Children's home run by Keys Child Care Limited in Telford and Wrekin

Inspection report for children's home: SC449245 1 SC449245 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

This home is managed by a private provider and is registered to provide care for up to three children. At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Information about this children's home

The home has two managers who registered with Ofsted in September 2019 and in December 2024. Both managers are suitably qualified. At the time of the inspection, one manager was overseeing the home while the other is currently off work.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children's home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC449245 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/03/2024 Full Outstanding 21/02/2023 Full Good 17/11/2021 Full Good 24/09/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC449245 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children living at this home receive warm and nurturing care from a dedicated and empathetic staff team. Staff are skilled and persistent in building strong and trusting relationships with children. These relationships provide children with stability and help them to make excellent progress over time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s achievements are valued and celebrated, and staff and managers are proud and enthusiastic about the progress children make. Children are supported and encouraged to take part in positive activities and to develop age-appropriate independence skills. For example, one child expressed an interest in going to a concert. Staff helped the child to plan and prepare for this trip over several weeks and to help them manage their anxieties around this. As a result, the child attended the concert successfully. This was a positive experience for them, and they have since attended further events.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff provide children with individualised support around their education. For example, before moving to this home, one child had not attended school consistently for some time. Managers worked effectively with education professionals to remove barriers to the child taking part in education. With support from staff, this child is now engaging in regular tuition sessions and is working towards sitting their exams.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

For one child, the manager has identified a need for a greater focus on them being offered educational and constructive activities when they are not attending school. However, at the time of the inspection, measures put in place to address this had not yet been fully embedded.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Since the last inspection, two children have moved from the home to live with family members. Both moves were extremely well planned and child focused, with children’s needs and views being reflected throughout. For one child, managers and staff worked with external professionals and family members over several months to support a gradual move back home for them. This included staff transporting the child daily to their new school in their home area for several weeks to help their transition. Staff and managers also maintain contact with children after they leave the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home environment is clean and spacious, although some areas need minor repairs and redecoration. The manager has advised that a plan is underway for any necessary work around the home to be completed soon. Children are able to choose how they would like their bedrooms decorated and furnished, and each child’s bedroom is highly personalised. Inspection report for children's home: SC449245 4

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

Incidents rarely take place at this home. The strong relationships that staff build with children are key to keeping them safe. Staff know the children well and understand their needs. As a result, staff can intervene and provide children with additional support and reassurance as required to prevent difficult situations escalating.

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

When incidents do take place, staff respond appropriately and empathetically. Staff speak to children about appropriate behaviour and provide clear boundaries and expectations. One child said that they feel safe and happy living here, and that staff have helped them to learn different ways of managing their feelings when they are angry or anxious.

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

When children self-harm or experience difficulties with their mental health, staff provide appropriate and compassionate responses. Staff have good-quality follow up discussions with children after incidents. These conversations demonstrate the positive and supportive relationships between staff and children.

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

Staff have appropriate training in safeguarding and understand each child’s individual needs and risks. Staff speak to children about keeping safe online and in the community. However, the manager acknowledges that these discussions could take place more frequently and be documented more clearly.

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

When there are concerns about staff practice, managers take swift action. Appropriate safeguarding processes are followed and, where appropriate, staff are provided with additional support and guidance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager overseeing the home is dedicated, aspirational and child focused. She has a clear vision for the home and a good understanding of the staff team’s strengths and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works well with other professionals and there are multiple examples of her advocating strongly for children. Professionals and family members were positive about the communication from the manager and staff, and about the quality of care given to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, there have been changes to the staff team, with several staff moving on and agency staff being used. Leaders and managers have taken action to recruit new staff and to minimise the impact of agency workers caring for the children. For example, regular agency staff are being used where possible, and changes are being made to the rota to ensure that permanent staff support children for important events.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they enjoy working at this home and feel very well supported by managers and colleagues. Staff speak warmly about the children who live here, and they understand their needs and preferences. However, the language used in some records Inspection report for children's home: SC449245 5 and by some staff is not always child focused. The manager has identified this as an area of ongoing development for the staff team and has begun to take action to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular supervision takes place, which staff say they find helpful. However, supervisions do not always provide enough opportunities for staff to reflect on and develop their own practice. The manager has identified a need for better-quality supervision, and specialised training has been arranged for managers and senior staff. Inspection report for children's home: SC449245 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that when children are not in full-time education that they are supported to maintain age-appropriate routines and to take part in suitable, structured activities. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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 for children's home: SC449245 7

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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: Maybrook House, Third Floor, Queensway, Halesowen B63 4AH

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Children's home details

Registered managers: Amy Mullard and Cody Bagley

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Inspector

Janet Jauregui, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC449245 8 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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