Children's Home run by Bryn Melyn Care Limited in Shropshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC372619 1 SC372619 Registered provider: Bryn Melyn Care Limited

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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 service is owned by a private company. The home is registered to accommodate one child. Children come to live at the home as a result of family or placement breakdowns. Some children have particular difficulties that make their situation very difficult, or they choose not to live in a family setting at this time. Some children have experienced abuse.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager of this home has been in post since 2010. She holds a national vocational qualification at level 4 in care and management, and a therapeutic childcare degree. She also manages another home located close by.

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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: 18 September 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC372619 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/09/2017 Full Outstanding 19/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/06/2016 Full Good 11/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC372619 3

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Recommendations

 When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  Records must be kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home (regulation 36 (schedule 3(14)). This information should be shared with the placing authority and, where appropriate, with the child’s parents. Evaluation of missing incidents should be undertaken to identify any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff or to record and retain evidence of what worked well. This evaluation should inform the review of the quality of care.

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Recommendations

(‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.31)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff show empathy and understanding towards the young person and consistently apply the home’s therapeutic care model. This gives the young person time to explore and make sense of his emotions and behaviours.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work alongside a member of the in-house clinical team to review the young person’s placement plans. As a result, the young person receives support that reflects, and responds to, his specific circumstances and needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to help the young person progress in education and continue to aspire to his chosen career path. When at times he struggles, staff put in place additional support and introduce new strategies and incentives. As a result, he has successfully interviewed for a uniformed public-service college course.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the young person to develop social skills through new interests such as scooting. This hobby has resulted in him building a good friendship group in the local community. They have introduced him to more interests such as boxing and going to the gym. Inspection report children’s home: SC372619 4

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

Staff have a good awareness of the young person’s needs. His risk assessments are clear about the actions staff need to take to safeguard him. Staff work in partnership with the police and effectively balance increasing his independence while reducing risks.

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

Staff have positive and trusting relationships with the young person. They support him to make informed decisions that help reduce risks. For example, he engages in meaningful key-work sessions which help him to learn how to keep himself safe.

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

Historical behaviours that resulted in damage to property and emotional outbursts are now very rare. There have been no physical interventions or consequences used since the last full inspection.

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

Incidents of the young person going missing from care have taken place. Staff respond promptly and take necessary steps to ensure that he returns home safely. However, this practice, and any actions taken to improve future practice, are not always clearly described in written reports. It is also not always clear when a local authority has completed a return home interview with the young person or what the outcomes of these interviews are. As a result, staff are not able to use this information when assessing risks or putting arrangements in place to protect the young person.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The young person is well supported by a small, dedicated staff team. The positive impact of the previously consistent staff team was recently acknowledged when planning the introduction of a new member of staff. It was recognised that this would cause some disruption to the young person, therefore the introduction was skilfully managed to minimise this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The knowledgeable staff team feels well supported by a very dynamic and enthusiastic registered manager. Its members receive regular supervision and appraisals and are all appropriately qualified. They are motivated by the manager, who is always looking at ways to improve and develop them and improve the young person’s outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff work closely with external professionals, such as education staff and the police. Professionals from other agencies speak highly of their relationships with the team, and of the consistently good progress made by the young person.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC372619 5 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: SC372619 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bryn Melyn Care Limited

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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: SC372619 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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