Children's home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report for children’s home: SC416464 1 SC416464

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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

A private provider operates this children’s home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for three children with social and emotional difficulties. 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 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: 21 November 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: SC416464 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/11/2023 Full Good 14/03/2023 Full Good 25/01/2022 Full Good 11/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC416464 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is comfortable and homely. There has been some damage caused during recent incidents, but staff ensure that any repairs are made quickly. The children have been supported to personalise their bedrooms to a high degree. This helps them feel comfortable and at home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have the opportunity to build healthy routines and pursue their interests. This includes going to the gym, mountain climbing, attending local events, going on trips to London, taking long walks with the staff and playing football. Children have fun and build happy memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are met, and they are registered with the appropriate healthcare providers. Staff are vigilant in helping them stay healthy and support them to attend any necessary appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made notable progress from their starting points. One child has significantly reduced their self-harming and has built good relationships with staff. A social worker said, ‘[Name of child] is able to express himself; he has a good trusting relationship with staff.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff offer significant support to enable children to spend quality time with family members. This can include driving long distances and ensuring that family members have everything they need in their home to make sure that this time is positive. Children benefit from maintaining these important relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children do not attend school regularly. The manager and staff continue to try different methods to engage them with education. They have developed bespoke timetables for children. They are working with children’s schools and the virtual school to try and find the right educational provision, which has had limited effect to date.

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

There has been a recent increase in incidents where it has been necessary for children to be physically held to keep them safe. Police have had to be called on occasion to support staff to manage the children’s behaviour. The manager has taken proactive steps to analyse the causes and implement changes in staffing so that children are better supported.

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

When children have gone missing from home, staff have followed their individual plans to help locate them and bring them home safely. This has ensured that such episodes are ended quickly and safely. Inspection report for children’s home: SC416464 4 Children have individual, sensitively written risk assessments that are detailed and updated very regularly in line with children’s needs. Staff read them and are clear about what action they need to take to help keep children safe.

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

The home’s location risk assessment is comprehensive and addresses local risks and it reflects new and emerging risks. Collaboration with police and other agencies ensures that statistics are up to date and control measures such as risk assessments are in place.

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

Safer recruitment procedures are followed, which ensures that staff who care for children are thoroughly vetted and appropriate to care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is organised, experienced and child-focused. She knows the children very well and spends a significant amount of time with them. This ensures that children know her well and find it easy to approach her if they have any worries.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager maintains a strong working relationship with partner agencies, such as social workers and schools. Professionals are very positive about the care that children receive. A social worker said, ‘They are absolutely amazing. They go above and beyond.’ Children benefit from joined-up care when everyone working with them communicates well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff’s feedback reflects a positive and committed workforce who prioritise the care and well-being of the children. Staff say they feel supported by the management team. A staff member said, ‘[Manager’s name] is a fantastic manager; I feel completely supported by her.’ There is a strong sense of consistency and support across the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff actively promote equality and diversity through a focus on belonging, respect, inclusion and growth. Tailored care, such as haircare and skincare based on ethnicity and supporting children’s individual sexuality, highlights the commitment to meeting their needs and fostering an inclusive environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision of staff is well structured. There are regular team meetings where staff have a good opportunity to reflect on their work with the children. This supports consistency in the care of the children. Appraisals take place annually to support staff development and learning. Children’s views are not currently included in these appraisals. Inspection report for children’s home: SC416464 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(vi)(vii)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

The provider must advocate on behalf of children who are not in full-time education by continuing to challenge and escalating concerns with the placing authority and virtual school. 7 March 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should include the views of the children and other professionals when completing appraisals with staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5) Inspection report for children’s home: SC416464 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: SC416464 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 OL12 9EN

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Inspector

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC416464 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 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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