Children's home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report for children's home: SC477939 1 SC477939 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

A private provider operates this children’s home. The home is registered to provide care for three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2019

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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 outstanding

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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: 25 January 2023

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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: SC477939 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/01/2023 Full Good 01/03/2022 Full Good 15/05/2019 Full Good 17/04/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC477939 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children live in the home. Two children who had lived at the home for a long time, have had planned endings and successfully moved on to semi-independence. Two children have since moved into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in a range of activities. They enjoy activities that interest them, such as football and youth club. Staff support children to keep fit. Children have their own bikes and gym memberships. Staff help children to explore activities that capture their imagination. This means that children expand their life experiences, establish healthy routines, and form happy childhood memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children well and work hard to provide a settled, happy home and lots of fun. A staff member said, ‘We love the children, and we have great respect for each other.’ It benefits children to have positive, motivated adults caring for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop and maintain family relationships, in line with care plans. For one child and a family member, the companies therapist has supported their relationship and this has led to more family time. A social worker said, ‘This is a big step forward.’ Maintaining relationships with family members helps children to retain a sense of identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals are invited into the homes therapeutic meetings. This enables the team to share insights that staff have about children’s emotions and behaviour. This helps build a shared understanding of children’s needs and supports a consistent approach.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Photos of the children are displayed around the home, as well as certificates of their achievements. The children’s bedrooms are personalised to their tastes. Some of the decoration in the home is due to be refreshed. Some of this work was already planned and took place while the inspection was in progress. This all contributes to a feeling of a warm and happy home.

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

Children are becoming safer because of staff practice. Children have individual, up- to-date risk assessments. The manager keeps a clear oversight of children’s plans and risk assessments. When children risks increase, staff and the manager respond quickly by putting measures in place to keep them safe.

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

Staff rarely use physical interventions. The manager reviews all incidents. Their analysis enables them to make changes in staff practice. This helps to avoid situations where staff need to hold children to keep them safe. Inspection report for children's home: SC477939 4 Staff manage children’s behaviour through rewards and incentives. This supports children to learn how to manage their emotions and behaviours. This will help them to integrate well into society.

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

There have been no incidents of children missing from home. Children have left the home in an unplanned way when they have wanted time out, but staff have stayed with them. This means that children quickly return to the home.

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

Although safeguarding issues such as whistleblowing are covered in the staff induction, staff do not always retain this knowledge and therefore may not remember the correct procedure if necessary.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

An experienced and qualified manager manages the home. The manager knows the children extremely well. She works directly with them and advocates strongly on their behalf. The manager is child-focused and this promotes children’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager offers both formal and informal supervision to staff. Supervision is regular and provides an opportunity for staff to reflect on their work with the children. All staff have been through a detailed induction programme and are very well prepared for their role. This supports staff development, which ensures positive, informed care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have regular team meetings. These enable them to discuss their plans and ambitions for the children. There is also a thorough discussion to share information when staff change over. An independent reviewing officer said,’ [Childs name] has flourished in this nurturing environment, she feels cared for listened to and supported.’ This positive communication ensures that care practice is consistent, and boundaries are clear. This means that children feel cared for and secure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager’s monitoring of the service is extremely thorough. She has an excellent overview of the children’s files and daily records. The manager analyses children’s records and makes changes to staff practice as needed to meet the needs of the children. This detailed overview assists staff to keep children’s needs as the central focus of their work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager keeps in close contact with partner agencies. This ensures that children are the central focus. An education professional said, ‘The support from the manager is amazing, she has offered advice to school on how to support [child’s name] and keep him in school.’ Everyone working with the children are working in close partnership to ensure they make positive progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The company are committed to understanding diversity and ensuring equality for both staff and children. They have formulated a programme for the whole company to ensure that they are meeting children’s needs and actively working against discrimination. A staff member in the home has taken this lead for this work and Inspection report for children's home: SC477939 5 individualised it to the needs of the children in the home. This means that children will learn to celebrate diversity and accept any perceived difference in themselves.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There has been a core team of staff who have worked with the children consistently for a long period of time however there has also been some staff who have left. The children notice these changes, and this can feel unsettling for them. The responsible person has completed exit interviews with those staff who have left to try and understand if there were any pattern which would help retain staff in the future. Inspection report for children's home: SC477939 6

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Recommendations

 The responsible person should ensure that all staff are regularly reminded of the companies’ whistleblowing procedures and what agencies outside of the company they can speak with if necessary. (‘The Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53 paragraph 10.9)  The registered person should ensure that the home is maintained to a good standard. (‘The Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3)  The responsible person should ensure as much as possible that children receive continuity of care from a consistent staff team. (‘The Guide to the Children’s Homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 51 paragraph 10.1)

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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: SC477939 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 Limited, Egerton House, Wardle Road, Rochdale, Lancashire OL12 9EN

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Inspector

Cathy Wilkins, social care inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC477939 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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