Children's home run by Meadows Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2560639 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 home is operated and managed by private provider. It provides care for up to three children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2560639 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/06/2022 Full Good 29/06/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2560639 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from living in a home that is warm and welcoming. The home has a homely feel, and children were observed to be relaxed and comfortable. Interactions between the staff and the children are nurturing and natural, creating an overall family feel in this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education attendance for the children who live in this home has increased. The children said that the staff help them to attend education. When the children struggle to attend, the staff are proactive in addressing these challenges and concerns with education providers. This efficient response ensures that the children’s attendance resumes, so that their learning can continue.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use restorative approaches to give the children the opportunity to repair relationships and learn from perceived negative behaviours. Children’s positive behaviours are recognised and celebrated. This helps the children to overcome any challenges and develop a sense of achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to have fun. Staff understand the value of creating positive life experiences for the children and the importance of making happy memories. Staff encourage the children to take part in different activities. Children enjoy a range of activities, such as pamper days, laser tag, day trips to the seaside, and going on holiday.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say that they like living in this home. One child said that it is ‘fun’ and that they ‘like’ the staff. Children say that the staff help them with important things, such as spending time with their family, organising their birthday parties, and taking them to their prom. This approach has helped the children to feel cared for by the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s wishes and feelings are actively sought. This is achieved through various forums, such as children’s meetings, one-to-one sessions, monthly feedback questionnaires and general conversations. Children say that they have trusted staff members who they would speak to if they were worried or concerned.

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

Children say that they feel safe living in this home. One child said, ‘If I did not feel safe then I would not stay here.’ This feeling of safety has helped to reduce the number of times that children go missing from the home.

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

Missing-from-home episodes have decreased. If children do go missing, the staff actively look for them and inform all the appropriate people. When children return to the home, they are welcomed back and offered an independent return interview. The manager is creative with incentive plans for the children that discourage them from going missing. Inspection report for children’s home: 2560639 4 Children’s risk assessments are clear, thorough, and regularly reviewed and updated. Plans are in place to manage the children’s risks. Staff familiarise themselves with these plans and there is regular communication from the manager. This ensures that the children experience a consistent approach. As a result, the staff have a good understanding of the children’s risks and how to reduce them.

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

Children are helped to understand their own behaviour and associated risks, and they are educated on how best to keep themselves safe. Staff monitor the children’s progress, and the measures in place to manage the children’s risks are reduced or increased as required. This helps to increase the children’s independence in the safest way possible.

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

Physical intervention is only used when necessary to safeguard a child or others. The manager speaks to the child after all incidents to help them to learn from the child’s perspective on how best to reduce the use of this measure in the future. Staff say that the manager speaks to them after all incidents and this helps them to reflect and learn.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced manager who is passionate about her role, the children and the staff. She is well supported by leaders and the deputy manager. This means that when the manager is not at the home, she is confident that the home will continue to run smoothly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are alert to safeguarding concerns that involve the children, and they act swiftly by informing the appropriate people. They attend multi-agency meetings that involve the children, and the staff are kept up to date with any critical issues. This means that any additional safeguarding measures can be implemented to protect the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children and staff speak positively about the manager. One staff member said, ‘Everyone is able to go to [Manager’s name] with confidence on any concerns knowing that we [staff] have full support from her.’ The children know the manager well and feel able to speak to her when they are worried or concerned. This has helped to create an open and honest culture in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders’ and managers’ oversight is evident across all documents relating to the children. This ensures that they have a good understanding of the children’s progress and the quality of care that is provided. Progress is clearly tracked and evidenced using visual tools. These tools give a quick overview of where the children are making progress and where the support needs to be targeted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff speak about one another positively. They say that they all have the children’s best interests at the centre of their practice. When new members of staff come to work in the home, they say that they are made to feel welcome in the team. One new member of staff said, ‘The team have helped me learn at my own Inspection report for children’s home: 2560639 5 pace.’ As a result, the staff team is a supportive one who are willing to help one another. Inspection report for children’s home: 2560639 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: 2560639 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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Alison O’Donnell

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Inspector

Jo Birtwhistle, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2560639 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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