Children's home run by Bryn Melyn Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1255147 1

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Bryn Melyn Care Limited

Monitoring visit 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 eight children. There were two children in placement at the time of the visit. There is currently no registered manager in post.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring inspection took place following two complaints to Ofsted, which suggested there may be a breach in regulations. There were two young people in placement at the time of the monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

The home currently does not have a registered manager in post. The home has a manager who is making an application to become the registered manager. This person was previously the deputy manager although she was appointed as the manager after a short period as acting manager in the home. The manager has been covering shifts to address shortfalls in staffing and the provider has not filled the deputy role. As a result, the manager is unable to ensure sufficient management oversight of the home.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has failed to ensure that there is a sufficient number of experienced staff in the home to meet the needs of the young people living there. Six staff, including the registered manager, have left since the last inspection on 28 August 2019. Out of the six remaining permanent staff, only three staff, including the manager, have completed their probation. Insufficient staffing levels mean that there is a lack of experienced staff to meet young people’s needs.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not have sufficient knowledge to care for young people. The training matrix provided by the manager identifies that none of the staff have had training in key issues, including in relation to self-harm, and three staff have not had ligature training. This means that not all staff working with young people who self-harm have the skills required to keep them safe. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1255147 2 Young people do not receive consistent care. Staff employed through an agency and staff from other homes are being used to address shortfalls in the staff rota and this has led to inconsistency for young people.

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This monitoring visit

New staff to the home do not receive supervision in line with the company’s policy. This does not ensure that there is sufficient oversight of staff practice or that new staff are supported in their roles.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not always follow risk management strategies identified in young people’s risk assessments. For example, there have been at least three occasions where staff have not carried out the required monitoring of a young person who is identified as being at high risk of harming themselves. Furthermore, staff do not complete regular key-work sessions with young people to help them understand how to keep safe.

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This monitoring visit

The provider does not ensure that all staff working with young people understand where bags containing ligature cutters are kept. Monitoring of equipment required to keep young people safe is inconsistent.

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This monitoring visit

Shortfalls were identified in the recording of restraint. Records do not contain sufficient detail to establish why restraint was necessary. Young people do not receive debriefs following the use of restraint or measures of control within the required timeframe. In addition, the manager does not ensure that there is independent oversight of any restraints that she is involved in. This does not ensure that staff practice is safe or that any areas of concern are addressed.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not ensure that young people’s case records contain the required documents, such as local authority care plans. This does not ensure that staff have all of the required information to inform young people’s care. Staff also do not consistently record whether young people have received pocket money and activity money.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted has issued the provider with two compliance notices and has also issued a notice restricting accommodation. Ofsted will undertake a further unannounced monitoring visit to monitor the provider’s compliance with these notices.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 28/08/2019 Full Good 11/03/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 16/04/2018 Full Good 05/12/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1255147 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 staff— *assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; help each child understand how to keep safe; and that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i)(ii)(b)) 09/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the staff work as a team where appropriate; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; *ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; *ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(c)(d)(e)(h)) 09/02/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1255147 4 The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with

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Requirement Due date

appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 09/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) (b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv)) 09/02/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1255147 5 The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 09/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1255147 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

Sarah Billett, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1255147 7 to 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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