Children's home run by Keys Child Care Limited in Telford and Wrekin

Inspection report children’s home: SC372602 1 SC372602 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

The children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who have 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: 13 to 14 February 2018

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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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

 Young people make exceptional progress from their starting points. Inspection report children’s home: SC372602 2  Young people feel safe, protected and valued by staff that they trust and respect.  Young people’s vulnerabilities are comprehensively risk-assessed.  Staff are highly skilled to ensure that they can deliver the very best childcare practice possible.  The manager ensures that young people are listened to, consulted and fully involved in everyday decisions. This extends to young people making a meaningful contribution to the recruitment of new staff.  Staff ensure that young people’s learning needs are systematically identified and barriers to learning are clearly addressed.  The manager uses research to ensure that the care that young people receive is supported by the application of informed knowledge.  The manager ensures that there is effective communication and working relationships between staff, social workers, parents and other professionals to

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Key findings from this inspection

support the development of young people.  The manager ensures that young people learn independence skills, taking into account their age and understanding.  The manager and staff are committed to learning and continuous improvement. With the interests of young people at the forefront of their thinking, the manager and staff use a wide range of monitoring activities to achieve the continual development of the service.  Staff promote contact for young people so they sustain their close relationships with the people who are important to them.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/12/2016 Full Outstanding 30/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/11/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC372602 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The quality of care is the very best. The dedication and enthusiasm of all staff mean that care is always child-centred. Staff make sure that the home remains a vibrant place in which young people are able to get the tailored support they need to build up self- esteem, resilience and to deal with significant life challenges.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The care and dedication shown by staff towards young people clearly demonstrate their commitment to maximising young people’s potential through high-quality care planning. Young people experience unconditional nurturing and genuine affection from staff. This promotes trust and improves young people’s sense of well-being. Relationships between the young people can be challenging at times, but staff support them to learn to live as harmoniously as possible together. The positive outcomes arising from these interventions are making a significant difference to young people’s lives. A social worker told the inspector, ‘I have known her for six years, she is a different person. Her behaviours have completely changed. They have been great with her; they understand her so well.’ Another social worker told the inspector, ‘Because of the positivity of the staff and the absence of negative messages, he is moving forward very positively in his

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The health of young people is promoted positively. All young people are appropriately registered for the full range of health services available to them. Young people have access to the organisation’s therapists and staff are well supported to understand and implement the home’s model of therapeutic care. Staff report that the monthly sessions and research-led practice provided by the organisation’s therapists support them in developing strategies that improve the emotional well-being of young people. A social worker told the inspector, ‘The staff are very reflective; they don’t give a reactive response but one that is thoughtful and reflective. It’s a wonderful home that is very therapeutic.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Medication is stored safely, and arrangements for the administration and recording of prescribed and non-prescribed medication are effective.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Strong partnership working with schools, including the organisation’s own school, means that young people make excellent academic progress. They benefit from adapted timetables that balance academic study with the opportunity to gain first-hand vocational experience. This has promoted excellent attendance and good progress relative to their individual ability. A parent told the inspector, ‘My son struggled with his behaviour at school, so they changed his timetable and he does more vocational-type studies now, which works better for him.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people enjoy excellent contact with their parents and carers. Staff consult families and include them in all aspects of their child’s care. This includes ensuring that their views are valued and as far as possible acted upon. A parent told the inspector, ‘I can’t fault the service for what they have done for [name].’ This means that young people Inspection report children’s home: SC372602 4 experience greater opportunities to sustain important relationships that matter to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people are supported to develop independence and life skills that are relevant to their age and level of understanding. They receive a consistent level of help and support to learn new things and to develop their independence. Within the home, young people are encouraged to take part in budgeting, shopping for food items, meal preparation and to prepare their own snacks. The home has a structured programme for teaching young people daily living skills to help equip them with the practical skills necessary to take care of themselves. Acquiring daily living skills will help young people to make a successful transition into adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people make a positive contribution to the home. They are encouraged to express their views and make choices about their life decisions and how the home is run. Young people are consulted through a range of different means, for example regular key-work sessions, regular young people’s meetings and involvement in reviews of their care. Young people’s views have informed their placement plans, the choice of decoration in the home, the activities available to them and the selection of meals they eat. This gives young people a strong message that people do care about them and will take appropriate steps to make sure they have the same opportunities in life as any other young people. A young person told the inspector, ‘I like it here because the house is settled and the staff listen to you.’

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

Young people are afforded every possible opportunity to feel safe and secure.

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

Staff are alert to young people’s vulnerabilities and risks of harm. The staff team is extremely knowledgeable about how to implement child protection procedures and treat the safety of young people as a high priority.

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

The manager and staff place a strong value on creating positive relationships with young people that help to generate a culture of openness and trust. This trust enables the staff to manage challenging behaviours particularly well. In turn, this gives young people clear boundaries that enable them to make safe decisions. A social worker told the inspector, ‘Staff from the home have been so consistent and committed with her; I have no concerns around her safety.’

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

Staff place an exceptionally strong focus on the welfare of each young person and provide clear parameters about the use of the internet as well as having appropriate safeguards in place. Young people are exceptionally well supported, receiving support and guidance to keep themselves safe, both in the community and online. Risk assessments completed by staff are comprehensive and realistic, and contribute effectively to safeguarding the young people in their care.

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

Staff work through difficult periods with young people, displaying resilience and empathy. A social worker told the inspector, ‘The staff are excellent; they really understand him, it was very easy to give up on him but they haven’t.’ This was validated Inspection report children’s home: SC372602 5 by a parent, who said, ‘He can be very challenging and difficult, but the staff manage this so well.’

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

Staff know how to implement and follow the local authority’s joint protocol and procedures for reporting young people missing from care. They take appropriate action to locate young people quickly, promote their safe return and try to understand the triggers for their behaviour. Young people are provided with an independent person to speak to on their return home. This affords the opportunity to explore the reasons for young people going missing and take action to minimise this in the future.

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

The manager makes sure that young people live in a home that provides the highest level of physical safety and security. Health and safety checks are regularly undertaken. Records show that young people and staff regularly practise evacuation of the building so they know how to respond in an emergency. The home has established systems and structures in place to maintain safe practices and fulfil health and safety obligations.

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

The manager makes sure that young people are protected by the organisation’s thorough recruitment practices. Staff are vetted and assessed as suitable before any appointment is confirmed. Young people contribute to the selection of new staff, taking part in the interview process by asking questions. This practice allows young people influence over who will be caring for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Young people benefit immensely from living in an exceptionally well managed children’s home. The qualified manager has been in post since August 2017 and holds a diploma in leadership, health and social care at level 5. She is committed and dedicated to improving outcomes for young people, has an excellent understanding of their needs and oversees the delivery of high-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The training and development of staff constitute a high priority and ensure that all staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to support young people effectively and promote positive outcomes. The appraisal and supervision process used to manage staff performance ensures that they understand their roles, have clear objectives and are provided with training to support young people’s progress and achievements. Most staff hold qualifications appropriate to their role and those that are not qualified are on course to meet regulatory timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home’s statement of purpose clearly sets out the aims and objectives of the home. This makes it possible for parents or placing authorities to have an accurate understanding of services available. The children’s guide is in accessible formats, including a specially commissioned rap version, so that the document is available to young people with a wide range of differing needs. This means that young people are well informed about the services the home provides.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Routine monitoring and quality assurance of the home support improvement and ensure that young people benefit from high standards of care and opportunities to develop. Inspection report children’s home: SC372602 6 Incidents occurring in the home are closely scrutinised by the manager to evaluate the effectiveness of support strategies. Detailed and thorough reports by an independent visitor identify action points to improve the quality of the home. The manager also makes use of consultation with young people, social workers and parents who complete consultation questionnaires, providing the manager with a further overview of the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and her staff have developed excellent relationships with a variety of partners, including parents, social workers, police and education services. These relationships ensure that young people have the optimum support to develop well in all areas of their lives. A parent told the inspector, ‘The staff are great at keeping in contact with me.’ A social worker said, ‘I have never had so much communication; they keep me updated with phone calls and emails, they are very proactive.’ Appropriate challenge is made to others when the service is not of a standard the manager or staff expect. The manager is an excellent advocate for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There are no requirements or recommendations from the last inspection.

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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: SC372602 7

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Dave Carrigan, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC372602 8 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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