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

Inspection report children’s home: SC366093 1 SC366093 Registered provider: Reflexion Care Group Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is run by a private company. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children and young people who have learning disabilities and/or emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people, taking into account requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 30 January 2017

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Information about this children’s home

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

None Inspection report children’s home: SC366093 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home requires improvement to be good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff have failed to keep a young person safe during contact.  Concerns about the conduct of one member of staff were not addressed in a timely way.  The recent high turnover of staff compromises the children’s and young people’s sense of stability.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Children and young people have strong relationships with staff and they make progress at the home.  Children’s and young people’s confidence grows as they understand their own emotional, mental health and behavioural needs.  Staff have good insight into the behavioural needs of the children and young people. Staff are quick to identify possible triggers and use this awareness to inform their practice.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 07/11/2016 Full Outstanding 30/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/12/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC366093 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff help each child to understand how to keep safe; that staff manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; that staff take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12(1) and (2)(a)(ii)(iv)(vi)) 29/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b) and (2)(e)) 29/12/2017

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improvement to be good

Young people make progress and have strong relationships with staff. However, one young person has not been kept safe due to a lack of clarity and lapses in staff supervision during the young person’s contact with another young person. While staff encourage positive friendships between young people, their work with young people about relationships, sexual consent and sexual health is minimal. Staff have failed to follow risk management plans about contact arrangements, resulting in harm for a Inspection report children’s home: SC366093 4 young person who lives at the home. Children and young people have positive views about the staff and their care. They say that living at this home compares well to previous experiences. One young person said, ‘It’s like a normal house. You would never know it is a care home.’ Another young person stated that the manager is ‘like having a mum’. Young people build self-confidence and make progress because they feel valued by the

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improvement to be good

staff. Relationships are open and transparent. Clear expectations are balanced with a warm rapport between staff and young people. Children and young people appreciate the support that they receive from their key workers. One young person stated, ‘I can talk to her about anything. If I get upset, then I can just talk about it.’ Children and young people say that they are safer since coming to the home. For example, one young person is proud about no longer going missing and no longer taking illegal drugs. Children and young people settle quickly. They are able to visit the home before moving in and they feel at ease because staff are kind, welcoming and share lots of information about the home, rules and boundaries. Staff also respond sensitively when children and young people come to live at the home at very short notice. Staff ensure that bedrooms are prepared and personalised. Education outcomes are positive. All children’s and young people’s attendance is good,

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improvement to be good

including those young people who have previously poor engagement and attendance at school. Children and young people develop social skills and interests as they enjoy a range of activities, including horse riding lessons, swimming, fire cadets and football. Staff involve children and young people in the running of the home. Children and young people develop good independence skills and enjoy cooking and helping with chores, including the upkeep of their bedrooms. Children and young people’s physical health and emotional needs are well catered for. Staff work in partnership with the provider’s therapist and health agencies to offer sensitive support. This supports children’s and young people’s emotional well-being. Young people live in a well-maintained home and they like how the house is just like a ‘normal house’. Staff make every effort to ensure that the house is homely. Children and young people have a firm sense of belonging as photos of their experiences and

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improvement to be good

achievements are displayed throughout the home.

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improvement to be good

The safeguarding of the young people requires improvement. Steps taken by the provider to investigate and address significant concerns about a young person’s safety, during a visit to see a peer at another home, and a concern regarding one member of staff’s conduct, have not been timely. Inspection report children’s home: SC366093 5 Children and young people’s missing from care protocols are individualised and clear. One young person’s episodes of going missing (and the associated risks) have significantly reduced since coming to live at the home. There are no concerns regarding child sexual exploitation or radicalisation. Staff have completed ‘Prevent’ training, which develops their knowledge and understanding of radicalisation. Children and young people develop a growing awareness about the risks of grooming and internet safety as a result of work completed with staff. One young person is proud of the presentation that she has completed about the risks of child sexual exploitation.

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improvement to be good

Staff work collaboratively with the provider’s therapist to provide support for young people who self-injure. The team’s insight and monitoring of the patterns and trends of young people’s behaviours leads to meaningful support. Staff have a good understanding of the conflict that can arise from the dynamics of group living. Children and young people develop a better insight into their own behaviours. They are more able to resolve conflict as staff consistently challenge and talk through tensions between the children and young people. Children and young people grow in confidence and improve their behaviour due to consistent and positive reinforcement by staff. Reward charts play a key part in children’s and young people’s growing confidence and pride in their achievements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leadership and management require improvement within the wider organisation. While the registered manager has been prompt in her referral regarding concerns about staff practice, senior managers have failed to address serious shortfalls in one member of staff’s performance following a serious incident. While children and young people receive care from a core group of experienced staff, they have also experienced some instability due to a recent high turnover of staff. A number of recently recruited staff have not completed their probationary employment. The registered manager has extensive managerial experience and a suitable level 5 qualification in management. The core staff team is cohesive and brings a wealth of experience and skill to children and young people’s care. Staff hold the registered manager in high esteem. Staff comments about the registered manager include, ‘The manager is fantastic, supportive and honest. Teaches you so

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

much. Let’s you have a go at everything and gives good support’ and ‘I feel very lucky to work here. It is like a family.’ Staff value training and supervision and see professional development as a key factor in providing a high-quality service to children and young people. All core, experienced staff are suitably qualified. A range of online training keeps staff up to date on social care issues. One senior care worker is also completing the level 5 diploma in leadership and management to enhance leadership in the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC366093 6 The registered manager and staff are good advocates. Children and young people’s views are valued and their complaints are addressed effectively. Staff work in conjunction with young people, social workers and a range of education and health agencies to plan and support young people’s current and future placements.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC366093 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Reflexion Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Reflexion Care Group Ltd, Black Birches, Hadnall, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY4 3DH

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Inspector

Elaine Cray, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC366093 8 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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