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

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people benefit from positive relationships with staff. They feel well cared for and supported.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The manager and staff work collaboratively with other professionals to support young people.  Young people’s views are respected, they are involved in decision-making about their care and support.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Placement plans and risk assessments are clear and detailed and assist staff to easily recognise what young people need to do to meet their individual goals.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Good risk management ensures the welfare and safety of young people.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff use every opportunity to encourage young people to successfully engage in their education.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 There are a couple of shortfalls in practice. Not all the homes policies are up to date. When there has been an incident in the home that may include missing from care or physical intervention, there is no evidence to show that any learning is captured.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, 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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must – (2)(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home with specific regard to missing from care episodes. (Regulation 13(2)(H)) 16/01/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep under review and, as necessary, revise the home’s child protection policies, specifically the prevention of bullying policy. (Regulation 34 (6)) 16/01/2016

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Requirement Due date

(a) that within 24 hours of the use of the measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes; (iv) a description of the measure and its duration details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; (vii) the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure in relation to the physical intervention and sanction records. (Regulation 35 (a)(iii)(iv)) 16/01/2016

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Information about this children's home

This home, run by a private company, is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children who have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

12/02/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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good

Young people are supported by a caring and knowledgeable staff team who work together to meet their individual needs. Care plans are well detailed and regularly updated. They address all aspects of a young person’s needs and specify actions and tasks to which contribute to positive outcomes. Young people are actively involved in progressing their plan and have a good understanding of future plans. Social workers say that they receive weekly updates and that young people are making positive improvements.

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good

Young people make good progress overall from their starting points on admission to the home. They are able to make and sustain positive relationships with staff, friends and professionals outside the home. Key working is frequently undertaken and well recorded. One young person reported ‘I do keyworker sessions with all the staff and we talk about loads of different stuff’.

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good

The home ensures that the healthcare needs of the young person are met. Young people access all primary healthcare services, such as doctors and dentists. Specialist support is readily available to meet the emotional and psychological needs of young people through individual therapeutic sessions. This is available through the organisations therapists.

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good

Some of the young people living in the home attend the organisations independent school. Young people are supported to gain nationally recognised vocational qualifications. Some young people’s engagement with their education provision is erratic but the staff use every opportunity to encourage young people to successfully engage in their education.

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good

Staff consult with young people through weekly residents’ meetings. This forum gives young people opportunities to have their views heard. Staff demonstrate they respect young people’s requests and respond appropriately. Wherever possible young people have their requests granted.

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good

Staff ensure that young people are able to maintain contact with their family and friends. Staff will facilitate contact, regularly providing transport, so that these important connections are maintained.

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good

Some of the young people make good use of their spare time and are encouraged by staff to become involved in leisure activities outside of the home. These activities include playing in local sports teams, joining a local drama group and various outdoor activities. This provides young people with a range of ways to explore their talents and skills and increase their confidence and self-esteem.

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good

Young people say they feel safe in this home. Staff fully understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to the welfare and safety of young people. Their knowledge is supported by regular training in safeguarding, so staff are clear about how to respond to any allegations, suspicions or evidence of harm.

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good

Staff have a very good knowledge of individual young people's vulnerabilities. There are individualised risk assessment and management plans for each young person. All plans are regularly reviewed and updated so they remain relevant and effective. Staff supervise young people in line with their risk management plans to ensure their safety in the home and the community. The homes bullying policy requires reviewing and updating so it is a current document.

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good

There are instances of young people going missing from the home. Though these numbers are not high, the reporting is not sufficiently detailed or clear about how high the perceived risk is for them or whether a return interview took place. This leaves risks not fully assessed.

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good

Physical interventions are proportionate to young people’s behaviour and they are performed by trained staff. Records pertaining to physical interventions do not show any evaluation or learning captured from the incident. This means that staff are not able to reflect and learn to inform future practice.

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good

Young people know how to complain if they wish to do so. The staff will support young people in making complaints if necessary and they understand their role as advocates.

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good

Young people are protected by the organisation's safe recruitment practices, which ensure that all staff, are thoroughly vetted before they are allowed to start work in the home. The identity of all visitors is checked and their whereabouts in the home monitored during the time they are there. These systems ensure the safety and well-being of young people.

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good

The home has established systems and structures in place to maintain safe practices and fulfil health and safety obligations. Fire safety and health and safety checks are regularly carried out. These measures ensure the safety of the environment for young people, staff and visitors. The home is a large detached house in a rural area. It is well furnished and decorated. Some of the young people have personalised their own bedrooms with pictures and posters of their choice. This enables them to promote their own personal identity and reflect the parts of their culture that are most important to them.

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good

The home has an appropriately qualified registered manager in place. The manager has been in post since July 2014 and holds a level 5 diploma in leadership health and social care.

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good

Staff are supervised regularly which means that they are supported in their work with young people and also that their work is monitored. They say that communication within the team is very good. This promotes consistency of care for young people.

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good

Staff are well supported through regular supervision and annual appraisal. The arrangements for training and developing staff are thorough and comprehensive. All staff complete a range of mandatory training, refresher courses and training in particular areas. This ensures staff keep their skills and knowledge up to date and are competent in looking after young people.

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good

The statement of purpose provides a clear picture of the home's aims and objectives. This means placing authorities, young people and their families are well aware of the care and support young people can expect to receive.

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good

Monitoring arrangements provide good scrutiny of practice and performance of the home, identifying areas for improvement. This ensures that practice is focused on outcomes for young people. It provides an effective check for compliance with regulations and standards, ensuring that young people's needs are central to proceedings and they are safely cared for at all times.

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good

An independent person completes regular monthly monitoring visits and reports of the home. This ensures that practice is focused on outcomes for young people. It provides an effective check for compliance with regulations and standards, ensuring that young people's needs are central to proceedings and they are safely cared for at all times.

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good

Communication between agencies is prompt and effective in ensuring all parties are kept well informed of young people’s progress. A social worker reported ‘I receive weekly reports and reports on any specific incidents, the home works well in partnership always preparing thorough reports for looked after children reviews’. Young people receive information prior to admission which tells them what they can expect during their time in the home .

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good

The manager has carried out a risk assessment of the home’s locality. This document contains information obtained from the police and takes into account the home’s rural location. The home has a development plan that is regularly reviewed to drive forward improvements to the home

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good

One requirement was made at the last inspection ensuring that specific records are being maintained. All young people records are now up to date and regularly audited to ensure this continues.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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