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

Inspection report children’s home: SC389830 1 SC389830 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 home is owned and operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for one child aged eight to 18. Children may have complex social, emotional and behavioural needs, and learning disabilities. They may require therapeutic opportunities that support them to achieve positive social integration.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 12 to 13 February 2019

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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: 13 February 2018

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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: SC389830 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/02/2018 Full Good 16/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 27/10/2016 Full Good 08/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC389830 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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, make sure that lone working risk assessments consider any potential risks to children’s safety. 31/03/2019

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff provide exceptionally nurturing care and support for the child currently living in the home. His day-to-day experiences are extremely positive. This is because staff fully understand his individual needs. They make sure that internal care plans reflect the aims and objectives of the placing authority. This results in a collaborative and effective approach to care planning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Consultation is central to daily routines in the home. Staff work with the child to continually seek his views regarding his needs, his wishes and feelings, and his future aspirations. This helps the child to build healthy and positive relationships with staff. They use verbal praise and appropriate physical affection to reassure the child and to reduce his anxieties. This supports his development and progress as he grows in confidence and self-esteem. One professional said:

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

‘I have witnessed the excellent relationship between the child and staff . It’s been excellent to see how [name of child] has developed over the period he has been at [name of home]. He is far more confident and his interaction with his peer group has improved dramatically over this period.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC389830 4 Since his admission to the home, the child has made considerable progress in education. Managers and staff work in partnership with teaching staff and education services. This comprehensive approach enables the child to identify his learning needs and goals. He recognises the importance of education because staff are ambitious for him and passionate in celebrating his achievements. This stimulates his enthusiasm and desire to reach his full potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff understand the importance of identifying and meeting the child’s health needs. They work alongside the organisation’s therapists to deliver bespoke sessions and interventions that address these needs. The seamless collaboration between these professionals means that they share relevant information. Consequently, staff can respond to the child’s changing emotional needs. This supports his well-being and progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child benefits from a wide and varied range of social, leisure and educational activities. Staff continually encourage him to try new things and to make the most of opportunities and facilities in the local community. Consequently, the child continues to build positive and appropriate friendships and learn new social skills that enhance his well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff fully recognise how important the relationships between the child, and his family and friends are. The registered manager works with the placing authority to make sure that these relationships are safe, and that these provide positive emotional and social experiences for the child.

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

Staff understand how to identify, assess and evaluate risks. They work closely with other professionals including social workers, education staff and therapists. This ensures that risk assessments encompass actual and potential risks. These provide staff and the child with appropriate strategies to manage and reduce these. This collaboration supports the child to recognise how to keep himself safe and recognise triggers that may influence his actions.

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

Relationships between the child and staff are exceptionally positive. These support his feelings of safety and security. Staff use these relationships to encourage open and reflective communication. This helps the child to learn new ways of managing his anxieties.

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

Since the last inspection, the child has not gone missing. Robust procedures and strong partnerships with other professionals mean that staff know how to respond to these incidents should they ever occur.

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

The use of physical restraint is exceptionally rare. There have been no occurrences since the last inspection. Staff would only use this measure of control as a last resort to prevent an immediate risk of significant harm. The registered manager ensures that staff Inspection report children’s home: SC389830 5 have an excellent understanding of trauma and recognise the impact that this may have on children’s behaviour. Staff are confident in their use of de-escalation techniques and expertly manage any negative behaviours.

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

Staff use a programme of rewards and incentives to support the child to manage his own behaviour. These help him to understand how to make positive choices and to consider how his actions may affect others. Consequently, he is able to appreciate and respect other people’s feelings.

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

The registered manager and staff have an excellent knowledge and understanding of child protection thresholds and referral processes. Safeguarding policies are clear and concise. This ensures that staff understand their own responsibilities, and the responsibilities of others, for protecting children.

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

The home environment is safe and very well maintained. Staff regularly complete health and safety checks, and quickly address any concerns. This creates a warm, welcoming and comfortable home.

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

The registered manager consistently follows safer recruitment procedures. All staff are subject to robust employment checks. These appropriately assess and verify the suitability of staff to work alone in the home.

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

As the home accommodates only one child, staff often work alone. There is a risk assessment in place which considers the impact that this working practice may have on staff safety. The registered manager has not considered any possible risks that the child may face. However, there has been no detrimental impact on the child’s safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has the qualifications, skills and experience necessary to manage the service effectively. He is successful in his ambition to provide a safe, nurturing and supportive home that meets the child’s needs and helps him to create positive experiences and happy memories.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff benefit from regular and good-quality supervision. Managers use these sessions to help staff to review their learning needs and reflect on how their own practice and actions may affect the child. Staff hold relevant qualifications for their roles or are working towards achieving these awards. Training programmes are extensive and mirror the child’s individual needs. This further supports his development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager recognises the impact that the service has on the child and his progress. He has built a highly effective culture in the home that is based on a secure base model of attachment. This therapeutic approach is woven throughout daily routines and enables the child to form trusting and safe relationships with staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Partnership working arrangements, that include daily collaboration between the registered manager and other professionals, are highly effective. This is a considerable Inspection report children’s home: SC389830 6 strength of the service. Professionals said that they are ‘blown away by such wonderful residential care’ and wished that ‘all children could have this kind of care’. The registered manager is unwavering in his expectations of others. His tenacious approach means that the child has unrestricted access to the services that he needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager expertly monitors the service and the quality of care that the home provides. He uses this information to highlight patterns and trends and identify any areas for improvement. Effective consultation with others, including the child and staff, is embedded into this process. As a result, the service adapts to meet the child’s changing needs. This ensures that he has the support he needs to make positive and sustainable progress in all areas of his development.

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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: SC389830 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

Jo Stephenson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC389830 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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