Preston Springs Farmhouse

Inspection report children’s home: SC441080 1 SC441080 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 home is registered for three children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is owned and managed by a private company.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people receive care from knowledgeable, committed and caring staff.  The staff and in-house clinical team work together to provide young people with consistent care.  Staff support young people to form strong relationships. This helps young Inspection report children’s home: SC441080 2 people to deal with challenges and make sense of difficult thoughts and feelings.  Staff recognise and respond to risks. This helps to keep young people safe.  The manager is ambitious and is committed to the home’s continuous development. He identifies the home’s strengths and areas for development effectively.  Good collaborative working relationships with partner agencies ensure that young people receive coordinated care.  Staff feel supported by the management team and are given opportunities to develop.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Ensure that local risks are identified and addressed within the home’s location risk assessment.  Ensure that young people’s risk assessments reflect current levels of risk and control measures.  Ensure that all recruitment checks are robust and safe.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 27/07/2016 Full Good 15/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 15/06/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC441080 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 registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). (Regulation 46 (c)) 23/04/2018

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns 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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Recommendations

 Ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) In particular, ensure that recruitment practice is consistently thorough and the registered manager undertakes safer recruitment training to develop his knowledge and understanding.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive care from a committed team of staff who know them well and invest in them. This helps young people to build strong and trusting relationships. A parent told the inspector, ‘The staff bend over backwards. They’ll go that extra mile.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff show empathy and understanding to young people and consistently apply the home’s therapeutic care model. This gives young people time to explore and make sense of their emotions and behaviours. As a result, young people are more settled and secure. Inspection report children’s home: SC441080 4 This is significant progress for some young people who, in the past, struggled to form trusting relationships. A social worker told the inspector they had seen ‘huge changes’ in a young person, and stated, ‘The young person is talking about issues they’ve never spoken about before. The staff have helped them to open up.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work alongside the in-house clinical team to review young people’s placement plans. As a result, young people receive support that reflects, and responds to, their circumstances. Regular key-work sessions help young people to understand their care plans and reflect on challenges and achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff are ambitious, and encourage young people to attend school and achieve their potential. For some young people this is a significant achievement from their starting points. Recently, some young people have found it difficult to engage in education. Young people are currently being offered education in their home, and other alternative learning arrangements. Staff work closely with the school to encourage young people back into full-time education. This work is ongoing, and the registered manager is aware that if this work is unsuccessful, young people risk falling behind their peers. He is keeping this under review.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are supported by staff to maintain contact with their family and friends. Young people receive encouragement from staff to develop appropriate friendships. This helps young people build social skills and develop a sense of belonging to the local community. Young people also receive encouragement to take part in hobbies and other enjoyable activities. For example, one young person is a keen pool player and enjoys playing against staff. Another young person has a flair and talent for hair and beauty and enjoys visits to nail salons.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff consult with young people about day-to-day decisions and important events. For example, young people choose how their bedrooms are decorated. Staff are also planning to consult young people on the redesign of the games room. Young people hold regular meetings and participate in the day-to-day running of their home. This gives young people a sense of belonging and helps to boost their self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people know how to complain. The manager responds to young people’s complaints in a timely manner and takes them seriously. Investigations are rigorous and follow appropriate guidelines. Young people understand the process and receive clear feedback on the outcome. As a result, young people feel listened to and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff offer carefully planned and sensitive introductions to help new young people settle in. Young people are encouraged to visit the home before moving in. Staff have also visited young people in their previous placements. This helps young people to feel less anxious about their move to a new home. Inspection report children’s home: SC441080 5

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

Staff understand safeguarding procedures and respond to concerns in a timely and rigorous manner. Staff receive regular training which helps them to understand risk and respond to it. This helps to promote young people’s safety and welfare.

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

Staff respond promptly when young people go missing and take necessary steps to ensure that young people return home safely. This includes staff following young people in the home’s vehicle to maintain contact and ensure that isolated paths and roads remain lit. In general, young people receive timely return home interviews from an independent person. The manager does challenge local authorities when this does not happen quickly. As a result, young people have the opportunity to talk about why they went missing from home and what happened while they were absent.

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

Risk assessments provide staff with information and strategies to keep young people safe from harm. Staff use one-to-one sessions to help young people understand their behaviour and the associated risks. However, some risk assessments don’t contain updated information on the actions that staff should take to keep young people safe. The potential risk of this recording shortfall is lessened as staff clearly understand current levels of risk and their role in managing the risks.

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

Staff have an excellent insight into young people’s care history and its influence on risk- taking behaviour. Staff respond to challenging situations calmly, allowing young people time and space to make sense of their emotions. This helps to defuse difficult situations. As a result, physical intervention is used rarely, and only as a last resort.

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

The safeguarding culture in the home is open and honest. This ensures that incidents are robustly investigated and safeguarding procedures adhered to. As a result, young people are safe and secure in their home.

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

The manager notifies relevant agencies about significant events in a timely manner. The manager seeks advice from partner agencies when young people display challenging or risky behaviour. For example, the manager organises multi-agency meetings when young people regularly go missing. This ensures that young people receive a coordinated response to keep them safe.

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

Staff undertake regular health and safety checks. As a result, staff maintain a safe home environment for young people to live in. Young people and staff regularly practice the fire evacuation drill and know what to do in the event of such an emergency.

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

The home’s location risk assessment does not include detail on all local risks. These include easily accessible farm outbuildings and a large pond in the immediate vicinity of the home. A requirement is raised to ensure that such risks are properly assessed to keep young people safe. Inspection report children’s home: SC441080 6

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been in post since March 2017 and is undertaking a level 5 diploma in leadership and management. The staff team is suitably qualified with a good balance of experience and skill. As a result, young people receive care from staff who have a range of expertise. The manager makes sure that there is appropriate staffing and resource during unsettled and challenging periods.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the young people well and is passionate about their care. This ethos is present throughout the staff team. The manager understands young people’s needs and ensures that plans are in place to help them progress. Managerial oversight ensures that young people continue to make progress from their starting points. The manager has developed a learning culture and encourages staff to be curious and reflective about their practice. A member of staff told the inspector, ‘We are encouraged to reflect. It’s really helpful as it focuses on the progress of young people. I feel able to speak and don’t feel judged.’ As a result, young people receive well-thought-out and consistent support from staff who genuinely care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has worked hard to develop the home. Upon commencing his role, the manager identified shortfalls and put plans in place to address them. The introduction of staff development plans has given staff a new sense of purpose. Staff thrive in a working environment that encourages personal development through reflection and healthy debate. Team development days and regular staff meetings encourage learning and strengthen staff morale. The manager and in-house clinical team also work together to ensure that the home’s therapeutic model is consistently applied. This ensures that young people receive care that responds to their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff work closely with the organisation’s school, the police and local authorities. A social worker told the inspector, ‘The staff go above and beyond. They keep me updated every step of the way. I can’t fault them.’ This joined-up approach ensures that young people benefit from a range of expertise to help them progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak highly of their manager and feel supported by him. Staff receive regular supervision, providing an opportunity to explore their professional development and the development of young people. Staff also benefit from a varied training programme that ensures they have the necessary skills to meet the needs of young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An independent person visits the home monthly and provides an in-depth, impartial assessment of the home. This external scrutiny helps to ensure that young people are safeguarded and their well-being is promoted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This inspection identified that, when recruiting new staff, managers and the organisation’s human resources department do not always ensure that recruitment checks are robust and clearly recorded. For example, more scrutiny was needed when checking a new staff member’s previous employment reference. The registered manager has not undertaken safer recruitment training to improve his knowledge and understanding of this area of practice. Inspection report children’s home: SC441080 7

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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: SC441080 8

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Gareth Leckey, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC441080 9 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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Inspector

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