Children's Home run by Meadows Care Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report for children’s home: 1250915 1 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

The home registered with Ofsted in March 2017 and is owned and managed by a private provider. It offers care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living in the home, and one had recently moved out. The inspector spoke with both children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 21 March 2024.

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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: 27 January 2026

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1250915 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/01/2026 Full Outstanding 04/06/2024 Full Good 25/07/2023 Full Good 27/07/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1250915 3

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Summary of findings

Children receive good-quality care from a dedicated team of staff who encourage them to share their views and take an active role in the running of the home. As a result, children feel listened to and develop a positive sense of self-worth.

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Summary of findings

Children enjoy a wide range of stimulating activities and recreational opportunities that help them develop new skills, build confidence and broaden their interests. Children are well supported by staff who work closely with the organisation’s clinical team. This helps them to better understand and respond to children’s needs.

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Summary of findings

Strong partnership working between staff and external professionals helps to ensure that children are well supported and safeguarded. A child’s individual circumstances were not fully considered before they moved into the home, resulting in some aspects of their care and experience not being positive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from good-quality care delivered by a dedicated staff team. Staff encourage children to express their views through regular discussions and focused one- to-one sessions. This enables them to share their wishes and feelings openly and take an active role in the running of the home. Children understand how to raise concerns and know who they can speak to if they need support. As a result, children develop a positive sense of self-worth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s healthcare needs are prioritised. They are supported to attend medical appointments and receive help when they experience difficulties with their emotional wellbeing. Staff work closely with the in-house therapist to ensure that plans are in place from when they move into the home. They implement strategies recommended by the therapy team to promote and support children’s emotional wellbeing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place a strong emphasis on children’s education. They attend meetings, and regular communication between the home and schools helps to ensure a consistent approach. When barriers to learning arise, staff work closely with schools to address them. This effective partnership working supports children in achieving positive educational outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide range of stimulating activities and recreational opportunities. These experiences help them develop new skills, build confidence and broaden their interests. Photos of children enjoying activities are displayed throughout the home, creating lasting memories. These provide children with a meaningful record of their experiences, achievements and important milestones. Inspection report for children’s home: 1250915 4 Staff are particularly supportive of children maintaining relationships with their families. They work closely with families and social workers to strengthen and promote these important connections. Arrangements for family time are carefully planned and safely managed, enabling children to spend valuable time with the people who matter most to them.

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

Children’s risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect current risks, behaviours and individual needs. They provide staff with clear guidance on the actions required to keep children safe and ensure that safeguarding arrangements remain effective.

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

When children are absent from the home without permission, staff follow appropriate safeguarding procedures and protocols. Following missing-from-home incidents, staff spend time talking with children to give them the opportunity to discuss their experiences. This approach helps children to feel valued and reassured that staff care about their safety.

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

Physical restraint is used only when necessary to safeguard children from harm. Following incidents, reflective discussions take place with children in a timely manner to help them understand and process what occurred. Staff discussions are also carried out promptly. The managers maintain effective oversight to ensure that all interventions are appropriate, proportionate and in line with children’s care plans. This practice contributes to keeping children safe.

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

Children are well supported by staff. This is because staff work closely with the organisation’s clinical team and have received trauma-informed training. They use this knowledge to better understand children’s experiences and to implement appropriate strategies that meet their individual needs.

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

Staff carry out targeted work with children to help them develop the skills and knowledge required to keep themselves safe. This work includes raising awareness of the risks associated with going missing, substance misuse and unhealthy relationships, while promoting positive decision-making and healthy relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The inspection was led by both deputy managers and the responsible individual, as the registered manager was on annual leave during the inspection period. Staff benefit from regular monthly team meetings. Records of these meetings demonstrate a clear focus on children’s progress, experiences and the continuous improvement of practice. This provides staff with opportunities to reflect on their work and consider strategies that help to ensure that children receive high-quality care. Inspection report for children’s home: 1250915 5 Staff receive training that equips them to meet the specific needs of the children they care for. This includes awareness training in areas such as self-harm and child sexual exploitation. As a result, staff have the knowledge and skills needed to provide individualised and informed care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported by managers and enjoy their roles. They receive regular supervision, which provides opportunities for reflection, learning and professional development. Staff also report feeling valued by the organisation, particularly when their hard work and achievements are recognised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals speak positively about the home and the support provided to children. They say that communication from the home is timely and effective. Strong partnership working between staff and external professionals helps to ensure that children are well supported and safeguarded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

However, there was a missed opportunity to fully consider a child’s individual circumstances before they moved into the home. As a result, some aspects of their care since moving in have not been positive. In addition, not all potential risks in the local area have been fully considered. This limits the effectiveness of the measures in place to identify and mitigate risks. Inspection report for children’s home: 1250915 6

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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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 11 September 2026

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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: 1250915 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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Alison O’Donnell

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Inspector

Evelyn Chafota, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1250915 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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Inspector

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