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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC397092 1 SC397092

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Information about this children’s home

This home was registered with Ofsted in July 2009 and is operated by a private company. It provides care for up to three children with complex social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since December 2021. An interim manager is in post, but they are not yet registered with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

An interim inspection was completed on 29 March 2022. The home was judged to have declined in effectiveness. The inspector found that there were serious and widespread concerns about the safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home. On 31 March 2022, Ofsted served a notice of restriction to prevent any further admissions to the home. In addition, compliance notices were issued under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged requires improvement to be good at the full inspection in May 2022. However, shortfalls remained in the leadership and management of the home, and this was judged inadequate. The compliance notice under regulation 12 was considered met. The compliance notice issued under regulation 13 was not met and was reissued. In addition, a further notice was issued in relation to the sufficiency of staffing at the home. The notice of restriction remained in place.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit was completed on 17 June 2022. The inspector found that the two compliance notices issued under regulation 13 were not met and these were reissued. In addition, a further notice of restriction was reissued. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC397092 2 At the time of this monitoring visit, there were no children living at the home. There continues to be staff vacancies and the recruitment of staff is ongoing. Three permanent support workers have been identified to work in the home, but they are currently deployed to work at other homes within the organisation. There are plans in place to recruit an agency support worker to ensure that the home is sufficiently staffed. In addition, the provider has implemented a contingency staffing plan, which includes experienced support workers already employed by the organisation to offer support when required. This will ensure that the home is adequately staffed to meet

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This monitoring visit

the needs of children placed in their care.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has recruited a manager who has recently commenced their post. The manager is not yet registered with Ofsted, but they have submitted their application. The new manager is experienced and has a vision for the home, which he is keen to implement with the support of staff in post.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are now trained in the home’s therapeutic model of care. Two support workers are experienced in their role, and positive feedback has been received about their practice from their current managers. The less-experienced member of staff is described as being passionate and well regarded by others. While some staff training has taken place, this is an area that requires ongoing improvement. As a result, not all staff are well equipped, experienced and skilled to meet the needs of children.

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This monitoring visit

The home’s physical environment has now improved. The children’s bedrooms are well decorated, and consideration has been taken to ensure that bedrooms are suitable for children of varied ages. The environment now feels welcoming and homely.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has considered improvements to the monitoring and reviewing systems. However, these are not yet fully effective, and they have been minimally tested. Consequently, oversight of all aspects of the home requires improvement.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has ensured that staff have received supervision, and a team meeting has taken place. However, the responsible individual has not ensured that the manager has received formal supervision in line with the organisation’s policy. Therefore, leaders are not assured that the manager feels adequately supported and that any areas of their development and practice are reviewed and monitored.

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This monitoring visit

The workforce development plan has not been updated to reflect accurate supervision arrangements of staff and the induction arrangements for the new staff are unclear. Consequently, the manager is not able to demonstrate how staff will be supported.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders have carried out a learning review into the shortfalls in children’s care identified at the previous inspections. However, the review lacks sufficient detail and does not fully highlight the areas of concern identified. In addition, the recommendations are neither specific nor do they provide specific timescales to help Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC397092 3 measure progress. This does not support effective systems to prevent future shortfalls.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found that the home has made sufficient progress to lift the notice of restriction, and that sufficient action has been taken to meet the two compliance notices. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC397092 4

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/03/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 14/12/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/12/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC397092 5

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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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same; and

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons should ensure that staff have the skills to develop positive relationships with children and respond to their needs appropriately. 16 December 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC397092 6 This requirement was issued at the last inspection and is restated as there were no children living at the home at the time of this visit.

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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— that staff—

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; and

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Requirement Due date

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 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons should ensure that staff are able to manage risks effectively and support children to understand the impact that their behaviour may have on each other.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, staff and the manager should ensure that they follow children’s risk assessments.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was issued at the last inspection and is restated as there were no children living at the home at the time of this visit. 16 December 2022

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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 16 December 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC397092 7 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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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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; and

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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)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons should ensure that there are effective monitoring and reviewing systems of the quality of care provided to children. Leaders must ensure that learning reviews are used effectively to help prevent future shortfalls.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered persons should ensure that they have a good understanding of the care provided to the children in the home, and that they have systems in place to ensure that children continue to make good progress.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was issued at the last inspection and is restated as no children have moved on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons must ensure that they evidence that sufficient steps taken have been to ensure that children have a positive experience of moving on from the home. 13 January 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC397092 8 The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered persons must ensure that the manager and staff have regular supervision in line with the organisation’s policies and procedures. 14 October 2022

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Requirement Due date

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 16 December 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC397092 9 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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons should ensure that staff provide sufficient detail when recording physical restraints of children.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the manager should ensure that staff record debriefs and the effectiveness of the measure when consequences are issued to children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was issued at the last inspection and is restated as there were no children living at the home at the time of this visit.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons should ensure that staff maintain an accurate record of children’s day-to-day experiences.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was issued at the last inspection and is restated as there were no children living at the home at the time of this visit. 16 December 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and 16 December 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC397092 10 any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report"). (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons must ensure that they complete a detailed review of the quality of care provided to children and that the action is linked to their findings.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was issued at the last inspection and is restated as there were no children living at the home at the time of this visit.

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Recommendation

 The registered person must ensure that they have developed a workforce plan which includes the details, processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and supervision of practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC397092 11

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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: SC397092 12

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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: Acorn Norfolk Limited, Atria, Spa Road, Bolton BL1 4AG

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Inspector

Mazviita Makiyi, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC397092 13 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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