around them, which has resulted in increased conflict and a lack of trust. This has had a negative effect on the children’s sense of security and belonging in the home.

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improvement to be good

Efforts have been made to create a comfortable environment for children. However, some areas of the home appear tired and are awaiting redecoration. Children have been supported to personalise their bedrooms. However, sometimes requests from children to update their rooms take a long time to be processed by the provider. As a result, children do not always feel valued by the organisation as a whole.

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improvement to be good

Children’s education is supported, and efforts are made to engage children when they are reluctant to attend. All children have plans for further education and one child has been proactive in securing part-time employment. This helps children to reach their potential and develop high aspirations for the future.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to develop their independence skills in accordance with their individual abilities. In preparation for adult life, older children are given their own budgets to buy groceries, and all children are encouraged to take responsibility for household tasks. This helps children to prepare for living independently as they get older.

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improvement to be good

Children’s health needs are well managed. When children move into the home, staff register them with local health services and support them to attend all health appointments. As a result, children’s physical and emotional health is promoted. Inspection report for children’s home: SC069198 4

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improvement to be good

There has been a significant reduction in high-risk behaviours for children living in the home. Incidents of children going missing from care, self-injurious behaviour and children being exposed to risk of exploitation have significantly reduced.

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improvement to be good

There is a clear missing-from-care protocol in place to guide staff in the event of a child going missing. Unfortunately, staff do not always correctly follow these strategies or accurately record the details of their actions when children do go missing. This limits how quickly and effectively action is taken to keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

Staff are inconsistent in their approach to behaviour management. The team focuses on promoting positive rewards and restorative action rather than implementing consequences for negative behaviours. However, at times, children receive different messages from staff about appropriate behaviours in the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff successfully use de-escalation techniques to avoid the use of physical interventions. However, staff do not always pick up on the more subtle indicators of escalating risks and tensions. This has led to children experiencing regular conflict in their relationships in the home.

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improvement to be good

Children said that they do not trust all of the adults caring for them. Some staff members do not maintain appropriate professional boundaries with children. Children have also not been protected from adult discussions about staff disciplinary and safeguarding matters. This has led children to feel allegiances towards some members of staff over others and has intensified complex group-living dynamics in the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff are vigilant to obvious risks and understand their role in keeping children safe. However, managers had not noticed potential hazards around the home until these were identified by inspectors. This is a missed opportunity for staff to prevent children being exposed to risk.

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improvement to be good

Managers complete a risk assessment for each child. This provides staff with a guide to how to manage risks. However, staff do not always review and sign plans in a timely manner. Furthermore, not all staff care for children in accordance with these plans. Children’s plans are not individualised to reflect the specific vulnerabilities of each child. This has contributed to children receiving inconsistent approaches to their care and safety.

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improvement to be good

Robust safe-recruitment checks are completed to ensure that children are cared for by suitable adults. Managers have taken swift action to address any safeguarding concerns and allegations. They work alongside relevant agencies and ensure that any learning is implemented in practice in the home.

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good

Inspection report for children’s home: SC069198 5 Since the last inspection, there have been significant changes in the leadership and management structure of the home and the wider organisation. There is a new manager in post, and their application for registration is in progress. There is also a newly appointed responsible individual. The new leadership team has a good understanding of the areas for improvement for the home and is implementing a plan to bring about the necessary changes. However, these changes in management have been unsettling for the children living in the home.

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good

The manager is developing better systems to improve monitoring and oversight in the home and to strengthen recording systems. Records are not always sufficiently detailed and do not accurately reflect children’s experiences. This is a missed opportunity to track children’s progress and improve the care children are receiving.

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good

Staff feel supported by the current management team. They have access to regular team meetings and supervision sessions, which are used to share information. However, supervision records lack detail, agreed actions do not always relate to the discussions which have taken place and progress is not monitored. This is a missed opportunity for managers to further develop practice in the home.

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good

Staff attend regular training courses. The manager has identified relevant training aimed at improving practice in the home and ensuring that staff are working in line with the organisation’s therapeutic model. This approach is not currently fully embedded across the team, meaning that children are experiencing inconsistency in the care they are receiving.

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good

Managers complete a review of children’s needs before children move into the home. These reviews have not always accurately reflected children’s needs, risks and vulnerabilities. Therefore, the effectiveness of pre-admission planning is limited, and staff are not provided with clear direction about how children will be supported and kept safe.

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good

Leaders and managers build good relationships with children’s social workers and other professionals. Professionals reported appropriate communication and information-sharing. This helps to promote effective partnership-working. Inspection report for children’s home: SC069198 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 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff have the skills to manage children’s individual and group- living needs effectively and are able to follow children’s plans to keep them safe. In addition, the registered person must ensure that staff are vigilant to hazards in the home. 30 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC069198 7 The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they carry out robust pre-admission assessments to ensure that staff will be able to meet the needs of any children who come to live in the home. 30 March 2023

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— 30 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC069198 8 feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(a)(b)(c)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered provider must implement robust systems to oversee staff practice and to recognise and address shortfalls in the information being recorded in children’s files. In addition, the registered person should ensure that staff are working together effectively to provide children with consistent, high-quality care.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same; 30 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC069198 9 de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(x)(xi)(xii)(xiii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that all staff are able to maintain clear, consistent and professional boundaries with children; that staff have the necessary skills to manage complex group-living dynamics effectively and are able to maintain accurate records about children; and that any actions set during supervision are useful and relevant to the issues being discussed.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect; 30 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC069198 10 help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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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)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that the condition of the home is maintained to a high standard throughout to provide children with a homely and nurturing environment, and that children’s records are personalised and reflect their individual needs.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff sign essential documentation, and that staff review and sign important documents in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: SC069198 11

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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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Inspectors

Caroline Bertram, Social Care Regulatory Inspection Manager Nicola Shaw, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC069198 12 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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