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

Inspection report children’s home: 1223491 1 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

The home is part of a private organisation. It provides 12-week assessments for up to three children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

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

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children continue to receive all the help and support that they need to optimise their well-being throughout their 12-week assessment period. They often arrive at the home at short notice and while experiencing crisis in their lives. For some children, the main focus of this placement is to immediately reduce specific high-risk behaviours and keep them safe. Staff successfully achieve this by establishing clear boundaries and routines while forming positive influential relationships. This also enables them to complete detailed assessments based on their observations and discussions with children, their families and other agencies. These accurately identify children’s immediate and future needs and aspirations.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children feel listened to and able to influence the care that they receive. They successfully re-establish healthy, age-appropriate day-to-day routines. After being out of education, or full-time education, for considerable periods of time, they access education Inspection report children’s home: 1223491 2 on the site of the home. They establish good attendance. They undertake assessments which provide educators with baselines to support future academic progress. Children attend health appointments. Where it is identified that treatment is required, staff ensure that the children access it. Children eat a healthy diet and establish regular sleep patterns. They significantly reduce high-risk behaviours such as going missing, drug and alcohol use and self-harm. They engage in age-appropriate hobbies and interests and focus on what they want to achieve in the future.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have a clear understanding of how to manage any safeguarding allegations. They receive regular safeguarding training which includes a range of topics, including children missing from home and identifying child sexual exploitation. Children who are identified as being at risk of going missing are monitored carefully. When incidents occur, they are appropriately managed and, where necessary, referred to partnership agencies.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The standard of accommodation is generally good. There is a rolling refurbishment plan which is proactively supported by the management and staff team. The positioning of plug sockets and fixed-down furniture in one child’s bedroom does not enable them to have a bedside lamp. It also means that wires from a television are stretched across wardrobe doors, which present a potential hazard.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager had just started in post at the last full Ofsted inspection in May 2017. She has met the previous two requirements and one recommendation. She has worked hard to stabilise this service and drive up standards. She has established a consistent staff team with a clear management structure. Good focus has been given to ensuring the team’s professional development through regular supervisions, team meetings and training. All supervising staff have attended supervision training. However, the registered manager’s supervision training has lapsed and, as a result, her skill level has not been developed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is proactive partnership work with professionals and there are positive links with both the clinical and education staff based at the home. The current registered manager has established effective systems that ensure that the 12-week assessment timescale does not drift and cause anxiety to children. However, when a local authority struggles to identify the right next placement, or this placement is delayed, then the registered manager will consider extending a child’s stay. This decision is not made lightly and is based on the child’s needs and any risks or impact to other children living at home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/05/2017 Full Good 22/11/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: 1223491 3

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to one young person’s bedroom and ensuring that they have suitably accessible plug sockets. 31/03/2018

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Recommendations

 The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. Professionally qualified staff employed by the home, e.g. teachers or social workers, should be provided with relevant professional or clinical supervision by an appropriate qualified and experienced professional. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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Recommendations

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that she has up-to- date supervision training.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: 1223491 4 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: 1223491 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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