Children's home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report for children’s home: SC372117 1 SC372117 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 owned and run and is registered to provide care for up to three children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were three children living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC372117 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/05/2022 Full Good 01/11/2021 Full Good 15/04/2019 Full Good 24/09/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC372117 3

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outstanding

Children receive and benefit from highly individualised care and support. This provides them with stability and enables them to make significant progress in all areas of their development.

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outstanding

Since the last inspection, one child moved into semi-independence closer to family, which was planned effectively and supported by staff from the home. One child has moved into the home. This was after careful planning and consideration of whether staff can meet their needs. Care was taken to ensure that the move was a positive experience for all children.

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outstanding

The focus of placements is on planning for permanence for children and ensuring that the children live in a home that meets their needs. One child said, ‘I have lived here for over five years and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. I know I will have to leave when I am older, but it isn’t something that I need to worry about now. When I do, I know staff will help me and support me, as they always do.’

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outstanding

Children’s care plans are highly individualised, detailed and link with the placing authority and therapeutic care plans to make sure that the children receive continuity of care and support. Plans are reviewed on a regular basis, with evidence of clear progress tracking. This enables staff to focus on areas that may require additional support. Children are fully involved in their care planning and understand their current and ongoing plans, enabling them to have ongoing conversations and involvement with all aspects of their care.

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outstanding

Staff understand and promote education exceptionally well for all children. This has enabled children who previously had poor attendance at school to significantly improve. As a result, two of the three children have been able to sit all their GCSE exams, as well as secure potential college places to pursue the courses for their chosen future career. For these children, this educational success has significantly enhanced their life chances.

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outstanding

When children move into the home, the staff work with a range of social and education staff to secure school placements quickly for children. Until a placement is confirmed, staff support education tutors to provide a range of education in the home and in the community. This early action helps to prepare children who have not been in education for a significant length of time to return to education in a planned and supportive manner.

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outstanding

The holistic health of children is central to the care and support they receive. The staff work in partnership with the organisation’s therapy team. All children are registered with community healthcare professionals, and healthcare plans are in place for each child. Healthy eating is routine, and children are involved in planning, Inspection report for children’s home: SC372117 4 shopping and preparing meals in accordance with their age and ability. This helps them to prepare for independence.

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outstanding

Children are encouraged and supported to have their own individual hobbies, as well as taking part in group activities. This enables them to learn new skills and work as a group. Plans for a holiday abroad are in place, and memory books have been made with the children to explain about the destination. The books include information about the culture of the country, staying safe, sun safety and basic language phrases. Children have taken immense pride in planning this holiday with support from staff.

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outstanding

The manager and staff actively encourage children to express their wishes and feelings. Children report that they feel fully consulted and listened to.

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outstanding

The home is a welcoming environment, and children say it feels homely, feeling joy in decorating the home and their individual bedrooms.

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outstanding

Children are safeguarded effectively. The staff have a strong understanding in relation to all aspects of safeguarding and safer care. They work with children to provide them with information at a level that each child understands about safety. This helps children to develop strategies to manage their own safety and well-being.

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outstanding

Comprehensive risk management plans are in place, and staff regularly review and update these to ensure that they remain current. Staff work in partnership with other agencies to further contribute to safeguarding the children they care for. One social worker said, ‘Safer caring and individual care provided to each child is central to the practice of all staff at the home.’

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outstanding

Children’s behaviour management plans are robust, and because of the positive relationships between children and staff, complex behaviours are managed exceptionally well. As a result of this, additional consequences for negative behaviour are rarely needed. There have been no incidents where children have had to be held for their own safety.

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outstanding

Since the last inspection, there has only been one incident of a child going missing from care. During that time, the staff followed the agreed plan and ensured they maintained contact. This resulted in the child returning safely to the home. There have been no further missing-from-care incidents in the past 10 months. Nevertheless, the manager is not complacent and regularly provides additional training and discussion in staff meetings to make sure that staff’s skills and practice remain current in the event of one of these incidents occurring in the future.

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outstanding

The recruitment and selection of staff follows safer recruitment practice to make sure that staff are suitable to work with children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC372117 5 Children are protected by a range of health and safety risk management plans alongside routine household checks, including for fire safety. All children know the procedures to follow in the event of a fire.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2023, having previously been a registered manager in the same organisation at another home. She has the necessary experience and qualifications. She is ambitious for children and has high aspirations and expectations for their ongoing development and progression. The manager receives additional support from the home’s responsible individual, who is a visible presence in the home and is equally ambitious for all children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Since the last inspection, there have been some changes in the staff team. However, this has not had a negative effect on the children, and managers have ensured that the core staff team has remained in place. This arrangement has ensured continuity of care for the children, who have exceptionally positive relationships with the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are enthusiastic about further developing their skills and knowledge. Staff meetings regularly include informal training and discussions. This is in addition to the formal training and development that is available in the organisation. The therapist also takes part in team meetings to further help to develop staff’s skills and knowledge of the therapeutic care for the children. This helps to ensure that the holistic care of the children is consistent.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager ensures that all staff have regular supervision that enables them to be reflective about their practice. Supervision also includes a focus on task-setting to ensure continual development. Staff feel that the supervision sessions are very positive and helpful in relation to their individual roles and responsibilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager’s interaction with external agencies, professionals and parents is highly effective. She shares information as required and ensures that parents feel fully included in the care of their children. Professionals speak extremely positively of the manager and staff. They said that the actions of staff have a significant impact on the stability of placements for children and contribute to their overall progress and feeling of stability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The recommendation made at the last inspection in relation to education attendance for children has been met. Inspection report for children’s home: SC372117 6

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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: SC372117 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

Sarah Oldham, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC372117 8 regulates and inspects 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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