Children's Home run by Bryn Melyn Care Limited in Telford and Wrekin

SC372621 Unique reference number 26 January 2010 Inspection date Julian Parker Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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You can obtain copies of The Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters and The National Minimum Standards for Children's Services from: The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Cripins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcome for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and relevant National Minimum Standards for the establishment.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is strong Good: this aspect of the provision is sound Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is not good enough Inadequate: 3 of 8 Inspection Report: SC372621

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Brief description of the service

This setting is a small children's home. It is registered to provide care for up to two young people of either gender, aged between 10 and 18 years. The home is rurally located but remains within convenient vehicular access of major county towns, various leisure and recreational facilities and the company school. The home offers spacious accommodation in a four bed-roomed detached country property. Resident young people are provided with their own rooms. The home has a lounge, kitchen, dining room, games room, bathrooms on each floor and a staff office.

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Summary

This was an announced key inspection that concentrated on all of the key national minimum standards other than those concerning the recruitment and selection of staff.

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Summary

The inspection focused on the Every Child Matters outcome areas related to being healthy, safeguarding and recreation, relationships between children and their carers, the competence of staff and their management and the general standards of the accommodation in which the service is provided. At the time of the inspection one young person was living at the home who contributed to the findings. The home is being managed efficiently ensuring that the resident young person's needs are being well met. The action and recommendation made at this inspection refer to administrative shortfalls. The overall quality rating is good. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provider was asked to review the use of electrical appliances by young people to confirm the safety and adequacy of the electrical sockets being used. This was to reduce the potential risks posed by an electrical overload and to ensure young people lived in a safe environment. The provider has complied with this requirement.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The food provided for young people at the home is chosen to ensure that young people have a balanced diet while being able to exercise choice about their meals. Young people are enabled to experiment with culturally relevant dishes and to be involved in the choice, purchase and preparation of meals.

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Helping children to be healthy

The health needs of young people are being addressed by staff following prescribed company policies that promote health and wellbeing and by adapting their practice to safely address individual requirements. Care plans contain generic details of health needs and areas where the involvement of other health professionals including therapists, is desirable. Young people are registered with local services and staff maintain suitable records of all medical appointments. First aid arrangements in the home are good with staff receiving regular training that equips them to deal with minor accidents or ailments. Education records confirm that personal and social education about safe and healthy living is addressed by the school curriculum. The home 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC372621 competently promotes the specific health related issues that relate to young people's ethnicity and difference.

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Helping children to be healthy

Case files contain relevant information about individual medical needs, summarised by specific health plans. These records are not up to date and as such do not comprehensively confirm the practical efforts made by staff to monitor and promote the range of health needs of young people. The home uses a medication policy which includes reference to appropriate procedures and practice guidance. Medication, including homely remedies, when not in use is stored securely .

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The home promotes the right to privacy for young people. They have individual bedrooms and a dedicated bathroom. Staff protect confidential personal information by being cautious with how they communicate any information about young people with their families or other professionals. Staff receive training to understand about young people's rights and how to record information.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All concerns or complaints made by young people living at the home or their advocates are taken seriously by the home's manager and care staff. The majority of day-to-day concerns are able to be addressed effectively before they become a complaint. The home has a clear and effective complaint policy and procedure that is summarised in the young person's guide and made known to all other stakeholders. Young people have access to an independent advocacy service should they require help or support in making any concerns known.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The welfare and safety of young people is actively promoted by company policies and procedures. These have been developed to comply with regulatory requirements and promote good practice in areas of child protection, that include countering bullying, effective behaviour management and safeguarding children by adopting the guidelines laid down by the Local Safeguarding Children's Board. The company provides its staff with formal opportunities for self development to ensure that they know how to look after young people safely. The home follows company policies and nationally accepted protocols for dealing with a child's unauthorised absence. Young people can always talk to independent listeners after a period of absence.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Behaviour management at the home is based on the active encouragement of acceptable behaviour and plenty of praise. This is reinforced by having consistent expectations and making these known to young people. Young people confirm that they understand what is expected from them verbally and through the home's records. Staff treat the young people with respect and this approach is generally reflected by good behaviour and a minimal need for the use of sanctions and an absence of the use of physical restraint. Currently this is confirmed by the home staffing levels being set for a one-to-one working model. All staff have a comprehensive knowledge of the particular needs of young people and this helps them maintain positive relationships.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff receive statutory training in behaviour management that includes the safe use of physical restraint adopting the therapeutic crisis intervention approach. Staff training is refreshed at least annually to ensure that young people and staff can be kept safe. Any incidents are evaluated by the home's manager who may adjust staff rotas when additional needs arise to ensure consistent safe practice. The views and opinions of young people are always sought in 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC372621 this process to improve the effectiveness of practice and to confirm to young people that they are listened to.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home demonstrates its awareness of potential dangers to young people by generating a range of risk assessments that consider all aspects concerning safety in the living environment. These include the risk from fire and household chemical hazards, those posed by the young people's behaviour and their recreational activities. Risk assessments are usually effective because they are reviewed regularly and take into account routine daily tasks and any changes that may affect the home such as changes to staffing levels or the impact of a new admission. Young people living in the home play a compliant part in responding to fire precautionary drills which helps them keep safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The home has established procedures in place for monitoring all visitors. No unauthorised person can access the building or have access to any young people living there. Staff personnel files were not examined during this inspection. The Registered Manager confirmed that no staff member started working at the home ahead of all necessary checks being comprehensively completed and that because of the staff to child working ratio all staff at the home had to be experienced practitioners.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Staff have developed a positive relationship and sound knowledge of the young person they look after enabling them to ensure a good quality of safe, consistent care is being provided. The provision is sensitive to the young person's age, heritage, interests and needs. Staffing stability and a practical investment in the young perople has supported the way in which care is provided.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff help young people to engage safely in a range of recreational, social and leisure pursuits both inside the home and in the wider community by promoting trust and the importance of good timekeeping. Young people are helped to plan their weekly activities and use their free time constructively.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young people are provided with support and transport to access full time education at the registered provider's own school. A range and mix of practical lessons help young people to develop their latent interests and promote academic achievement. Where possible education uses the services of community based organisations. Achievement is highlighted by positive school reports and certificates of achievement. Daily communication between school and the home enables young people to receive consistent help and support with school work.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The placement plan for each young person addresses how support for individual needs will be provided by the home. Staff demonstrate a positive approach to meeting individual needs being particularly sensitive to those associated with culture. Placement plans for young people are regularly reviewed but copies of review notes have not been provided to the home in a timely manner by independent reviewing officers. 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC372621 Young people are actively supported to maintain authorised contact that is meaningful and safe with people that are important to them. Placement plans and case file records make explicit the arrangements authorised by placing authority's to maintain contact between young people, their family, friends and professional workers such as social workers. The quality and appropriateness of all contact is monitored to ensure that young people are effectively

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Helping children make a positive contribution

safeguarded while maintaining positive associations. The home has recognised the positive effect from developing meaningful contact arrangements for young people.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Admissions to the home are thoroughly planned and young people take part in this process by visiting and having a say about matters that will concern them on their arrival, such as the decoration and contents of their room. Effective case planning confirms that all staff know how they can address the placement needs of new arrivals to the home. This includes assessing potential relationships between existing and new residents.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young people are actively encouraged to be involved with the every day decision-making processes that will directly impact upon their lives at home. They do this by engaging in dialogue with staff to review any issues that affect the running of the home or their experience of care. This is particularly beneficial for encouraging young people to develop socially acceptable behaviour, to practice tolerance in their learning about other people's expectations and to learn how to look after themselves safely.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. The accommodation is domestic in style, homely and decorated, maintained and furnished to a good standard. Significant improvements continue to be made thereby enhancing the quality of the living environment for both young people and staff. Young people express satisfaction with the presentation of their home.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The Statement of Purpose for the home includes the information prescribed by schedule 1 of the children's home regulations. Both the Statement of Purpose and the young person's guide for the home have been reviewed confirming what services the company and children's home provide.

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Organisation

Young people are actively supported with all aspects of their daily living by the home's team of competent, qualified staff who provide safe and consistent care by establishing positive relationships with young people. The experienced and qualified Registered Manager and deputy manager support their staff by providing regular supervision and access to ongoing professional training.

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Organisation

The staff rota confirms that the complement of the home is as identified by the home's Statement of Purpose. Any shortfalls are covered by house staff or known staff from other company homes to reduce the potential for any disruption to the young person's care routine or levels of support. The arrangements for safe one-to-one work with young people are fully addressed by the home's risk assessments, while remaining subject to constant review. 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC372621 The manager has established a clear process to regularly monitor the operational efficiency and quality of care being provided by the home. The content of the in-house monitoring is good. Monthly monitoring takes place through the use of a regulation 33 visitor to confirm that the home is operating within the scope of its Statement of Purpose. Young people are invited to contribute to this process and through it's use help to influence aspects of the service

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Organisation

The future needs of the home have been identified through the production of an annual development plan that considers all aspects of practice and the living environment.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. The particular level of detail contained within the young people's plans, case files and daily recording documents confirms that staff both in the home and the company's educational setting can sensitively address young people's particular ethnic differences. Difference is celebrated and used to contribute to the richness of the young people's placement.

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Organisation

The home is well organised. Case files belonging to individual young people are confidentially stored and arranged in a manner that is familiar to the staff team and young people. Young people are made aware of the contents of their files and can request access to them.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person meets the Care Standards Act 2000, The Childrens Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider must comply with the given timescales.

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Due date Action Standard

26 February 2010 ensure that each young person has a clear written health plan that is kept comprehensively up to date. Regulation 20(1) (National Minimum Standard 12.2)

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • obtain a copy of the most recent statutory review minutes from the placing authority. (National Minimum Standard 3.4) 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC372621

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