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

Inspection report children’s home: SC474782 1 SC474782 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-owned home is registered for two young people who have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 28 to 29 November 2019

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

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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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC474782 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/01/2019 Full Good 15/03/2018 Interim Not judged 03/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC474782 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 the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 12(1)(2(d)) 17/01/2020

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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 assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)) 17/01/2020

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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— use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 17/01/19

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). (Regulation 46(1)) 17/01/2020

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered 17/01/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC474782 4 person must keep in relation to a children’s home. The registered person must— maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37(1)(2)(a)(b))

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Recommendations

 Where the placing authority or another relevant person does not provide the input and services needed to meet a child’s needs during their time in the home or in preparation for leaving the home, the home must challenge them to meet the child’s needs (see regulations 5(c)). Staff should act as champions for their children, expecting nothing less than a good parent would. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 32.8)

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, one young person has remained in the home. Although the young person has made considerable progress, her challenging and risk-taking behaviours have recently increased. It is a testament to the commitment of staff that the young person continues to make progress during this difficult period. However, when less familiar staff are used to cover shifts, continuity is significantly compromised and this has resulted in a significant incident being able to occur. The young person attends her health appointments and is in good physical health. Staff talk to the young person about maintaining good health through healthy eating, maintaining a healthy weight and exercise. Staff work with agencies to promote the young person’s sexual health and they talk with her in an appropriate way about her physical development. This proactive approach supports the young person’s overall well- being.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the young person to prepare for her future. For example, the young person completes an independence folder that focuses on key issues such as budgeting, healthy eating and support networks. Staff also support the young person to take age- appropriate responsibility. For example, she is learning to use public transport independently and has her own mobile phone. However, managers have not been quick enough to escalate concerns when social workers have not reviewed the progress of the young person’s plans. This leaves the young person without essential social work oversight of her progress. Staff help the young person to develop friendships and relationships away from the home. This gives her the opportunity to engage in appropriate teenage friendships and Inspection report children’s home: SC474782 5 supports her to become independent in her leisure time. Staff encourage the young person to have a say in decisions about her care through

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improvement to be good

regular planned meetings and day-to-day discussions. The young person regularly speaks to an independent person. The young person has many opportunities to have her views heard. Staff work closely with the young person’s school to ensure that she attends and is helped to achieve her potential. Staff advocate for the young person to have a bespoke education timetable to help her to achieve her educational and personal targets.

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improvement to be good

The young person’s risk assessments give clear guidance to staff about how to keep her safe. However, there has been an isolated incident when staff failed to follow the young persons’ plans. This resulted in the young person being able to acquire knives, threaten the staff and threaten to self-harm. Less familiar staff who had not read the young person’s risk assessments did not identify her triggers or realise how quickly her behaviour could escalate and become unsafe. The manager promptly reviewed the incident with staff and quickly identified learning. Staff have worked closely with the police following the incident. This joined-up work has helped the young person to have a better awareness of the dangers of knives and of the risks she put herself and others at during the incident. This additional intervention by the police has helped the young person to become increasingly safe and to understand the

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improvement to be good

possible consequences of her actions. Despite the manager carrying out daily checks of the environment, it has not been picked up that the garden has patches of brambles and thorny plants that the young person can easily access. This means that the garden is not a safe place to reflect the young person’s vulnerabilities. Staff receive a range of training opportunities, including essential courses such as safeguarding and first aid. In addition, staff receive training that is specific to the young person’s individual needs. This helps staff to understand the complex needs of the young person in their care. The manager responds well to complaints. This helps to safeguard young people and reassures them that their concerns are taken seriously. Managers have failed to ensure that the safety of the home’s location is effectively monitored. Despite a serious incident, risks from a nearby road and motorway junction

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improvement to be good

have not been considered in the home’s locality risk assessment. This omission prevents managers within the organisation from understanding and responding to potential risks in the local area.

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

The registered manager leads a well-qualified staff team. Seven of the eight staff Inspection report children’s home: SC474782 6 working at the home have completed or are enrolled on the level 3 diploma in residential childcare. Manager’s do not always ensure that staff receive regular supervision in line with the organisation’s policy. This means that staff do not receive regular opportunities to reflect on and develop their practice. Some staff say that not having enough support has left them feeling vulnerable. Managers do not keep staff rotas in accordance with regulation. This shortfall means that the rotas remain unclear about when staff have worked at the home. When less familiar staff are used to cover shifts, continuity of care can be significantly compromised. For example, on one occasion a significant incident was able to escalate. This was a result of less familiar staff not picking up on early triggers that the young

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

person was struggling to manage her emotions. The delay in staff action resulted in the young person placing herself and others at risk after breaking open a locked door and being able to get knives from a locked cupboard. Professionals give positive feedback about the way that the registered manager and staff work in partnership with them. One social worker said that staff go ‘above and beyond’ in their care of the young person. A school teacher praised the level of communication between the staff and school and felt there was nothing that they could not sort out together. This joined-up approach means that the young person continues to progress in all areas of her development. Staff have access to training and advice from a psychologist. This helps staff to develop skills and strategies to respond to the young person’s individual needs.

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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: SC474782 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

Karen Gillingwater, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC474782 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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