Children's home run by Meadows Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1241855 1 Registered provider: Meadows Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to four children who have had adverse childhood experiences that may have led to complex trauma-based needs. At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager registered with Ofsted in December 2019. The manager has a level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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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

Date of last inspection: 16 January 2024

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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: 1241855 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/01/2024 Full Good 28/02/2023 Full Good 19/05/2021 Full Good 10/12/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1241855 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from individualised care from an experienced staff team. This has helped children to develop positive and trusting relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A number of children have moved to and from the home since the last inspection. Some of these children have moved on in an unplanned way following concerns about staff’s ability to keep them and other children safe. Even though some moves from the home were not planned, the children were well supported to understand why their placements were ending. Follow-up support was offered for all three children to ensure they moved on as positively as possible.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Another child moved on after living at the home for four years. This child had made positive progress in all areas of their life and was supported to move on to independent living in a planned way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Notice has been served on the placement of the child living at the home following an incident between them and another child. A safety plan was in place which included two- to-one staffing and clear care planning was in place to support the child’s move out of the home. The child has been well supported to understand why the placement was ending and the child continues to have positive relationships with the staff caring for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education is prioritised and promoted by staff. One child attended college and became fluent in English. This child can now communicate effectively with peers, professionals and members of the community. This has led to an increase in the child’s confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are well understood, and the registered manager acts as an advocate for them. There is good communication with professionals to ensure that children’s views are heard and that plans include their views.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The members of the staff team are supported by the organisation’s therapeutic team to inform their practice and the home has an allocated therapist who visits each week. This means that the children’s emotional health needs are monitored and managed well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming. Children have personalised their rooms and there are three separate lounge areas for the children. All repairs to the home have been completed, including redecoration in communal areas.

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

The registered manager and staff understand the risks to children and there are suitable risk management plans to address these. These plans are regularly reviewed and Inspection report for children’s home: 1241855 4 updated to ensure that staff have access to the information they need to keep children safe.

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

The registered manager has robust oversight of incidents that take place. They take prompt action to address issues, review any learning and implement any action points. This oversight ensures that staff can continue to improve care and practice for children.

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

The manager regularly reviews the risk of bullying between children and puts measures in place to reduce these risks. There have been some incidents where children have harmed each other. Following these, the manager reviews if children can continue to be safely cared for together, and the supervision of children is amended accordingly. This supports children’s safety.

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

Physical intervention is only used to keep children safe from harm. All interventions are appropriately recorded by staff. The registered manager speaks to the child and staff promptly, and their views are considered. Reflections around these incidents are considered and used to reduce the need for children to be held in the future.

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

When children go missing from the home, staff respond effectively. Children’s risk assessments are followed and staff work with professionals to ensure that children are returned to the home safely. Debriefs are undertaken with the children and return home interviews also take place.

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

Children know how to complain. When complaints are made, the registered manager responds promptly, ensures that the child is kept informed about the actions being taken and then shares the outcome with the child.

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

Children receive appropriate consequences and rewards. These are recorded by staff; however, the quality of recording is variable. The manager acknowledges this and has a plan in place to make improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and takes action to hold staff to account when shortfalls are identified. This supports children’s care planning, safety and progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is well supported by the responsible individual and the wider management structure. This ensures that any areas of development for the home are prioritised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have robust monitoring systems in place. However, there is not a current workforce plan in place to address the needs of the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

If there is a need for agency workers to be used, the manager ensures that the same workers are used and they are provided with the same level of training from the provider Inspection report for children’s home: 1241855 5 as a permanent member of staff. This demonstrates that the manager prioritises consistent care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staff have regular supervision and is proactive in addressing any staff practice issues. The manager provides staff with annual appraisal meetings. This helps staff to understand their progress and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about the support they receive from the manager. Staff have a well- planned induction process and a good range of training, and regular team meetings take place. This all helps ensure that staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to provide good levels of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External professionals and families provide positive feedback about the support children are receiving, and their feedback reflects the progress children make while living at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1241855 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce- related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should:  detail the necessary management and staffing structure, (including any staff commissioned to provide health and education), the experience and qualifications of staff currently working within the staffing structure and any further training required for those staff, to enable the delivery of the home’s statement of purpose;  detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training (such as safeguarding, health and safety and

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Recommendations

mandatory qualifications);  detail the process for managing and improving poor performance;  detail the process and timescales for supervision of practice (see regulation 33 (4) (b)) and keep appropriate records for staff in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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: 1241855 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

Kate Savage, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1241855 8 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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