After a follow-up inspection by Care Inspectorate Wales (pdf), Maple Tree House – a council-run care home for children in Bridgend – is no longer deemed to be of concern.
Three successive previous inspections – in September 2019, February 2020 and August 2020 – had found the care home had failed to comply with standards in well-being, care & support and leadership.
The latest unannounced inspection – which took place in October 2020 (that’s not a typo, it did take place that long ago) – found that positive steps had been taken in reducing risk-taking behaviour amongst children, care plans and staff training.
Although Maple Tree House is now deemed to comply with all requirements, the inspectorate did note areas that need improvement – which were not mentioned in Bridgend Council’s report (pdf).
These areas of improvement include increased staff supervision, more detailed recording of risk-taking behaviour (and other incidents), as well as more work to encourage the resident children to take part in education.
In the longer term, Maple Tree House is set to be replaced by a new £2.3million children’s residential care centre in Brynmenyn.
