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

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 March 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 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: 14 February 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: SC442864 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/02/2023 Full Good 10/01/2022 Full Good 10/07/2019 Full Good 05/06/2018 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 welcoming homely and comfortable. Photos of the children are displayed around the home The children’s bedrooms are personalised to their tastes. There is a large garden equipped with lots of outdoor toys such as football and basketball nets and a shed that has been converted to a sensory room. This all contributes to a feeling of a child focussed happy 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 healthy and active. 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 member of staff said,’ I love forming relationships with children and seeing them progress.’ 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

Children are given emotional support and care. A social worker said,’ They give the [names of children] lots of emotional warmth, they feel valued well-cared for and loved. The quality of care for children is excellent.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop and maintain family relationships and friendships, in line with care plans. Maintaining relationships with family members and keeping in touch with friends helps children to retain a sense of identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The homes therapist and residential staff have shared their caring approaches with a child’s school. This builds a shared understanding of children’s needs and supports a consistent approach.

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

Children have individual, up-to-date risk assessments. The manager keeps meticulous oversight of children’s plans and risk assessments. Each incident is analysed, and staff practice is changed in response. This approach encourages continuous improvement to meet children’s needs. The children’s risks are reducing over time.

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

Staff have used physical interventions. The manager reviews all incidents and offers supportive meetings with both staff and children. Staff receive training to ensure physical holds are used as a last resort and that children’s behaviour is managed through rewards and incentives. This supports children to learn how to manage their emotions and behaviours. Inspection report for children’s home: SC442864 4 There have been some incidents of children missing from home. Each child has an individual missing from home plan and all staff are fully aware of each child’s plan. Staff look for children if they go missing and ensure that partner agencies such as police are informed as appropriate. Childrens episodes of missing have reduced over time and they are becoming safer.

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

The children’s bedrooms have alarms that are switched on at night so that staff know if children leave their rooms and can respond to help them. As children get older it might not be necessary for these alarms to be used.

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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 say that they feel 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. The manager promotes psychological safety with staff so that they can communicate effectively with each other without fear of reproach. 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. A headteacher said, ‘They have done a great job, they are dedicated to [name of children] and worked really well with us.’ This close partnership work ensures that children make positive progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The children’s home 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. The children have been on activities outside the home that contributes to them experiencing and understanding diversity. This means that children will learn to celebrate diversity and accept any perceived difference in themselves. Inspection report for children’s home: SC442864 5 A few staff have left the children’s home. 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: SC442864 6

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Recommendations

 The responsible person should review the use of alarms on children’s bedroom doors (‘Guide to the Childrens Home Regulations, including the quality standards’ paragraph 3.9 page 15)  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: 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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Inspector

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC442864 8 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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