Children's Home run by Reflexion Care Group Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection report children’s home: 1249123 1 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 privately run children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to six children and young people, irrespective of gender. It provides short-term placements, with a therapeutic outdoor activity-based response, for children and young people in crisis.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager has been in post since April 2019, having previously held the position of deputy manager. He has made an application to register with Ofsted, but unexpected delays have occurred during this process. The manager’s suitability interview is yet to take place.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 20 November 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1249123 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/11/2018 Full Good 21/09/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1249123 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children placed at this home make good progress from their starting points and move on to settled placements in other group-living children’s homes, or return to live with family members. The short-term nature of placements provides children in crisis with an essential break from often difficult circumstances, and an opportunity to get their lives back on track.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who engage with the programme enjoy excellent relationships with staff and enjoy a wide range of adventurous activities. These include activities such as wild swimming, camping, ghyll scrambling, canoeing, kayaking and caving. For many, this is their first experience of such activities. Their participation enables them to have fun and learn new skills which promote their resilience, confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children work inclusively with staff to develop their individual activity programmes. This ensures that children feel involved and have a choice in what they do. Because of this, children feel valued and spoke highly of their experience at the home. One child commented, ‘I would give this home 10 out of 10, it is much better than I had imagined it would be. The staff here are great.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff successfully inspire children to try new activities and challenges. The staff’s enthusiasm and motivation spark the children’s interest and encourage their involvement in a range of outdoor pursuits. Although children are not attending formal education, their learning is promoted by staff, who assist them in re-engaging with education through their involvement in practical activities. Children take great pride in the many vocational qualifications they achieve during their time at this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote healthy lifestyles, ensuring that children understand the benefits of a varied and nutritious diet. Children routinely take part in meal planning and preparation, which helps them to develop their independence skills. Children are registered with local healthcare practitioners. This enables them to have good access to routine and specialist healthcare professionals, ensuring that their health needs are fully met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Placing authorities spoke highly of the home and the experiences children enjoy. One social worker commented, ‘Staff have very good relationships with children. Staff are strong and appropriate role models.’ Another said, ‘There is really good communication, they keep me updated. They are transparent and open and say it how it is. Hats off to the team, they are giving it their all.’

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

Children’s individual risks and vulnerabilities are thoroughly assessed to ensure that staff have a clear understanding of the arrangements required to keep them safe. Children spoken to during this inspection said they felt safe, and expressed confidence in the Inspection report children’s home: 1249123 4 staff’s ability to keep them safe.

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

The service is also regulated and licenced with the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA), an organisation which makes sure that activity providers follow good safety management practices to ensure the safety and well-being of children.

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

Children often arrive at this home having been removed from high-risk situations and having displayed significant risk-taking behaviours. Staff involve children in planning their individual programmes, introducing them to a wide range of adventurous activities where risk is understood and appropriately managed. For most children this is helpful in breaking the cycle of their own risk-taking behaviours, allowing them time to reflect, learn and discover other talents and interests.

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

The home has responded positively to requirements and a recommendation made at the last inspection to further improve children’s safety. First aid kits are now equipped with ligature knives, and staff are trained in their use as part of their first aid training. Medication administration practice has been reviewed and further training has been provided to ensure that the administration of medication is safely managed and appropriately recorded by staff. Arrangements are also in place to ensure that any children who go missing from the home receive a return interview with an independent person.

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

Children who go missing from the home tend to be those who are consistently resistant to engaging with the home’s activity programme. Often their unauthorised absences occur when they have returned to visit their home authority. On these occasions, staff act swiftly and in close cooperation with the placing authority and the police to ensure their return. Currently, one child is missing from the home despite strenuous efforts to locate him.

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

Recruitment practice is robust, ensuring that all staff are appropriately checked and vetted before being employed to work with children. This avoids the appointment of unsuitable adults who may pose a risk to children’s safety.

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

The home has been without a registered manager since January 2019, when the former registered manager resigned his post. The company made several attempts to recruit an external applicant to this post without success. In April 2019, the current manager was appointed internally. Although the manager has now applied to register with Ofsted, his application was received much later than anticipated due to a lengthy delay in Ofsted receiving the result of a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

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

The manager’s suitability interview with Ofsted is yet to be arranged and determined. Because the home has been without a registered manager for a considerable period, the effectiveness of leaders and managers cannot yet be described as good. However, interim and more recent management arrangements appear to have been effective in Inspection report children’s home: 1249123 5 maintaining children’s safety and ensuring consistency in their care. The management team members, who include two deputy managers, feel confident about their achievements so far and believe that these have had a positive impact on staff morale.

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

The requirements from the home’s last inspection, in November 2018, have all been met. Managers have reviewed and revised their pre-admission process to ensure that staff have the appropriate skill and experience to meet the needs of the children placed. In addition, several improvements have been made in safeguarding practice, which has been strengthened to help and protect children.

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

The home is working in accordance with its statement of purpose. The company has invested in both the home and new outdoor equipment to ensure that children’s needs are fully met. The property has benefited from further redecoration and having a new heating system installed. New vehicles have been purchased, the home’s barge has been refitted and upgraded, and new kayaks, canoes and climbing kit have been acquired. This investment undoubtedly supports children’s comfort and safety while they are living at this home.

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

Staff enjoy working together in their teams and are appropriately supported. Current arrangements provide staff with good training opportunities, including the ability to achieve outdoor qualifications. Supervision arrangements are well established, and regular staff meetings are well attended.

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

Managers are appropriately using internal and external monitoring activity to inform the home’s development planning and continuous improvement. The home’s regular reporting to Ofsted promotes transparency.

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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: 1249123 6

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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

Gillian Walters: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1249123 7 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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