Children's Home run by Reflexion Care Group Limited in Telford and Wrekin

Good

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:

 The home meets the ethos of the statement of purpose which is to never give up on young people. They develop trusting relationships, grow in self- esteem and have a greater sense of self-determination.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people are safer because they no longer go missing and are therefore at less risk from child sexual exploitation. They now experience fewer incidents of physical intervention. They are more able to accept alternative strategies and enjoy rewards as a means to manage their anger, safety, and relationships with others.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people experience consistent care because the core staff team remain resilient and committed in the most testing of times. They experience stability no matter how much they try to break down their placements at this home. They attend school regularly and their emotional health improves.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The service and organisation are pragmatic in responding to the needs of young people, staff, and wider organisational issues. The registered manager is temporarily and unavoidably away from the home now. Robust deputising arrangements mean that there is consistency of leadership decision making and stability for young people.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 This service has managed recent challenges well. There are some shortfalls in recording and streamlining of the care planning and safeguarding framework. These shortfalls have not had a direct impact on young people due to the consistent quality of care and because young people’s care and their views remain central to the operation of the home.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Recent changes in staffing and a more robust approach to working in partnership with placing authorities are in their early stages. The long term impact of these changes are therefore difficult to assess. A statutory requirement and a recommendation are made to ensure these improvements continue and fully embed into the operation of the service.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

5: Engaging with the wider system to ensure children's needs are met standard:

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the engagement with the wider system standard, with particular reference to engagement with a specific placing authority, to ensure children’s needs are met the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

(a) continue to seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. 30/09/2015

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Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard:

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, with reference to streamlining risk assessments, to ensure that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe, the registered person must ensure:

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Requirement Due date

(2) (b) that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. 30/09/2015

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard:

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, with reference to the evaluation of incidents of physical intervention, the registered person is required to—

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Requirement Due date

(2) (f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. 30/09/2015 39: Complaints and representations

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39(3)) 30/09/2015

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

Continue to demonstrate every effort to achieve continuity of staffing so that children's attachments are not overly disrupted, including ensuring that the employment of any temporary staff will not prevent children from receiving the continuity of care they need (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 51 paragraph 10.1)

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Recommendations

Keep all children's case records up to date. This is with particular regard to including most recent positive reward programmes in the child's individual management plan. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 62 paragraph 14.3)

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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. Education and therapeutic services are part of this home’s statement of purpose.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

11/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Young people have positive experiences and make significant progress. Some say they think the home should be outstanding just because of the staff. Other young people acknowledge that this is the first placement that has not given up on them. Some voice their frustrations about the boundaries within the home, but consistently seek out staff for support. They make and experience positive attachments and grow in confidence.

p.7

Good

Young people grow in maturity because staff treat them with high levels of respect. They value relationships, urging the inspector to talk to their key workers because they think they are, ‘so good’. Young people say they receive, ‘honesty, stability and boundaries’. They say the quality of relationships enables them to turn their behaviour around.

p.7

Good

Young people experience highly individualised care and this gives them a good sense of belonging, particularly during periods of turmoil and aggressive behaviour. High staffing levels of at least one-to-one support, mean all young people receive positive attention even when others are struggling. They develop qualities of tolerance, empathy, and acceptance because staff skilfully remind them of their own previous journeys to improving behaviour.

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Good

Individualised care and allocation of staff means young people can detach themselves from negative situations and potential conflict and get on with their own positive relationships and experiences in the home. They experience a strong sense of self-determination.

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Good

Young people have great pride and sense of achievement about their improved attendance at school. Some young people see school as the key to turning their lives around. They feel they have learned a great deal, are proud about taking GCSE exams, and say the school has, ‘such a nice vibe.’ Some young people now look forward to further education and attending university. Other young people develop a sense of achievement because they now attend school more than ever before. School timetables, activity planners, and reward charts take pride of place in young people’s files.

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Good

Young people’s health improves with effective wrap-around health care. They enjoy healthier diets and a range of activities and exercise in the home and through their education. They are proud of completing long cycle rides and they try out new interests such as air cadets. They also enjoy beauty treatments. This helps promote a good sense of self-esteem and facilitates positive touch and calm time between staff and young people. Young people engage in therapy to support and improve their emotional and mental health.

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Good

Young people grow in confidence and develop good social skills because they are encouraged to, and regularly do, express their views. They experience a positive rapport with staff who calmly listen, but also remind young people about manners. They are confident enough to meet with the directors of the company and have confidence their concerns will be resolved at all levels within the organisation. Knowing their views are at the centre of staff practice gives young people a very strong sense of empowerment.

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Good

Young people develop good negotiation skills and how to understand different views and opinions. Independence planning covers a range of practical skills, but this focus on emotional development is essential in enabling young people to manage relationships and is key in their journey to become more independent.

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Good

The care planning framework places safety and emotional welfare at the forefront of young people’s support packages. Young people go missing less and are safer from child sexual exploitation because of living at the home.

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Good

A core assessment process screens a full range of risk. This process results in quick and effective identification of actual risk and connects to partnership working. Staff practice in the home is rigorous with robust protocols with education, police, and the placing authority to manage and minimise the main triggers for going missing and associated risks. The manager and staff are willing to challenge placing authorities when placement planning is not effective. For example, changes to young people’s school placement has resulted in tightened supervision levels and improved communication. This robust response has totally minimised one young person going missing, increased levels of personal safety and developed a much stronger self-esteem.

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Good

Young people’s individual management plans are clear about going missing and other risks, such as self-harm, aggressive behaviours, substance use and family contact. Clear strategies are in place and consistently implemented to minimise risk and to improve young people’s behaviour.

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Good

The manager and staff work hard to explore young people’s backgrounds, needs and identify clear targets for their placements. Pre-admission visits and close liaison with social workers enable focused placement planning across all aspects of young people’s lives.

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Good

Individual management plans provide quick and easy access to information for staff to manage young people’s daily routines. Bespoke and full-time timetables for education promote young people’s learning and organise support networks between the care and education staff. Staff’s skill and commitment to maintaining strong boundaries mean young people now see going to school as an accepted expectation. Consistency between education and school staff progressively enables young people to manage behaviours that previously disrupted their own learning and that of others.

p.9

Good

Staff work with a range of services to ensure young people’s physical, mental and sexual health needs are clearly identified and suitably supported. There are effective links between the care staff, the organisation’s own therapist, links with adolescent mental health service and local community health agencies. This holistic health care impacts well on young people who have medical needs such as asthma, had disrupted emotional development, and have been at risk of child sexual exploitation.

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Good

Positively, there is a recent and significant reduction of physical intervention. Young people now respond well to quick and targeted reward programmes, particularly with regard to engaging positively with education. Strategies such as individual and themed weekly sticker charts enable young people to break down each day into a series of manageable targets. They grow in self-esteem because staff are quick and enthusiastic in the praise and rewards they give.

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Good

Staff training in behaviour management promotes safe practice when positive reinforcement and reward does not work. Talking about behaviours and restraint helps young people to understand how their behaviours can impact on the safety of themselves and others. There is no reliance on the police to manage difficult situations. Discussions between young people, social workers, teachers, police, and staff give young people good opportunity to rectify challenging behaviours, make amends, and avoid criminalisation.

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Good

Detailed and reflective records give good insight into young people’s experiences and their views. Staff write about young people positively and clearly and young people understand what they are working towards. They receive meaningful feedback including areas to improve and progress. They thoroughly enjoy the positives that staff are always keen to identify. This approach engages young people in their care and they have a good sense of self-determination and growing self-esteem.

p.9

Good

Some recording shortfalls have emerged during recent busy, times. Risk management information is cumbersome. The sheer volume of records restricts practical access to written information. While staff practice impacts positively on young people, their individual management plans do not reflect these new approaches. In response to a requirement set at the last inspection, records clearly show antecedents and how staff have restrained young people. However, there is inconsistent evaluation by the manager about the impact of and alternatives to managing some very extreme and risky behaviour.

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Good

These shortfalls, so far, have minimal impact on young people. However, and in light of new staff working at the home, lack of streamlining affects clear access to, implementation of, and monitoring of information held on young people.

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Good

The registered manager has managed this home since December 2009. She has extensive experience and is suitably qualified to carry out her role with a National Vocational Qualification at level 4 in management. Interim management arrangements are in place currently while the registered manager is away from the home. The organisation has scope to use an experienced manager from another home and also an injection of some additional staff. This brings a fresh set of ideas in managing staff morale and some young people’s very challenging behaviours.

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Good

Leaders and managers are effective in optimising strengths and addressing weaknesses within the service: including issues that have arisen through recent challenges in managing extreme behaviours and some staff changes. Some new and experienced staff now compliment the very dedicated core staff team. Interim management arrangements have been effective in maintaining stability in the home; Young people are progressing well and there are recent and on-going improvements in partnership working with placing authorities.

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Good

Staffing changes have also come about due to changes in shift pattern working, which promote better continuity of care for young people. Care staff throughout the organisation support young people in school. This has a positive impact because young people get to know a variety of the staff and are therefore familiar when staff transfer between the homes. This networking also means all staff have good insight into the triggers for young people’s behaviour. There is a good gender and multi-cultural balance in the staff team to reflect the needs of the young people living there. The diversity of staffing is crucial in managing some young people’s perceptions gender due to child sexual exploitation and childhood trauma.

p.10

Good

The majority of staff are qualified to work with children in a residential setting. Regular team meetings and supervision are essential in embedding consistent practice across an evolving staff team. For example, while staff changes do not currently have a negative impact on young people, it is now essential that the organisation stabilises and maximises the current team. This is essential in maintaining an on-going sense of permanency for young people.

p.11

Good

The home improves because the manager and staff are open to scrutiny. Plans to refurbish the kitchen and meet with specific placing authorities are as a result of recommendations made in the independent visitor’s reports about the home. Leaders and managers embrace feedback and take action to improve the running of the home and outcomes for young people. Complaints are well-managed and drive improvements; but are not fully recorded with regards to actions and resolutions made in the wider organisation.

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Good

Recent improvements in the home’s security include a new arrangement for storage and the signing in and out of keys, after a young person obtained the keys. This redress shows the management team’s ability to reflect, learn from challenges, and improve the running of the service.

p.11

Good

A recent meeting between the manager, directors in the organisation and placing authority representatives demonstrates the service’s commitment to working together. Young people have attempted to break down placements; there have been high levels of physical intervention to keep them and others safe. Persistence by the management team has now resulted in a series of planned meetings with the placing authority in order to monitor incidents and effectively review the sustainability of such challenging placements. The home is confident that care, education, and therapeutic input from the service are strong enough to ensure that placements are not terminated irrespective of the challenges that young people face.

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Good

Placing authorities are very positive about how the home is run and outcomes for young people. Social workers’ comments include: ‘I have consistently been highly impressed with the way in which the home has been run and in particular how good staff have been.’ Another said: ‘I am extremely pleased with the placement as they are very professional and consistent with firm boundaries in place - despite extremely challenging behaviours. They are the only organisation that has not given up.’

p.11

Good

During recent challenging times in the home, the manager, staff and provider have worked tirelessly to promote the welfare and safety of young people. The child centred approach includes the directors of the company inviting young people to visit their offices. Working together with young people and their social workers is open and transparent. Young people appreciate this support, sustain their placements, and eventually make good attachments and progress.

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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. 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

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.

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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