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

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The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Leadership is strong and the staff team work cohesively to promote the aims of the service and meet the needs of young people. Young people receive consistent care as improvements in the management structure give more rigour to monitoring and drive improvement.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Partnership working with a range of agencies is effective in ensuring young people are provided with the necessary support to meet all their assessed needs.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Maintaining strong partnerships in safeguarding is particularly effective. Robust responses mean young people seldom go missing and are therefore at less risk of child exploitation.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff manage behaviour and risks effectively and young people are safer. They are very skilled in managing violent and aggressive behaviour, which have previously excluded young people from a range of experiences.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people take greater responsibility for safer behaviour. They offend less and therefore experience and enjoy greater independence and involvement in the wider community. Most importantly, some young people have been able to move onto placements back in their local communities, where they can live nearer to their family and friends.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Reduction in aggressive behaviour also means young people improve attendance and have greater enjoyment of academic and social learning. They address deficits in their education and have greater opportunity of working towards their potential as a result of living at this home.

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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 arrangements for contact are included and regularly updated in young people's files. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 58, paragraph 11.15)

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Information about this children's home

This privately owned home is registered for two children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural and learning difficulties. The Statement of Purpose details the age range of children and young people from 8 to 17 years of age.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

18/03/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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people living in the home are

Young people have positive experiences and make significant progress. They compare their care and the staff very favourably against other places they have lived and say, ‘They look after me properly here.’

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people living in the home are

Social workers identify improvements in behaviour as a direct result of the manager and staff. Social workers state: ‘progress made in the last six months has far exceeded expectation and much of that is down to the care provided as well as young person’s hard work.’ Young people proudly announce: ‘the manager and staff do activities with me and I have been good for a few weeks now.’

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people living in the home are

Young people experience a strong sense of stability because staff stick to clear boundaries and do not give up during periods of challenging behaviour. Staff are patient, creative, resourceful and their timing is excellent. They use positive interactions to plant seeds with young people; who then have good ideas. This sense of self-determination means young people are less anxious, have less conflict, and are better able to manage their anger.

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people living in the home are

Young people have good attendance at school because they have their own bespoke and full-time timetables for education. Development and learning thread through a range of activities and enable young people to engage with, and enjoy, education. Staff are adept in understanding young people’s qualities and play to their strengths to help them manage behaviour and poor levels of concentration.

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people living in the home are

Young people respond to more formal tuition because they look forward to the variety of learning, including outdoor activities and one-to-one activities. For example, one young person enjoys playing cards. He acknowledges that he learns numeracy, but also appreciates the game as a treat for doing formal lessons. Young people are motivated to learn because they can apply learning to their own special interests. For example, one young person understands literacy and numeracy are necessary for getting a job working with cars and motorbikes. This is now a motivator and this young person has less resistance to attending school.

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people living in the home are

Young people and staff access a range of agencies which provide specialist advice and guidance regarding their safety and welfare. Young people’s health improves due a good diet and a thorough enjoyment of outdoor activities and regular exercise. Staff talk to young people about smoking and encourage appointments at the health centre. While young people are currently resistant to such advice, they are much more aware of the dangers of smoking.

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people living in the home are

Young people make positive attachments. They become more mature and their relationships with staff become important. This is reflected by young people’s willingness to come back to visit and keep in contact with staff after leaving the home. They fully appreciate the care they received and pass on their positive experiences to encourage new young people to do well in their placements at the home.

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people are helped and protected

The care planning framework places risk management and promotion of emotional welfare at the forefront of support for young people. Attention to detail shines through and ensures care and safety plans respond to the intricacies of young people’s experiences and needs.

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people are helped and protected

Staff have high regard for young people’s backgrounds and emotional connections to family and previous experiences. This strong focus is particularly evident in how staff get to know young people when they first move into the home and when they prepare to leave. This nurture gives young people a sense of security and reassurance.

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people are helped and protected

Young people’s transition plans to return to their home areas turn out well with support from staff. This is successful because staff work with young people, their families, new placements and social workers. Young people gradually and independently spend more time visiting family and returning home. Regular discussion and review with young people ensure transition goes at a suitable pace; young people are safe and are they are able to manage their anxieties.

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people are helped and protected

Robust and safer recruitment procedures safeguard young people. Staff have a clear understanding of their responsibilities to identify, report and manage any safeguarding allegations and concerns.

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people are helped and protected

Immediate identification of risk ensures staff keep young people safe. Early information sharing leads to prompt safeguarding protocols. Staff and agencies understand the vulnerabilities of young people and respond accordingly. Good staffing levels ensure young people have an array of activities to keep them occupied and they seldom go missing from the home. Effective risk assessment also informs individual strategies around E-safety, dangers of using the internet and links with child sexual exploitation. This proactive approach lends to positive relationships between the police, young people and staff as they all work together to promote and improve safety both inside and outside the home.

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people are helped and protected

Behaviour management meets the needs of young people. They understand the clear boundaries and consequences when they do not behave so well. For example, they fully accept paying for their damage to the home. Behaviour improves, with clear messages about inappropriate behaviour and clear reinforcement of positive behaviour. Young people understand they can make amends and really appreciate being excused their final payments for damage to the home when their behaviour significantly improves.

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people are helped and protected

Physical intervention is only used as a last resort to keep young people and others safe. Staff talk though behaviour and restraint; this helps young people to understand how their behaviour can impact on the safety of themselves and others. There is no reliance on the police to manage difficult situations. Discussions between young people, youth offending workers, police and staff give young people good opportunity to rectify challenging behaviour and make amends so they are not criminalised.

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people are helped and protected

Young people’s mental and emotional health has a positive focus. The service includes access to therapeutic services, although some young people do not feel ready to access this support. Staff are open to partnership working and are quick to encourage referral via the youth offending service and child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) regarding possible behavioural challenges such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Staff have a clear understanding that young people will have greater opportunity to manage their behaviour, learning and development with specialist help from outside agencies.

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people are helped and protected

Health and safety monitoring ensures young people live in a safe environment. Regular fire drills and checks make sure young people and staff are clear about what to do in an emergency. The home provides a pleasant, comfortable environment in which young people can feel safe and secure. Judgement grade

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leaders and managers

The Registered Manager has managed this home since December 2013. He has extensive experience and is suitably qualified to carry out his role with a National Vocational Qualification at level 4 in management.

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leaders and managers

The Registered Manager’s confidence and clarity in fulfilling this home’s Statement of Purpose means young people needs are well-met and partnership working with placing authorities is effective. Clarity about the operation of the service facilitates focused and targeted placement planning for young people. Placements are successful and transition plans effectively implemented.

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leaders and managers

The manager and staff demonstrate an in-depth insight into the individual needs of the young people at the home and the underlying reasons for behaviour and emotional fragility. This success is verified by comments made a member of the youth offending service: ‘It is confidence building to be working with a home who appear to put the young person’s needs first in building a relationship with a young person with complex needs. I have been impressed with the work carried out in this home and how they work with the young person and not against him.’

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leaders and managers

Effective communication and clear records inform consistent staff practice and reflect positively on young people’s journey in care. Good systems enable the manager, and staff to assess the impact of their care and the progress young people make. Although well-managed; updates about some restrictions on young people’s face-to-face family contact is not available in their files.

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leaders and managers

A highly motivated, reflective and cohesive staff team look after young people and this gives them a good sense of security and permanency. Strategically planned staffing arrangements ensure young people are safe and they develop a greater understanding and acceptance of gender relationships. Young people who previously could not work with female staff have enjoyed very positive relationships. This is as a result of effective and measured risk management, staff planning and the resilience of staff.

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leaders and managers

Staff are very positive about the support and development they receive from the manager. Regular supervision and team meetings enable them to reflect on their practice, discuss how well the young people are progressing and drive improvement. Staff are appropriately qualified and experienced. Staff development and training is extensive and promotes good emphasis on safeguarding, behaviour, and emotional management for young people.

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leaders and managers

Young people have good information about their rights and this includes the home’s complaints’ process. Engagement is good because staff provide information in a range of ways. Staff maximise opportunities to share information with young people and play to their interests with computers. Young people can surf though a range of articles, which include sexual health, the guide to the home, grooming, children’s rights, and different support agencies.

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leaders and managers

Canvassing and responding to young people’s views are an integral part of the ethos at the home. Chatting in key working or going out for a Friday night meal gives young people and staff a good opportunity to socialise. They can talk about what has been happening; the week ahead; the running of the house, or just catch up. Personalised bedrooms and choice of activities reflect young people’s individuality and personality in their home.

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leaders and managers

Managers and staff embrace the recent changes in social care legislation. They are keen to explore and improve the potential for young people to grow up in a nurturing and safe environment. Improvements in the management structure, with a new deputy manager role, have strengthened the administrative systems in the home. Young people receive consistent care because delegation is effective. The management team embrace feedback and address issues raised in the independent visitor’s reports, exemplifying their motivation to drive improvement in this service.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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