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

Unique reference number SC474782 Inspector David Morgan Type of inspection Full 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 Gregory Duncan Watson Registered manager Maxwell James Pagdin Turner Date of last inspection N/A 2 of 8 Inspection date 27/05/2014

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Previous inspection N/A Enforcement action since last inspection No enforcement action has occurred since registration.

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Overall effectiveness good

Outcomes for children and young people good Quality of care good Keeping children and young people safe good Leadership and management good

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Overall effectiveness

Since its registration in February 2014, the service has achieved a good standard of overall effectiveness. Young people make good progress in many areas, particularly regarding their safety and education. They feel positive about their home and appreciate the care they receive. One young person said, 'It's fine. There's nothing to improve here.' They report no concerns about their safety.

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Overall effectiveness

Highly effective leadership means the home is clearly organised around each young person's needs; this serves to encourage a high level of engagement. Young people also benefit from a good level of staff consistency in which constructive relationships flourish.

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Overall effectiveness

This inspection identifies no major areas of concern. It is clear that the staff team have the skills and capacity to improve further. Four recommendations are made to assist in this process. Particular attention is drawn to the need to use clearer target setting so that progress is more readily identified. 3 of 8

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Information about this children’s home

This children's home is operated by a private company and was registered in February 2014. It provides care and accommodation for up to two children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities. The organisation also offers education and therapy.

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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 that the records of staff working in the home demonstrate the staffing level. This is with regard to recording the manager's time on site (NMS 17.2)  ensure that suitable arrangements exist for the professional supervision of the registered person of the agency. This is also with regard to such meetings bei recorded (NMS 19.3)  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 and are forwarded to Ofsted (NMS 21.1)  ensure each child's placement plan is monitored by a key worker who ensures that the requirements of the plan are implemented in the day-to-day care of t child. This is with regard to those requirements being specific, measurable, attainable and addressed in a timely way. (NMS 25.2) 4 of 8

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Outcomes for children and young people good

The outcomes for young people are good overall. Young people make clear progress in a variety of areas including their education, staying safe, engagement with their families and with staff, and their involvement in new activities in the home and the community. This is a substantial achievement in light of the short time the service has been open. In some cases, young people have started from particularly low points and have successfully achieved unexpectedly good results very quickly. Young people themselves are positive about the home. One said it was, 'much better than other homes I've been to'. As a result, the young people are able to engage more constructively in the wide range of opportunities that are provided which makes an important contribution to improving their self-esteem and prospects.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Activities are educative as well as recreational, healthy and fun. These are supported by the location of the home, which is without the distractions caused by neighbours but does have ready access to urban facilities. Young people are inspired by new activities that stimulate them and open new opportunities. For example they have been involved in planning the development of raised beds in the garden, including the financial aspects and in gaining practical skills. Also, the home has a traditional bread oven in a separate building which is being renovated by young people and staff with a view to it becoming operational again. Community involvement is given a high priority so that young people develop appropriate social and practical skills. This is undertaken in various ways including sports activities.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Although young people experience a holistic approach to their education, there is a clear focus on recovering lost ground in terms of their formal education. Young people are involved in discussions about the best ways of achieving this and alternative plans are quickly implemented if difficulties arise. Consequently, young people learn that formal education is an essential part of their lives in the home and start to see the benefits.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people perceive their admissions to the home as being positive. Not only were the processes themselves undertaken well but the service itself is felt to be a good option in terms of its location, small scale and what it offers. Young people are proud of the property too. In addition, they experience strong networking by staff with their extended families. As a result, young people have a high degree of engagement and feel secure. The frequency of unsafe behaviours has fallen substantially since admission.

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Quality of care good

5 of 8 The home provides a good quality of care that has some excellent features. In particular, the service is organised around the specific needs of individual young people. Their wishes and needs are central and consultation is clear throughout. This is reflected, for example, in terms of activities, staffing arrangements and use of the property. Consequently, young people report a high level of commitment and belonging.

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Quality of care good

The relationships between staff and young people are strong. Staff have a clear understanding of young people's needs that is informed by careful consideration of their circumstances. In addition, there is important clinical input from the therapists. This means that each young person's emotional health is given a high priority. Other health issues are addressed systematically too and with the support of external professionals. When young people are admitted from another home in the group, excellent practice is undertaken to ensure that transitions are as smooth as possible which extends to some staff moving with the young person. Young people recognise this high level of commitment and role-modelling.

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Quality of care good

Strategies are reviewed and adapted to engage young people in education and re- integrate them effectively into their families. Staff maintain a clear focus on the desired outcomes while seeking the most effective methods. Young people's families say that the advice and support of staff has been a key part in the progress of young people. In some cases, this has helped to reduce the frustrations felt by young people so they can fully benefit from family contact. Of particular note are the efforts of the team to encourage young people to be aspirational. Barriers to success are challenged in order to give young people the best opportunities possible. For example one young person is being helped to develop his entrepreneurial skills and has recently researched the possibility of opening a stall on a local market.

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Quality of care good

Young people have up-to-date placement plans that show in broad terms the progress they have made and the targets that are set. However, there is some lack of clarity about progress because of imprecisely written targets. On the other hand, clinical progress is captured by the therapists at six-weekly intervals and is of use to the manager in planning interventions. Also, the manager has introduced new documents for staff to record progress.

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Quality of care good

The property itself is presented to a high standard and provides each young person with generous amounts of private bedroom space and also private living space if necessary. The outside area is undeveloped as yet.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people enjoy a high degree of safety ranging from the physical safety of the property to the recruitment of new staff. Procedures are followed thoroughly in all areas. In addition, staff have a full understanding of safeguarding and behaviour management. This has contributed to there being almost no negative incidents since 6 of 8 the home opened. There have also been no incidents of young people going missing. This data represents substantial progress for the young people and reflects extremely well on the care they receive. The young people report that they feel safe in the home.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Positive behaviour is rewarded. Young people accumulate points that can convert into substantial items such as bicycles. A restorative rather than punitive approach is taken to behaviour management. Staff follow a therapeutic model that places significant emphasis on reflective interviews with young people to help them learn. These measures successfully serve to engage young people in the process and help them understand the objectives. As a result, significantly challenging behaviours are stabilised and young people are able to benefit from the opportunities that are available.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The staff have weekly contact with the police, regular contact with other agencies, and are up to date with safeguarding procedures. In addition, the manager has introduced a new process to implement if the police are asked to attend the home. This is proactive work to ensure that young people receive the most appropriate response from staff and the police. Young people know how to use the complaints procedure but have not raised any significant concerns.

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Leadership and management good

The service benefits from clear and effective leadership by an experienced and qualified manager. His energy and enthusiasm contribute substantially to the positive atmosphere in the home. He has a clear understanding of the strengths of the service and an ambition to improve it further which is supported by the organisation. Since opening, the staff team has remained largely the same thus providing young people with a high degree of consistent care. There is appropriate monitoring of the home to ensure that procedures are applied thoroughly. The monthly visits by a representative of the company are currently under review in line with the latest regulations to ensure they are undertaken by someone who is sufficiently independent. Such reports have not been forwarded promptly to Ofsted. The three monthly monitoring by the manager has yet to begin. These shortfalls have minimal direct impact on young people.

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Leadership and management good

Staff members present themselves well. They have a variety of backgrounds, which has many positive benefits for young people. Their training is up to date and follows a comprehensive process. Work is under way to ensure that social diversity is promoted methodically with young people and in a way that can be measured. New staff are equipped thoroughly for the complexities of the job and subsequent training is given a high priority. Staff also receive good support through regular formal supervision meetings which are recorded. However, there is a lack of evidence of the manager's own supervision. Records of the manager's attendance at the home are not clearly recorded in all instances. This is a relatively minor shortfall but has a 7 of 8 potential impact in the event of an investigation in which clarity about staffing arrangements at a particular time is necessary.

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Leadership and management good

The manager has already introduced a number of imaginative initiatives to improve practices, in particular engaging young people effectively and recording their progress. Also, an additional method of gathering young people's views is now in use, which is less formal and therefore more appealing and likely to be used. Some staff meetings have been video-recorded to help when the issues are reviewed and give staff clearer feedback about their contributions. These and other steps serve to stimulate the team and ensure that improvements are constantly being implemented. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management good

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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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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