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

Inspection report children’s home: SC366104 1 SC366104 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

The home is registered to provide care for up to four children and young people who display a combination of emotional and behavioural difficulties and who may have learning disabilities. The home has an annex within the grounds which supports young people to develop independence skills.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and forms part of a large social care organisation, which offers an education service and therapeutic support.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since April 2017. He is suitably experienced and holds a level 5 diploma in leadership and management.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 27 November 2017

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC366104 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/11/2017 Full Good 10/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 31/10/2016 Full Outstanding 22/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC366104 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children and young people make exceptional progress from their starting points. Children and young people who have experienced significant childhood trauma now feel safe and reassured. They flourish and thrive due to high levels of nurture and trusting relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The enthusiasm of staff is infectious, and children and young people quickly embrace the consistent positive reinforcement of their behaviour. Children and young people learn how to play, grow in confidence and try a range of new experiences to help them develop emotional resilience and excellent social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

One child said about the home, ‘It is lovely, and I love it and I want to live here until I am an adult – there is nothing bad and everything is better.’ Another child said, ‘The best thing is all the staff. They are the best and always kind to me.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff parenting skills are sensitive and meet the complex needs of children and young people. They have in-depth insight into the impact of childhood trauma and neglect. Children and young people are enabled to re-visit important childhood milestones. For example, one young person can now tie his shoelaces, takes pride in his skin and hair care and enjoyed his first ever surprise birthday party. This young person has built trusting relationships and is now able to communicate his needs and feelings openly. He is more confident, attends school and is able to make friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s and young people’s education outcomes are outstanding. One young person has achieved good GCSE results and is now able to follow his chosen career path with an apprenticeship in barbering. He is confident, articulate and an excellent role model to the younger children living at the home. Other children’s and young people’s education attendance is exceptional, as are their achievements. For example, one child is embarking on a return to mainstream education, another child is attending the organisation’s school full-time after a period of home education and a young person experiences a firm sense of belonging and stability as he continues to attend the same school he went to before moving to the home. This is possible because staff organise morning routines accordingly and transport him to and from the home and school. Children and young people are proud of their achievements, and rightly so.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children and young people receive excellent support to develop their independence skills. Living in the annex adjacent to the home provides an excellent opportunity for young people to live more independently, while receiving tailored support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s and young people’s learning is further reinforced as they take part in a range of new and exciting activities. One young person excels in martial arts and has also been awarded ‘man of the match’ since joining a local football team. His love of football has Inspection report children’s home: SC366104 4 been harnessed as he and a member of staff built a football goal in the grounds of the home for extra practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

One child proudly plays the piano and is now embarking on electric guitar lessons. Another young person, who has experienced extensive periods of social isolation, has made a new friend and enjoys going to the cinema and ice skating. He has also joined a drama group and has learned to swim since living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff provide focused healthcare that improves children’s and young people’s physical health. For example, one young person no longer smokes and has a good understanding of sexual health. All children and young people enjoy healthy diets and a range of physical exercise. One young person has greater self-esteem due to his weight loss, while another child is healthier as he eats a wider range of foods. The opportunity for children and young people to grow their own vegetables has further raised their awareness about healthy eating.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s and young people’s emotional health and well-being are held in the highest priority by staff. Partnership working with mental health agencies and the home’s therapist provide excellent support for children and young people. Most children and young people engage in their weekly therapy sessions. When this is not possible, the therapist holds regular consultation sessions with staff, so they can better support children and young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Consultation with children and young people is strong. They grow in confidence and build trusting relationships because their requests and ideas are acted on quickly. For example, the newly decorated education room and a new playhouse in the garden are the result of children and young people voicing their ideas.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Children and young people experience exceptional levels of safety and stability, due to consistently implemented, personalised and child-centred placement planning.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Individually designed mini-placement plans ensure that children and young people understand how staff support them and help them to keep safe. Aims and targets, as agreed with children and young people, are set in child-friendly terms and reflect the placing authorities’ placement planning. This approach promotes full participation of children and young people in their care.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Exceptional child-centred planning expertly translates into robust and regularly updated risk and behaviour management plans. Staff understand, and use, the individuality of each child and young person to inform their practice and provide meaningful support. Staff share information well with relevant people about children’s and young people’s progress and any concerns. Effective partnership working ensures that children and young people receive well-coordinated care that promotes their safety and well-being. The registered manager and staff take their safeguarding responsibilities very seriously. Children and young people are kept safe with prompt referral of any safeguarding Inspection report children’s home: SC366104 5 concerns. Staff follow clear safeguarding procedures, and post-event and ongoing work ensures that children and young people develop a clear understanding about their own personal safety. For example, one young person now has a clear understanding of the

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

risks of child sexual exploitation and how to keep themselves safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

The models of care in the home are exemplary and worthy of dissemination to other services. Staff have an exceptional understanding of the triggers for children’s and young people’s behaviour. Skilled staff communicate effectively with children and young people. They are assertive in delivering difficult messages to children and young people. Timely intervention, sensitive discussions and positive reinforcement minimise the need for children and young people to present challenging behaviours.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

The staff team’s approach to positive behaviour management is demonstrated in the significant decrease in physical restraints for children. Detailed records show that staff view the use of physical intervention as a last resort to keep children, young people and others safe. When incidents of physical restraint occur, staff manage these safely and the manager provides good oversight.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

There are no concerns about bullying because children and young people develop a better understanding of each other. Clear and robust action is taken to challenge discriminatory behaviours. Children and young people become more self-aware as they receive appropriate education to build their understanding about diversity and their actions towards others.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Children and young people live in a safe environment due to regular health and safety monitoring.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leadership and management are robust and child-focused. The registered manager successfully manages a motivated staff team. His enthusiasm and passion are key to the significant progress that children and young people make. The registered manager and staff are excellent advocates and help children and young people gain meaningful insight into their progress and plans for their futures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The members of the staff team are outward looking and constantly seek to further improve their own skills and the outcomes for children and young people. For example, research into identity and sexuality has been instrumental in developing individualised work with children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and staff have met the recommendation from the last inspection. There is now a refurbished bathroom and a new outside play area. Staff innovation and creativity are excellently demonstrated with the rear courtyard having a seating area, a vegetable plot, a new playhouse and a graffiti wall for the children and young people to experience and enjoy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff benefit from a seamless progression from induction, through their probationary Inspection report children’s home: SC366104 6 processes and on to achieving an appropriate qualification for residential childcare. This process is supported by regular supervision. Staff performance is closely monitored, and appropriate action is taken when poor staff performance is identified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staffing arrangements are very effectively and sensitively managed. One-to-one staffing ensures individual support for each child and young person and underpins the excellent progress that children and young people make. The staff team works collaboratively with social workers to ensure that local authority plans and targets are adhered to and regularly reviewed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Recording practice is exceptional, with a clear child focus and accountability. Children and young people can access their records, which, alongside photo albums, provide a meaningful account of their journey of being looked after at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Complaints are managed very effectively. Children’s and young people’s concerns are taken seriously and resolved quickly. The registered manager undertakes full reflection about complaints and incidents. This ensures that lessons are learned and further improvement is driven.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has an excellent working knowledge of the regulatory and inspection framework. He is aware of and competently implements his monitoring responsibilities, and his oversight of the operation of the home is robust.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have 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: SC366104 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: Black Birches, Hadnall, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY4 3DH

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Inspector

Elaine Cray, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC366104 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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