Children's home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report for children’s home: SC411030 1 SC411030 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

This children’s home is operated by a private provider, and provides care for three children with emotional and/or social 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 April 2021.

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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: SC411030 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/06/2024 Full Good 11/07/2023 Full Good 04/04/2022 Full Good 01/02/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC411030 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress at their own pace, given their ages and stages of development. There is a strong emphasis on developing their independent living skills. Staff are exploring various ways to help children become more self-sufficient, such as using public transport. This helps children discover how self-reliant they can be and gives them confidence to learn new skills with the right support from the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively encourage children to participate in activities they enjoy. They also support the children in contributing positively to their local community. For example, staff and children regularly volunteer at charitable events, which encourages children to demonstrate kindness and social responsibility. Through these acts of kindness, children learn to treat others with humility and respect.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote positive peer relationships and are alert to signs of bullying. Staff hold regular discussions with children about kindness and respect, demonstrating a commitment to helping children take responsibility for their actions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to understand the value of education, with established routines in the home to encourage daily attendance. Most children are progressing in line with their individual educational targets. For those who find education challenging, staff work hard to provide alternative learning opportunities tailored to their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are met, and their well-being is promoted. Staff ensure children attend all their routine appointments and have access to specialist services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to build and maintain relationships with people who are important to them. For children who have difficult family relationships, staff help them make sense of their emotions and feelings.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the children’s needs and the steps to follow to keep them safe. All incidents are clearly recorded and reviewed by the manager. Children’s views are sought, and actions are clear. Incidents are followed up through individual discussions that focus on keeping children safe.

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

Regular consultation with the internal therapist is effective in enhancing staff understanding of children’s behaviours and improving practice. This contributes to a nurturing environment where children are supported to manage their emotions and develop coping strategies during times of distress. Inspection report for children’s home: SC411030 4 Physical intervention is used appropriately and only as a last resort to keep everyone safe. Staff apply proportionate measures for the shortest time necessary and follow up with reflective discussions to support children in learning from incidents.

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

When children go missing, staff follow the missing-from-home protocol and are proactive in searching for them. There is effective collaboration with relevant professionals to ensure that agencies are kept informed. The manager is effective in ensuring that there is a multi-agency approach when reviewing any incidents to identify trends and behaviours and follow-up strategies to support the children. Children are offered an independent return home interview, and discussions take place about the risks and dangers of going missing.

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

When an allegation against a member of staff is made, the manager takes swift action to ensure the children’s safety and to inform the appropriate agencies in accordance with the home’s safeguarding policies. This transparent approach ensures that any concerns regarding the adults caring for children are managed effectively and independently from the home.

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

Children know how to make a complaint. The manager deals with complaints in a timely manner and spends time with the children to explore their feelings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced. She is well supported by the responsible individual and an experienced deputy manager. Together, they work effectively to ensure the smooth running of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good oversight of the home and of the quality of care provided to the children. The manager uses a range of monitoring processes to scrutinise and raise the standard of care that the children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback received from external professionals have been positive. Communication has been considered as one of the home’s strengths.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most of the staff have completed the provider’s mandatory training. The manager has a good understanding of the staff’s strengths and areas for improvement. Staff said that they are well supported by the management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are held regularly and provide staff with a valuable forum to come together. This contributes positively to team cohesion and promotes consistent practice across the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and speak positively about the manager’s support. Discussions are wide-ranging. However, supervision records do not consistently capture the depth of the discussions and the reflection that has taken place. This does not support staff to fully understand and fulfil their responsibilities and hinders managers’ ability to effectively monitor practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC411030 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that supervision enables staff to reflect on how children’s behaviours may impact their own emotions and responses, and to develop strategies to manage these effectively. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.15)

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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: SC411030 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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Inspector

Cherie Chen, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC411030 7 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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