Children's Home run by Meadows Care Limited in Kirklees

Inspection report for children’s home: SC460593 1 SC460593 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 offers care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were three children living in the home. All three children were spoken with during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2023.

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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: SC460593 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/04/2024 Full Good 18/04/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 24/08/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC460593 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say they are happy living in the home. One child has made notable emotional progress since moving to the home. The other two children are forming positive relationships with staff. The staff are learning about the children and want to create meaningful experiences for them so they make progress and have fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are all enrolled in an educational provision. Staff encourage children to attend the provision, and they work to identify potential barriers to children’s attendance. Professionals have described the collaborative approach taken to education as ‘invaluable’ to children’s progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in good health or are being helped to improve their physical and emotional well-being. Children have regular access to specialist therapy. This enables children to self-regulate their emotions and create and maintain meaningful relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s independence skills start early to prepare them for adulthood. When children move on from the home, this is done in a planned and child-centred way. Staff create individualised resources for children leaving the home, which include telephone numbers and other information they may require based on their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have appropriate, carefully assessed and reviewed contact with their family, friends and other people who are important to them. There are no unnecessary restrictions in place. This helps children to maintain important relationships with loved ones.

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

Staff are knowledgeable about the potential risks to children and how to manage these should they occur. Staff receive training in the specific vulnerabilities of children and follow individual risk assessments that guide their responses when incidents occur. When incidents do occur, they are analysed fully to assess if everyone is safe and how reoccurrence can be avoided.

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

Children feel safe living at the home and can identify adults they trust to confide in and support them. This has allowed children a safe environment to talk with staff about things that trouble them. When allegations are made, staff and managers take appropriate actions to keep children safe.

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

Staff have regular conversations with children about their vulnerabilities in a sensitive way. Staff act as role models to children, ensuring they understand what positive relationships look like, both with adults and with each other. Inspection report for children’s home: SC460593 4 Episodes of children going missing from home have been significantly reduced. When children do go missing from home, staff know how to respond. For one child, the education given by staff about self-worth and risks in the community has meant they have not gone missing from home in over 12 months.

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

Staff have improved their consistency in setting boundaries for children. Staff use strategies to de-escalate behaviours before any form of holds are considered. All consequences and physical interventions receive thorough management oversight.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is supported by an experienced deputy manager and a senior which facilitates the smooth running of the home. The manager has effective oversight processes that enable them to review and learn from all important documentation in a timely way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has built up effective and appropriate multi-agency links and family relationships. The registered manager understands the children’s plans and supports staff to provide care that meets the children’s needs. The manager seeks regular feedback through informal conversation and consultation with stakeholders, families and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager assesses all known risks before children come to live in the home. Leaders and managers carry out suitability planning in advance to decide if the home is equipped to meet each child’s needs. However, children said that sometimes they do not feel that staff support is equal among them and their peers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that there are an appropriate number of staff to meet children’s needs. The registered manager uses agency and staff from other homes to ensure safe staffing levels and to ensure that there is an experienced member of staff on the shift. However, staff said that the proposed staffing levels at night would make it difficult if a fourth child came to live at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff employed by the home receive a full induction and regular supervision sessions. However, the manager has not always ensured that agency staff receive an induction into working in the home. Although there is an expected protocol for this, the manager cannot be assured that agency staff members are sighted on all children’s risks. Inspection report for children’s home: SC460593 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the staff meet children’s basic day-to-day needs and provide the correct physical necessities. In particular, staff should ensure that the environment is clean. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)  The registered person should ensure that agency staff have the correct skills, qualifications and induction before working in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.16)

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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: SC460593 6

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Alison O’Donnell

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Inspector

Vikki Thwaites, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC460593 7 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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