Children's Home run by Bryn Melyn Care Limited in Shropshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC372617 1 SC372617 Registered provider: Bryn Melyn Care

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 19 to 20 September 2017

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 23 February 2017

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

None Inspection report children’s home: SC372617 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home is outstanding because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 The young person continues to make outstanding progress in all areas of his life.  The young person is provided with the highest quality of support by staff who champion his aspirations.  The young person’s academic progress and outcomes continue to be outstanding.  The young person is exceptionally skilled at balancing part-time employment with college work.  The young person continues to expand his social network and social experiences.  The young person is confident to assess risk and to keep himself safe. The staff team provides age-appropriate support systems that balance keeping him safe with promoting his independence.  The staff team is small and consistent. Members are experienced, qualified and passionate about their work.  The registered manager is a skilled leader who fosters positive relationships with partner agencies, staff and the young person.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 08/06/2016 Full Outstanding 11/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/08/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC372617 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The young person continues to make outstanding progress in all areas of his life. A dedicated staff team supports him to achieve his aspirations. The young person continues to be actively involved in determining and influencing the service that he receives and setting his future goals. He is clear about his rights and has strong views on issues such as personal privacy. He is fully involved in decisions affecting his life, his home and his future. The young person is making first-rate academic progress and achieving excellent outcomes. After successfully passing his GCSE exams, and exceeding his predicted grades in two subjects, he started college. He is now in his second year and working towards achieving three A levels. Staff skilfully support his academic progress and are proud of his achievements. The young person has an excellent work ethic and study skills. He has a part-time job, which he has maintained throughout his college

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

placement. He is successfully balancing college studies with work hours. He is managing a wage, budgeting and saving for his future. Staff go out of their way to promote and enable his growing independence while also providing appropriate parenting and nurture. The young person enjoys learning new skills and developing his interests. For example, he continues weekly private lessons to learn to play the drums. The drum kit is set up in the space he and staff have renovated into a practice room. He has now passed his grade four and, as with his previous grades, he achieved a distinction. His certificate is framed and is hung in pride of place in the sitting room. After participating in a three-week National Citizen Service programme last summer, this summer the young person decided that he wanted to go abroad for a ‘proper summer holiday’. He explained to the inspector that he planned the trip ‘with staff support and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

expertise’ and managed to ‘visit all the destinations I had researched’. Two staff accompanied him on the holiday and made sure that it was a fun, positive and memorable experience. One member of staff stated, ‘It was excellent because for a week he wasn’t a looked after child. He was a young person away from all the stresses, just having fun. He showed us that he was resourceful as well. He wanted to walk out on his own. He walked the route planned with staff. Bought the top he wanted. Then caught the train back. He blended in with the culture and tried his best to talk Italian where he could.’ The young person has positive aspirations and ambitions for his future. He is successfully developing the skills that he will require as an adult. Staff continue to support him to flourish and support him in the decisions he chooses to make. For example, staff have been to college for an information evening about applying for university, funding and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

personal statements. The young person has also been to the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham to attend a university convention. He is actively researching different career paths. Inspection report children’s home: SC372617 4

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

Staff appropriately promote the young person’s safety at all times. The young person is enabled to have the same social experiences as other young people of his age. This includes having free time away from staff with his friends and staying overnight with them. Staff skilfully balance the need to make sure that the young person is safe with the need to promote his independence. They understand the young person’s ability to assess and manage risk. Staff have familiar systems in place that enable regular communication with the young person. This provides the young person and staff with discrete reassurances. The young person is well informed about risk and how to keep himself safe. This has been achieved very successfully through education, research and regular discussions with staff. The registered manager and staff team strongly promote the well-being and safety of the young person at all times. Their exceptionally sound knowledge of safeguarding,

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

missing from care, radicalisation and child sexual exploitation procedures is enhanced by training, clinical discussions and research. Consequently, staff are able to meet the young person’s specific needs and work effectively in partnership with other agencies. There have been no physical interventions, complaints, safeguarding concerns or missing from home incidents for a significant period. The young person is preparing to start university or employment next year when he has completed his A levels. He is working with staff to ensure that he has the knowledge and skills to move successfully into adulthood. Staff use the Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy (PACE) model of parenting very effectively. This helps to continue to develop the young person’s emotional stability and his coping strategies. The young person and staff have created and maintain a very welcoming and personalised home. The young person is actively involved in the decoration and layout. A

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

myriad of photos and framed certificates celebrate recent holidays, activities, special memories and achievements. Ongoing, effective development plans ensure that these high standards continue.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A qualified, skilled and experienced registered manager has been in post since 2010. She holds a national vocational qualification at level 4 in care and management, and has a therapeutic childcare degree. The registered manager also manages another children’s home, which is close by. The registered manager’s time is shared between both homes, depending on the needs, demands and circumstances of each service. The registered manager operates the home in accordance with the aims and objectives outlined in the statement of purpose and the children’s guide. These documents provide an accurate and comprehensive picture of the home and the services available. The responsible individual is actively involved in the development of this service. For example, this year he is focusing on the standard of the home’s environment. The home and garden are maintained to an excellent standard. However, the responsible individual

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

is not complacent and produces monthly reports and action plans to improve and maintain high standards. These encourage the registered manager and staff team to Inspection report children’s home: SC372617 5 raise their expectations even higher. The way the staff team works is outstanding. The young person is very much at the heart of the service. Staff do all that they can to promote consistency of care and positive outcomes for him. The team consists of the registered manager, a deputy and two senior staff. They cover all periods of sickness and annual leave themselves, without having to rely on temporary or unfamiliar staff. Staff turnover is extremely low. Consequently, the team knows the young person well. Staff have built sustained and meaningful relationships with him. The registered manager values her staff team. She makes sure that staff reflect on and develop their practice through training, supervisions, appraisals and team meetings. She,

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

and the clinician attached to the service, are further developing their knowledge of the parenting model and PACE. Each month, the whole company works though a set topic. This registered manager and staff team embrace their learning and the resulting discussions. They adjust and develop their practice to improve outcomes for the young person. The registered manager continues to develop the service. She invites and welcomes feedback from internal and external quality assurance processes. The registered manager and the staff team confidently liaise with partner agencies and professionals. As a result, feedback is positive. An independent reviewing officer stated, ‘It is an intelligent staff team. The staff are excellent advocates for the young person and provide an outstanding service.’ The young person’s records are extremely detailed. They are maintained to a very high standard, and information is well organised in his case files. The young person has made

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

the decision that he does not want to regularly read and sign his records. However, if he chooses to access them in later life they will provide him with a very clear picture of his experiences and progress.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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.

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Information about this inspection

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 children’s home: SC372617 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Edward James House, Hadley, Telford TF1 6QJ

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Inspector

Dawn Bennett, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC372617 7 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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