Children's Home run by Reflexion Care Group Limited in Shropshire

SC389830 Unique reference number 27 May 2009 Inspection date Dawn Taylor Inspector Key Type of Inspection

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3 February 2009 Date of last inspection .

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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You can obtain copies of The Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters and The National Minimum Standards for Children's Services from: The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Cripins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcome for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and relevant National Minimum Standards for the establishment.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is strong Good: this aspect of the provision is sound Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is not good enough Inadequate: 3 of 8 Inspection Report: SC389830

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Brief description of the service

This children’s home is registered to accommodate one young person, male or female, with an age range from 10 up until their 18 birthday.

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Brief description of the service

It is rurally situated on the outskirts of a village a few miles from a large town. The detached house is set back from a main road and has been upgraded and refurbished for its current purpose. The home is set in its own enclosed garden.

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Brief description of the service

The home is intended to provide a high degree of personalised care for one young person presenting challenging behaviour who cannot be placed with peers. It operates a permanent two-to-one staffing ratio.

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Summary

This inspection was an unannounced full inspection visit. The overall outcome judgement for this home is good. The outcome groups relating to Being Healthy, Staying Safe, Enjoying and Achieving, Positive Contribution, Economic Wellbeing and Organisation were all assessed as good.

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Summary

This service is effectively meeting the individual needs of the young people placed in line with their placement plans and with their proactive involvement. The overall quality rating is good. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

There were no previous actions or recommendations made.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Young peoples' health care needs are being effectively met. They are supported to register and attend appointments with appropriate health care professionals. Information gathered from consultations is effectively recorded and used to inform each young person's health care plan. Health care plans are detailed and contain historic and current information that ensures staff are able to met identified health care needs. There are a range of detailed policies, procedures and guidance for staff on promoting healthy living, meeting young peoples' health care needs and administering medication. Staff also receive training on first aid, handling and administering medication and a range of other health related topics during induction and then through a rolling programme of training events.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young people feel that the staff team encourages them to lead a healthy life style through exercise, a healthy diet and having a good understanding of the negative effects of substances such as drugs, tobacco and alcohol. They are confident that staff would be able to offer advice on and help to address any health problem and could easily identify how they had been aided to improve their health. 4 of 8 Inspection Report: SC389830 Young people learn about nutrition and diet by being involved in the planning, purchasing and preparation of meals. Young people stated that staff listened and took into account their likes, dislikes and allergies but also encouraged them to try new food. Young people felt that the kitchen and dining room are well furnished and equipped, which makes food preparation and mealtimes a more enjoyable experience.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Young people feel that their safety and well being is being effectively promoted by a staff team who genuinely are concerned about their future. There are clear policies, procedures and staff guidance on safeguarding children, addressing bullying, investigating complaints, responding to unauthorised absences and promoting appropriate behaviour.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff are proactive at supporting young people to develop strategies for improving behaviour and coping with difficult situations. Young people state that they feel listened to and can identify key staff who they would talk to. They found key worker sessions to be meaningful and useful. Records of key incidents are clearly recorded by a well informed staff team and regularly monitored by the Registered Manager and regulation 33 visitor. Where appropriate there are established links with other external professionals, such as the local police, this promotes and fosters positive relationships before the need for intervention. This ensures staff practice is professional and meets the needs of young people. It also demonstrates that the aims and objectives set for the young people in this home are being effectively met.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young peoples' safety is further promoted by a clear health and safety policy, which ensures risks are identified and appropriate action is taken to manage and reduce them. Young people and staff are involved in fire drills and there are regular checks on all fire and electrical equipment to ensure it is in good working order.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Records relating to staff recruitment and selection were checked at the company's headquarters in early May 2009. The company's recruitment and selection process is robust and the procedure aspires to undertake checks over and above those required in the children's homes regulations. However, there was one shortfall for this service, where a second reference had not been obtained prior to recruitment. The organisation took immediate action to address this shortfall and potential risk to young peoples' safety and has reviewed recruitment procedures and practice.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Young peoples' individual support needs are initially identified through an established referral process. This information is then used to feed into a placement plan and forms a base line for the staff team to start working from. The staff team have proactively used this information to form positive relationships with the young people they support and develop an understanding of their individual needs. The staff team are flexible in their approach and use key worker sessions and daily discussions to ensure all support is individualised and in line with the young peoples' needs and wishes.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young peoples' educational needs are identified and met by the company's registered school. Young people state that staff work hard to promote education and support them to attend by 5 of 8 Inspection Report: SC389830 accompanying them when appropriate. There is daily contact between staff at the home and education and each young person has a daily report where points are earned.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Young peoples' placement plans are detailed and up to date and ensure that each young person's assessed needs and the objectives of the placement are clearly identified. These identified needs and objectives are supported by a well-informed staff team. Whilst the effectiveness of the placement is regularly monitored by a proactive manager and established quality assurance processes. Each young person has a key worker who meets with them on a regular basis to ensure the requirements of their plan are implemented on a day to day basis. Young people also state that key worker sessions are also used to provide individual support and guidance.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Young peoples' needs and development, as set out in their placement plan, are also being effectively monitored through care reviews. These are taking place at appropriate intervals with the involvement of young people, who are being sensitively supported to attend and participate by the staff team and their key worker. This service is proactive at involving young people in processes and decisions about their own life and about the running of the home. There are a range of formal and informal means of supporting discussions and encouraging opinions.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The staff team are also supporting young people to maintain constructive contact with their parents and family members. Contact arrangements are clear to young people because they are recorded in placement plans and the staff team are well informed. There is good evidence in the home of staff ensuring links with local communities as well as family are maintained through conversation triggers.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

There are established procedures for supporting young people to move into and leave the home. These provide staff with clear guidance and practical options that ensure the most appropriate and sensitive approach can be implemented for each individual young person depending upon their circumstance. Young people state that the staff team are good at supporting young people to move into the home and make them feel welcome and safe.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The provision is good. Young people are proactively supported to develop all the skills they will require when they eventually leave care and either return to their family or start an independent life of their own. Staff are supported by policies and procedures that promote the rights of young person to be actively involved in planning for their future and in the running of the home. Depending upon the interest, age and abilities of the young people their need to develop life skills will be encouraged and supported.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

The home is furnished, decorated and maintained to a good standard. Staff and young people state that it contains all the facilities they require. It is a warm and welcoming environment that the staff team and young people work hard to maintain. The company have recently employed the services of an external maintenance team, this demonstrates their commitment to develop and maintain high standards of accommodation for young people. 6 of 8 Inspection Report: SC389830

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Organisation

The organisation is good. There is a current and up-to-date statement of purpose and children's guide that accurately describes what the home sets out to do for the young people it cares for. This information is supported by clear, up-to-date policies, procedures and staff guidance that are introduced to all staff during induction, mandatory training and a rolling programme of additional training. Staff are knowledgeable and promote the company's values and ethos. They feel that they are well supported by the home's Registered Manager and the company's commitment to training and personal development.

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Organisation

Staff rotas are well organised to ensure that young people are provided with enough staff to meet their needs in line with assessments of risk. Staffing levels are high and consequently good levels of supervision are maintained for young people. Staff use handover periods effectively between shifts and the importance of teamwork is well acknowledged by the team. Young people feel they are well-supported by a consistent staff team who know them well.

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Organisation

The promotion of equality and diversity is good. Staff receive training that helps them to understand the company's policies. This is linked to the legislation relating to equality and diversity and helps staff to develop professionally. The company continues to place a high priority on staff training. There is a designated training coordinator who organises regular training events. For example, child development, drug awareness, working with young people who self-injure, autism and aspergers syndrome and promoting children's rights. Over eighty percent of the team working at the home are qualified to National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 3 and higher. The remaining staff member has completed 70% of the programme of training. Newly appointed staff complete the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) standards during their induction period.

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Organisation

Practice and records are continually monitored by the home's Registered Manager through regulation 34 reports and by the regulation 33 visitor's reports. Both are completed to a high standard and ensure the responsible individuals are aware of the quality of practice in the home.

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Organisation

Young peoples' case files are maintained to a good standard by the staff team and their key worker, and monitored by the home's Registered Manager.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person meets the Care Standards Act 2000, The Childrens Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider must comply with the given timescales.

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Due date Action Standard

30 June 2009 obtain for all staff, before they start work at the home, all the information set out in Regulation 26 and any checks in line with the company's recruitment procedure Children's Homes NMS regulation 26. 7 of 8 Inspection Report: SC389830

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Recommendations

There are no recommendations. 8 of 8 Inspection Report: SC389830

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