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

Unique reference number SC460973 Inspector David Morgan Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Reflexion Care Group Limited T/A New Reflexions Registered person address Black Birches Hadnall SHREWSBURY Shropshire SY4 3DH Responsible individual Keith Anthony John Harrington Registered manager Jonathan Paul Thomas Date of last inspection 01/11/2013 2 of 5 Inspection date 21/05/2014

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Previous inspection adequate Enforcement action since last inspection There has been no enforcement action since the last inspection.

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This inspection

This home was judged adequate at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

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This inspection

This home was registered in April 2013. Since the last inspection in November 2013, the service has adequately addressed the requirement and three recommendations that were set. As a result, Ofsted is receiving regular monitoring reports with which to assess the ongoing progress of the service. There is also greater clarity about why physical interventions are used, which directly benefits young people by ensuring their care is sufficiently personalised. This has been particularly important recently when there has been a high number of notifiable incidents. The service has communicated well with Ofsted and other agencies regarding such events and shown that child-centred practices are in place. Various positive comments have been received from outside agencies about the professionalism of staff.

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This inspection

Negative incidents have also shown how well the team has consolidated since registration. Reflective discussions are used to good effect and help to ensure that young people feel able to report that they feel safe. One young person reported very favourably on the consistent boundaries that are applied. Reflective discussions are used, for example, in devising and improving, with therapists, individual behaviour management policies that minimise the risks from self-harm. Progress has been made in showing patterns pictorially, for example through the use of graphs. This has transformed the analyses of incidents and led to important changes in staffing and other arrangements. These developments have a direct and positive effect on the care of young people. Staff benefit substantially from the therapist attending staff meetings. However, this is compromised by absent staff not always reading the meeting minutes. Good relationships have been established with local agencies so

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This inspection

that emergencies and allegations are addressed well. This input also improves practices in the home, such as the missing from home policy and environmental risk assessment. 3 of 5 The home is located in a rural area with very few neighbours. However, there are a number of adjacent farm and storage buildings. Appropriate steps have been taken to reduce the opportunities for young people to access such building inappropriately. Internally, the property retains many of the original farm house features. Improvements have been made to make windows in particular more secure so they are less easily broken. Work is underway to remedy previous damage to doors and fittings. The office is fit for purpose and conveniently located on the ground floor. However, storage of some files, including archived files, is more secure than required so that only the manager has access. Others, including some files for young people, are kept on open shelves, which is less secure than desirable. In other

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This inspection

Admissions and discharges are carefully considered and are firmly based on child- care considerations. Transitions are as well planned as possible to reduce the impact on young people. This is a key factor in young people making progress. The structure of the service, integrating as it does, therapy, care and education, is similarly important in providing young people with effective care packages. Young people learn new skills and re-engage purposefully in education, both formal and informal. They speak positively about the staff. One said, 'I've got good relationships with the staff; I'd give them eight out of ten'. Outdoor activities are a major feature of the service with camps, climbing, cycling and other activities occurring regularly. Young people learn new skills and gain self-confidence.

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This inspection

Monitoring is thorough. However, the visitor who reports to the organisation on a monthly basis is not independent as required by the latest regulations. This is under review by the organisation and further government guidance is anticipated. This shortfall has minimal impact on young people. Both the manager and the monitoring visitor are increasingly demonstrating the impact on young people of the work that is undertaken. The manager is using data from patterns and trends to adjust and improve the service, which is a further indication of effective leadership. This combines well with a regular process of consultation with all stakeholders. One professional stated that she was 'impressed by the calm and easy communication' by staff. 4 of 5

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private organisation and is in a rural location. Outdoor activities are a key feature of the service. It is registered to provide care for up to three young people of either gender, aged between 10 and 17 years. Most young people are placed on an emergency basis following recent placement breakdowns and usually stay for about three months.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure staff have access to support and advice. This is with regard to absent staff reading the staff meeting minutes, especially those attended by the therapist (NMS 19.4)  ensure there are clear procedures for monitoring the activities of the home. T is with regard to ensuring that the visits carried out under Regulation 33 comp with government guidance (NMS 21.1)  ensure that information about individual children is kept confidential and only shared with those who have a legitimate need to know the information. This i with regard to reviewing the storage of documents in the office so that all you people's files are securely stored and that access is available to certain files in manager's absence. (NMS 22.3) Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Recommendations

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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Information 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 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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