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

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:

 Children and young people are enjoying long term stability and have all developed a real sense of belonging.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff are completely committed to each child and young person. They have high aspirations for each one of them and they provide warm, nurturing, empathic and imaginative care.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The manager has vision and inspires staff and children alike.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The manager enables the whole team to communicate effectively, plan creatively and work proactively with placing authorities, relatives, therapists, education and police. This benefits children and young people enormously in the short and long term.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Children and young people’s social skills, education, independence and self- confidence are progressing particularly well thanks to the staff and managers’ very effective support.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Children and young people are safe and well protected because staff understand their individual needs and behaviours. Staff apply safeguarding procedures confidently and in conjunction with local authority safeguarding professionals.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 There are a couple of shortfalls in practice. The manager’s monitoring and review of care is not sufficiently detailed. This including not ensuring Ofsted are always notified of all reportable events. Some safeguarding records are not kept sufficiently detailed and up to date.

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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

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular - provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response. (Regulation 34 (2)(d)) 10 Jan 2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person notifies HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if: a child protection enquiry involving a child concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(d)(ii) and (e)) 10 Jan 2016

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the written reports about reviews of the quality of care include the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review. (Regulation 45 (3)) 10 Jan 2016

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Recommendations:

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations: Ensure that the registered person makes best use of information from independent and internal monitoring to ensure continuous improvement. They should be skilled in reviewing incidents and are responsible for proactively implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 55, paragraph 10.24) Ensure that any decisions to limit a child’s access to any area of the home and any modifications to the environment of the home, must only be made where this is intended to safeguard the child’s welfare. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual child’s needs, be properly recorded and be kept under regular review. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 15, paragraph 3.10) Ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the

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Recommendations:

arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 42, paragraph 9.5) Ensure that staff encourage children to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’, supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

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Information about this children's home

This home is part of a private organisation and is registered to accommodate up to three young people with learning disabilities and/or emotional and behavioural difficulties. The organisation operates a school on a separate site and also offers therapy.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

09/03/2015 CH - Interim Declined in effectiveness

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good

Children and young people get high quality individualised care. They like the staff and have good relationships with all of them. They know that all staff care immensely about each one of them. A social worker said the home is a ‘great provision’ and ‘the progression of my child is excellent.’ Each child and young person has lived here for one to three years and it is simply ‘home’ for them. They enjoy spending time in their large bedrooms and in the vast rooms and grounds of the setting. Children and young people have entirely different needs which means that they spend most of their time individually with staff or peers in the community and at education. Nevertheless, staff provide good mealtime, evening, and weekend routines. Staff also arrange events like bonfire, Halloween and Christmas celebrations, so that a warm, sociable family atmosphere pervades the house and friends and family enjoy joining in.

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good

Children and young people’s horizons are widening and their confidence and self- esteem are developing well. For example, children and young people are attending drama class; working as a paid DJ at some local parties; assisting on a market stall; painting old furniture; catching busses independently for college; and learning snow-boarding, archery and climbing. Young people have tried cycle spinning and gym classes and have had their hair styled in a hair salon frequented by celebrities that they admire. Staff help children and young people enormously by sourcing and facilitating interesting, challenging, healthy and social and opportunities. Staff provide children and young people with photos and comments celebrating their achievements and experiences on ‘what we did and why we did it’ forms. They proudly display photos and canvasses around the house for all to see. Children and young people therefore have a well-developed sense of belonging.

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good

Children and young people are well supported in all aspects of daily living, including education and independence. Staff take an enormous interest in how each child and young person is doing and teach them valuable skills. A social worker said, ‘the whole package is integrated well. They really accommodate my young person’s needs to keep him engaged.’ For example, staff help with reading and homework, they attend parents’ evenings and they negotiate with educators about personal timetables and individual tutoring needs. Equally, schools keep in touch with young people during the long holidays to make it easier for them to come back when terms restart. One young person has completed a gold ASDAN award and all children and young people are attending and achieving in school and college. Staff involve children and young people in all aspects of shopping, cooking and keeping their clothes and rooms clean. They spend time with them: improving

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good

their rooms with decorating and DIY; watching favourite programmes; and regularly going out for meals and cinema with them. Staff keep in regular touch when children and young people are away and find ways of showing them that they are always held in mind. Children and young people feel very valued and they engage well in education and therapy because of this. Children and young people have confidence to talk about what is difficult. They know who they can turn to and they know how to complain. They do not feel cut off from friends and family, even when they live a long way from home. This is because staff and therapists work insightfully together to help children and young people understand and overcome their difficulties. They plan for children and young people in an open, ambitious, and honest way, welcoming all contact with their families, social workers and friends. They help with contact arrangements and

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good

willingly overcome issues like distance. A parent said, ‘it’s like an open house – they let me know anything that happens and we talk on the house phone and mobile too.’ Children and young people can approach staff and the manager because they are sensitive, receptive and always available to them, offering an enormous amount of one to one quality time. Children and young people’s concerns are discussed with them and a problem-solving approach is used. However, records are not well used to highlight children and young people’s concerns and what things they need to learn, understand and remember. Nevertheless, children and young people are developing good skills and the confidence they need to manage their lives as adults.

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good

Children and young people live in a safe environment that is carefully organised to protect them from harm and provide them with privacy and dignity. For example, young people’s bedrooms and staff sleep-in rooms are thoughtfully arranged and staffing levels are high. Children do not share a bathroom with young people, and children and young people choose whether they feel happiest in a small or a large bedroom. These measures ensure children and young people are safe from one another and know that adults are very nearby in this large house. Staff sensitively help young people keep their rooms hygienic and safe so that their dignity is preserved and they achieve more self-worth about themselves and their possessions. The outbuildings and grounds are used for hobbies, play and enjoyment, providing children and young people with plenty of space to let off steam. Staff’s vigilance and their good relationships with children and young people mean they very rarely go missing. A

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good

young person said, ‘this is a lovely house to live at – the staff are really nice.’ Children and young people are vulnerable in social situations and have significant difficulties with sexual identity, anger and self-harm. They test staff on occasions because they feel out of control and need staff to support them and keep them safe. Staff respond to children and young people’s behaviour well and manage it with care. Staff are thoughtful, respectful, insightful, calm and reassuring to children and young people. They do not shy away from talking with them about their problems and helping them find safe ways to overcome them. This means that the use of physical intervention and two-to-one staffing ratios are much reduced since the last inspection. Staff use risk assessments of the home environment, activities, and children and young people’s risky behaviour. They re-visit these risk assessments regularly and

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good

ensure that they all practice in accordance with the advice they contain. This helps staff protect children and young people without holding back their opportunities. However, some risk assessments do not take good enough account of how long it is since the risk presented itself or how serious the risk is now. This means that staff continue with a few practice responses that seem restrictive and rather institutional. For example, the kitchen is locked and cutlery is locked away in response to self-harm risks. These risks do not apply to all children and young people and careful risk reassessment has not prompted staff to try other, more creative or low-key measures. Children and young people have meaningful conversations with staff about how they are feeling and about their concerns. Staff seek practical ways to help boost young people’s confidence and manage feelings of wanting to harm oneself or hurt

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good

and reject others. For example, if a child is repeatedly damaging their television, they have a period without it, but it is replaced with quality time with an adult, perhaps colouring and talking. Therapists confirm that children and young people are able to talk about and explore their anger and ways of reducing it within therapy sessions. Staff are carefully vetted. Young people feel well protected because they know all staff well and know that they will be able to stay here whatever their behaviour. They feel safe because staff plan well and keep in good contact with their social workers, therapists, schools, colleges and families. This means everyone knows what is going on and agrees with any precautions that need to be taken. Children and young people rarely make allegations against staff or one another. If they do, these are referred promptly to local authority safeguarding teams and appropriate measures are taken to protect children. No allegations against staff

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good

have been substantiated and appropriate investigations and actions are taken if there are disclosures or allegations about children and young people. Social workers say that staff are ‘absolutely on it – concerned but not panicking.’ Staff keep records of safeguarding incidents, but they do not always organise them well or record thoroughly enough to ensure the records are useful. Safeguarding incidents are therefore hard for managers to learn from afterwards and some concluding actions get overlooked. For example, practice lessons have not been learnt and work with young people has not been completed following one allegation. In addition, outcome notifications have not been sent to Ofsted following the conclusion of child protection enquiries. Members of staff subject to allegations have not received written summaries of the allegation and the outcome of the investigation. These shortfalls do not directly affect children and young

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good

The manager has a very clear understanding of the progress children and young people are making. He is ambitious and insightful about what each one can achieve and advocates for them continuously, enthusiastically and convincingly. For example, he identifies and negotiates for possible private school places for children and he sources good opportunities for social and sporting participation in the locality. He is motivated by the success he sees children and young people make. He plans carefully the steps they need to take to achieve longer term goals like living successfully and safely back in a family, or living as independently as possible as adults. The Registered Manager previously managed this home and returned to post here at the time of the last interim inspection. He is well qualified and his return is welcomed by children and young people, who really look up to him. Equally, staff, enjoy working with him because he supports and reflects positively about practice

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good

with them every day. Therapists, parents and local authority professionals also have great confidence in his child-centred, ambitious practice and his good communication and planning skills. The manager has ensured that there is now a deputy manager appointed who can run the home effectively in his absence. This is because he is planning to manage two homes again. He has delegated a number of written and administrative tasks to the deputy manager and seniors. The seniors and managers are an effective team. For example, the manager has ensured that staff focus on the recommendations and requirements from the last inspection about better safety checks on the cars. Children and young people now benefit from a marked reduction in the use of physical intervention and more careful, considered recording about them and about other behaviour management measures. This helps them to monitor and review care practice, but they are keen to improve on

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good

this. They know that they do not always identify and act on shortfalls methodically or take decisive, prompt action because recording of practice and monitoring are not currently completed to best effect. The manager and deputy provide the right supportive environment for all staff through effective supervision and appraisal that offers staff further career opportunity and good training. Staff are well versed in attachment theory and are considering the ‘secure base’ model to enhance their already child-centred, positive practice. The manager capitalises on the advantages of the large house in a rural setting by developing children and young people’s enjoyment of the outdoors and making furniture and fittings. He ensures that the home is safe, welcoming and homely and that children and young people can always get to urban spaces to be included in meaningful social experiences. He is pleased to say that staff now are

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good

‘proactive and not reactive’ and that this has had an obvious benefit in the reduction of the number of behaviour incidents and physical interventions used. Overall, the manager understands the strengths and weaknesses of the home and staff, including himself. He strives to ensure that each child and young person makes the most progress they can and has the best experience they can. For example, he has devised an ‘aspirational map’ for each child and young person, detailing simple and clear goals for the past six months. With the benefit of such good support from staff and managers, children and young people have achieved these goals.

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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

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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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