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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2484180 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

This home is operated by a large private company. It provides care for up to four children who exhibit complex behaviours because of their childhood experiences. It was registered by Ofsted in October 2018.

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This monitoring visit

On 30 June and 1 July 2021, Ofsted undertook a full inspection. The home was judged inadequate. In response to that visit, Ofsted issued two compliance notices under regulation 12, the protection of children standard and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was undertaken to review progress since the last full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

On 13 August 2021, the registered manager stepped down from his management position. Ofsted has not yet received his notice to voluntarily cancel his registration. Since 16 August 2021, the deputy manager has been in day-to-day charge of the home. Recruitment for a new manager is taking place.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of the enforcement action taken, the provider has implemented an action plan to demonstrate how they will meet the compliance notices and requirements. Additionally, an improvement board has been formed and a quality assurance officer visits the home on a weekly basis. Senior leaders and managers meet on a weekly basis to review progress against the action plan and to drive improvement.

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This monitoring visit

Since the previous inspection, managers and staff have made positive progress in working towards meeting the compliance notices that have an end date of 30 August 2021. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2484180 2 The responsible individual has engaged with the placing authorities and has shared children’s updated care plans and risk assessments. As a result, information sharing and communication between social workers and the provider are improving.

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This monitoring visit

Training is being delivered by the national care manager. Staff told the inspector that they have now received training around safeguarding, whistle-blowing, allegations and recording and reporting. Following the training staff have completed assessment questionnaires. The results from these assessments inform managers on whether staff have the necessary knowledge and understanding or if there continues to be gaps in their learning so that these can be addressed.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s use of mobile devices is now monitored by staff. This ensures that children are protected from any potential risk of harm or abuse.

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This monitoring visit

Children are happy living in the home. A child told the inspector that she now has a part-time job and is enjoying it. Another child reported that he is settling to bed at night because staff are helping him. As a result, children continue to make progress.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are committed to their role. A staff member said, ‘We have staff here who love their jobs, we will only succeed if we all work as a team. I enjoy working here, there are lots of opportunities. A new company has taken over so lots of change, I hope things will become more stable. I still feel motivated.’ Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2484180 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 30/06/2021 Full Inadequate 06/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 16/04/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2484180 4

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the registered manager escalates concerns to the police and local authority to ensure that there is a joined-up approach when a child is missing from home. This also relates to effective communication with the professionals in children’s lives and the need to raise concerns when a child is not receiving recommended specialist support. 30 August 2021

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure —

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; 30 August 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2484180 5 take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the registered manager’s assessment of risk for children. Staff must understand their responsibilities in safeguarding children and take action to ensure that children are safe and their welfare is promoted.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, leaders and managers must ensure that action is taken in relation to allegations of abuse against members of staff and with regards to poor staff practice, in line with the company’s safeguarding policy and wider safeguarding practice.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that managers and staff understand and carry out their roles in keeping children safe, particularly with regards to risks of self-harm, child exploitation and internet safety.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last monitoring visit and is restated. 30 August 2021

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; 30 August 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2484180 6 that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that managers and staff record and report on incidents when a child makes an allegation of abuse in the home. They must act to safeguard the children’s welfare and understand their roles in relation to this duty.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the manager’s responsibility for safeguarding children and ensuring that the home’s child protection and safeguarding policies are followed in the home. Managers must also have clear monitoring and review systems in place to improve practice and understand children’s progress.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last monitoring visit and is restated. 30 August 2021

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 30 August 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2484180 7 ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the staff work as a team and that they provide consistent and continuous care to children. Managers must ensure that staff complete specific training suitable to the needs of the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last monitoring visit and is restated.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f))

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Requirement Due date

Managers must also have clear systems in place to understand and improve children’s experiences and the quality of care they receive.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last monitoring visit and is restated. 30 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(b)) 30 August 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2484180 8 This specifically relates to ensuring that managers review and submit an up-to-date copy of the home’s statement of purpose to Ofsted within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children—

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Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children. (Regulation 28 (1)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the skills of the registered manager in relation to providing care that safeguards children in the home. 30 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must operate a disciplinary procedure which, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provides for the suspension from work of an employee if necessary in the interests of the safety or welfare of children; and

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Requirement Due date

provides that the failure on the part of an employee to report an incident of abuse, or suspected abuse, whether past or present, in relation to a child to the appropriate person is a ground on which disciplinary proceedings may be instituted. (Regulation 33 (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that appropriate action is considered and taken with staff when they have failed to report an incident of abuse in relation to a child. 30 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out— how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 30 August 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2484180 9 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 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 (1)(a)(b)(3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the recording and reporting of a physical restraint with a child within the required timescales. In particular, managers must ensure that the effectiveness of the measure used is evaluated and recorded. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2484180 10 This requirement was made at the last monitoring visit and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that notifications of significant incidents are made to the regulator accurately and in a timely manner.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last monitoring visit and is restated. 30 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the independent person’s report provides actions that the registered person may take to improve the quality of care received by children in the home. 30 August 2021

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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 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the home’s location risk assessment and the need for the registered manager to review, update and include all risks to children based on the environment and the home’s location. 30 August 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2484180 11 *These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person must ensure that staff take good care to ensure prescribed medicines are only administered to the individual for whom they are prescribed. Medicines must be administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Records must be kept of the administration of all medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is refused. Regulation 23 requires the registered person to ensure that they make suitable arrangements to manage, administer and dispose of any medication. These are fundamentally the same sorts of arrangements as a good parent would make but are subject to additional safeguards. Where the home has questions or concerns about a child’s medication, they should approach an expert such as a general medical practitioner, community pharmacist or designated nurse for children looked after. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)

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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.

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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: Atria, Spa Road, Bolton BL1 4AG

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Inspector

Michelle Spruce, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2484180 12 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 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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