Children's home run by Bryn Melyn Care Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1255147 1 Registered provider: Bryn Melyn Care

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to eight girls who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A private provider operates the home. The registered manager has managed the service since it was registered and opened in July 2017. He holds the registered managers’ award and has previous experience of being a registered manager with another organisation.

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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

Date of last inspection: 5 December 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1255147 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/12/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 1255147 3

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Recommendations

 The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. They should be skilled in anticipating difficulties and reviewing incidents, such as learning from disruptions and placement breakdowns. They are responsible for proactively implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. Everyone working at the home must understand their roles and responsibilities and what they are authorised to decide on their own initiative. There should be clear lines of accountability. Each home must have arrangements in place to maintain effective management when the manager is absent, off duty or on leave. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience planned moves into the home, which helps them settle quickly. They are actively involved in the process and chose to live at this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children engage in age-appropriate interests and activities. Staff encourage more community involvement, in order to widen children’s social circles. For example, one child has become a member of a local rugby club and has recently played in her first match.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children maintain positive relationships with their families and friends. One child has recently experienced her first overnight stay with a school friend, which she described as ‘pretty cool’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote education by encouraging children to attend, and rewarding participation and achievements. Staff liaise with school professionals and attend meetings to ensure that children’s needs are met and educational outcomes improve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children learn skills that they require to become independent and progress on into adulthood. They take responsibility for tasks around the house. As they become older they learn to budget, shop and cook. They learn to take responsibility for the care and Inspection report children’s home: 1255147 4 welfare of others by caring for pets, including fish, hamsters, rabbits and a cat.

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

Staff educate children, and support them to develop skills to make informed decisions that reduce risks. They have regular formal and informal discussions that cover a range of topics, including child sexual exploitation, drug abuse, going missing from care, internet safety and safe sex.

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

High-risk incidents and the use of physical interventions are low. Children with a history of going missing from care are supported effectively and stop going missing.

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

When children do make mistakes, or poor decisions, staff take appropriate action to ensure their safety. When necessary, they work in partnership with external agencies. Once a child is safe, and the immediate risk is addressed, staff provide reassurance and support to prevent future occurrences.

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

Managers ensure that the environment is safe. Staff involve the children in maintaining and personalising the house and garden. There have been some team and group activities in the grounds of the house, which have promoted working and living together.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This relatively new staff team continues to grow and develop as the number of children living at the home increases. The team has been strengthened by the recruitment of experienced seniors to support staff and oversee shifts.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well informed by the company’s induction and training programme. They are more knowledgeable and confident with regard to policies, procedures and the completion of records. With the support of the managers, and the clinician attached to the home, staff have built positive relationships with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A clinician is employed two days a week to support the children and staff team. The previous clinician recently left and a new person has been appointed into the role. Managers, the staff team and children would benefit from reviewing the impact of this role and what they want from it moving forward.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff work closely with external professionals and parents. As a result, they feel well informed and have a good understanding of children’s outcomes. They are always welcomed into the home and involved in key events in children’s lives. However, feedback received by external professionals to improve practice and outcomes is not always quickly acted upon. Inspection report children’s home: 1255147 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 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: 1255147 6

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Christopher Whitworth

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Inspector

Dawn Bennett, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1255147 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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