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 .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was last inspected in July 2016 and judged to be good. One requirement, relating to managing the home in line with the statement of purpose, was made at this time.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, there has been a change to the registration of the home. As such, the home now caters for an additional young person. This transition has been managed appropriately, with additional staff put into place. The effect on young people has been minimal as a new group of young people now live in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The transitions for these young people have been appropriately managed and the staff team continues to work hard to meet young people’s needs. Risk assessment for young people is, on the whole, effective. Some risk assessments do not detail the exact types of behaviours that young people may present and how these are to be specifically managed. This is further affected by a proportion of the staff team being relatively new to the home and to working in a residential setting. The lack of detail in some risk assessments means that staff may not always be fully aware of how to recognise and respond to behaviours exhibited by young people. There is no demonstrable negative effect to date; however, this aspect of care requires improvement.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is well maintained and provides ample space for young people. Areas of the home are personalised according to young people’s tastes and preferences. Young people are encouraged and supported to individualise their bedrooms. The staff team clearly takes pride in providing a warm and nurturing environment where young people make progress in managing their behaviours and emotions. This is underpinned by regular access to the organisation’s therapy team. A new model of therapeutic working is being introduced to the home. This means that the staff team remains open to new ways of working and embraces further opportunities to improve the care given to young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Restraint is used appropriately and only as a last resort. Since the last inspection, there has been a slight increase in episodes of physical intervention. The registered manager has ensured that all of the required details are recorded and that debriefs with young people take place. This ensures that any concerns are noted and where appropriate, acted upon. However, the records of these restraints are not always specific with regards to young people’s behaviours before the use of the intervention. For example, generalised terms are used in place of specific recording of what actual behaviours were displayed. This has, to date, not had a negative effect on young people. A recommendation to improve practice has been made.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All of the young people attend the organisation’s school and, on the whole, are making progress. A recent period of temporary removal for one young person from school has not been managed effectively in the home. Some efforts have been made to engage the young person in school-provided activities and there have been some attempts to provide a routine and structure. However, these efforts have not been consistent. During the inspection, young people were not sufficiently challenged to engage in positive activities when they were choosing not to attend school. Records in the home show that, overall, school attendance is good. A recommendation has been made to improve routines and structures for when young people do not attend education due to their refusal or temporary removal.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

As a result of this inspection, the home is judged to have sustained effectiveness. Three recommendations relating to improving restraint recording, improving routines and structures when young people refuse education, and providing more detail in risk assessment have been made to improve practice further.

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to two children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A private company owns and operates the home.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 12/07/2016 Full Good 23/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/12/2015 Full Good 12/02/2015 Interim Sustained 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 children placed in a home are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on school roll for some other reason, the registered person and staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. This specifically relates to ensuring that when children are not attending school, there are clear expectations, routines and boundaries in place to encourage educational attainment during the school day. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. This specifically relates to ensuring

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Recommendations

that young people’s risk management plans contain sufficient detail about young people’s behaviours and how these will be recognised and responded to. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure that it meets the needs of each child. This specifically refers to ensuring that full details about all incidents, including the circumstances and relevant antecedents, are recorded in restraint records in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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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 whom 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

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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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