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

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness . Since the full inspection, the young person continues to make steady progress in all aspects of his life, including his educational, social and health development. The young person leads an active life with football practice and attending a local youth club. The young person has benefited from a consistent staff team, which has provided him with the opportunity to form meaningful relationships with staff. This has contributed to the young person feeling happy and settled at the home. At the time of the inspection, the home was being decorated, which included significant updating to the young person’s bedroom and bathroom. The young person has been involved in choosing the colour scheme, thus helping to promote his sense of belonging. New furniture for the young person’s bedroom and the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

lounge has been ordered and this will offer a more pleasant and comfortable space for the young person to live. The young person benefits from clear rules and boundaries, which are consistently applied by staff. The young person is well behaved, he has never gone missing, and he does not display behaviour that requires staff to use physical intervention. However, staff’s use of rewards and praises to acknowledge the young person’s many successes are not always utilised. This means that his achievements are not celebrated as well as they could be. In response to a requirement raised at the full inspection, staff have reviewed the young person’s placement plan and, in the main, this provides the foundations for staff to deliver care, which is tailored to the needs of the young person. However, planning for the young person’s transition into adulthood is less well considered. While staff have started to consider some of the barriers to the young person being

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

able to live independently, the current planning does not fully consider how staff will support the young person to overcome these barriers. Staff work collaboratively with key stakeholders, including the police, school, placing authority and clinical team. However, there are some examples when partners have not contributed to the delivery of care as expected and, in these instances, the challenge from the registered manager has not always been robust. Staff have involved the young person in the development of a new children’s guide. This has ensured that any young person admitted to the home is well prepared for life at the home. However, the guide is missing the details of how to contact the children’s commissioner. At the full inspection, three requirements and two recommendations were made. These have all been addressed.

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for one young person who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is operated by a private company.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

22/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

12/03/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

 Ensure that where a relevant person does not provide the input and services needed to meet a child’s needs during their time in the home, or in preparation for leaving the home, the home must challenge them to meet the child’s needs. Staff should act as champions for their children, expecting nothing less than a good parent would. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.8)  Ensure that staff help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or to live independently. This includes supporting the child to develop emotional resilience to cope without the home’s support and, where the child is moving to live independently, practical skills such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that children in their care understand their rights as a looked-after child, or child living in a children’s home. Children must be informed of how to contact the office of the children’s commissioner for advice and assistance about their rights and entitlements. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.19)  Ensure that staff understand the system for rewarding and celebrating positive behaviour and recognising where children have managed situations well. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.39)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection’.

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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 that 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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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 0300 123 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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