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

Inspection report children’s home: SC372611 1 SC372611 Registered provider: Bryn Melyn Care Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered for two children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is owned and managed by a private company. Inspection date: 1 December 2017

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, one young person remains in placement and continues to make good progress in most areas of his life. One young person has successfully moved out of the home, back to his family, in line with his local authority plan. Another young person moved into the home, but after three months emergency notice was given on his placement and he moved out.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person’s transition on from the home was well planned. Partnership work with his parents, local authority and the clinician attached to the home resulted in a successful move. The rigour of this plan was in contrast to the plan for the next young person who moved into the home on the following day. Although his move was planned, and he was at an assessment centre at the same company, he did not visit the home prior to moving in. This quick move did not allow the managers to consider the needs of Inspection report children’s home: SC372611 2 the staff team or the other young person living at the home. There was limited time for anyone to reflect on, adjust to or plan for a new young person to move in.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The new young person initially settled in well to the home. He built positive relationships with the staff team and made good progress, for example re-engaging in education. However, after he was told of what he perceived to be a change in his local authority plan, he disengaged. Over a two-month period there were a small number of incidents, each escalating in terms of risk. He attempted to go missing from care, assaulted police when stopped, threatened staff with weapons, caused damage to the environment and tried to light fires in the home. Staff worked proactively with the police, fire department and his local authority. However, the level of risk was judged to be too great and notice was given on his placement.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Overall, the incidents were well managed. For example, the young person was prevented from going missing by the staff, who followed the risk assessments and stayed with him. Unfortunately, the level of risk that he presented resulted in the staff team needing to call the police on a number of occasions. The registered manager and responsible individual had regular meetings with the police care home coordinator, who feels that they worked quickly to address the issues that arose.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two incidents resulted in fire officers being called to the home, triggering a formal visit. A number of requirements were raised as a result. These have all been addressed by the registered manager. However, since this visit a further incident resulted in damage to a fire door, preventing it from sealing. Although reported to the maintenance team, the door had not been replaced in a timely manner. The responsible individual took advice from the fire department on the day of the inspection and reviewed the home’s fire risk assessment. The door was replaced three days later. The delay in taking appropriate action potentially placed young people and staff at risk.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been one incident of self-harm. This was well managed by the staff, who state that they feel well supported by the registered manager. The young person’s risk assessment has been updated, but it is not sufficiently detailed and does not benefit from the input of the service’s clinician.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager is in the process of undertaking a review and learning from the recent disruptions and placement breakdown. She continues to develop the service and is currently developing the staff debriefing process and recording format. Moving forward, this will ensure that all staff receive timelier and better-quality debriefings after serious incidents and physical interventions. This will ensure that lessons are learned and that strategies are more quickly reviewed and developed. Inspection report children’s home: SC372611 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/07/2017 Full Good 12/12/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 24/05/2016 Full Good 25/01/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order (Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a)) and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25(2)(b)) 31/12/2017

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Recommendations

 An effective introduction to a home will take into account the child’s abilities and capacity to understand and retain information. Such an introduction may take place over a period of time and may be delivered in different formats according to the child’s communication and cognitive abilities. The registered person should ensure staff establish the child’s understanding of key information about living in the home and the expectations of their care in order to establish whether there are gaps in the child’s understanding. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.8)  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 it

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Recommendations

meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns Inspection report children’s home: SC372611 4 for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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 difference 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

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

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’.

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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: SC372611 5 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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