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

Inspection report children's home: SC366107 1 SC366107 Registered provider: Reflexion Care Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned home. The home provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties who may also have a learning disability. The company has its own school and a therapeutic team.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was dual registered with Ofsted in January 2021 and is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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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

Date of last inspection: 15 January 2020

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC366107 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/01/2020 Full Outstanding 21/01/2019 Full Outstanding 20/02/2018 Full Outstanding 25/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC366107 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, two children have left the home and two children have moved into the home. When new children are moving into the home, the registered manager consults with placing authorities and reviews information available. However, she does not always fully consider the impact new children will have on those already living at the home. For example, one child who was experiencing high levels of trauma moved to the home and this had a negative impact on the child already living there.

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improvement to be good

Children’s care plans, behaviour management plans and risk assessments do not accurately reflect children’s needs and their progress. In respect of one child, the registered manager has not sought all statutory documentation in a timely way. This disorganised approach to record-keeping means that staff do not receive all the up- to-date guidance to understand and meet children’s needs well.

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improvement to be good

Children do not have suitable furniture. For example, one child rests their computer on a bookshelf when using it and another child is using a small wardrobe for the television in their bedroom. This is not safe for daily use because the furniture is unsuitable for those purposes. In addition, not having appropriate furniture does not help children to feel valued.

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improvement to be good

Some areas of the home look tired. Children’s bedrooms require decorating and have broken furniture in which children store their clothing. The managers have recognised this, and although there is now a maintenance plan to address this it needs to be implemented.

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improvement to be good

Staff undertake direct work with children which has a positive impact on their experiences. For example, staff support children with any anxieties about their education. This positive approach has improved one child’s engagement with education.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy a range of activities with staff. Children are supported by staff to develop skills through in-house activities, for example, children enjoy cooking, baking and arts and crafts. This helps them to develop independence skills and with their overall development.

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improvement to be good

Staff members could not all confidently share with the inspector an understanding of the children’s behaviour management plans and the organisation’s approved model for physical intervention. This does not provide reassurance that staff use restraint in a consistent manner. Children’s records do not accurately reflect the action taken by Inspection report children's home: SC366107 4 staff when physical intervention is required to keep the child and others safe. For example, staff do not record a clear description of how the physical intervention technique was used and what steps were taken to avoid use of the measure.

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improvement to be good

During one isolated incident, a child received injuries following a physical intervention. The deputy manager ensured that the child received medical attention and made a referral to the designated officer. An investigation is ongoing into what happened. While there was some management oversight, any initial learning from this incident has not been captured to reduce the risk of what happened reoccurring.

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improvement to be good

Managers have failed to ensure that they have fully explored and actioned the advice from the multi-agency safeguarding hub to keep children safe. For example, one child made a disclosure to staff regarding another child’s behaviour towards them when attending an activity club. While the deputy manager had put in place safeguarding measures, this guidance was not written in the child’s risk assessment. This was not shared with all professionals and staff continued to take the child to the activity club without fully understanding the risks and how to manage these.

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improvement to be good

The staff have been effective in supporting children when they leave the home without permission. Staff look at triggers relating to this behaviour and help children with alternative coping strategies. As a result, there has been a reduction in the number of incidents and the length of time children are away from the home without permission.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager has a comprehensive safer recruitment and vetting process for all staff. This includes when gaps in employment are explored, employment references are verified and identification is sought. This means that children are being cared for by staff who are suitable.

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good

The deputy manager and registered manager shared with the inspector that staff morale is low. There has been high staff turnover and staff absences, and staff from other homes within the organisation have been used for cover. As a result, children are being cared by staff who do not know their needs very well. One child told the inspector that although he likes living at the home, there are occasions when he is cared for by staff who are not familiar to him. In addition, the home’s staffing rotas do not clearly outline who has worked in the home and when.

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good

The registered manager was appointed in October 2020 and the deputy manager was appointed in December 2020. The registered manager has additional responsibilities which include providing training within the organisation and she is registered to manage another home, which places additional demands on her time. This has reduced the effectiveness of her management oversight at this home. Inspection report children's home: SC366107 5 A newly appointed responsible individual has recently taken up the post. This is the third senior manager to supervise the registered manager and they are yet to receive a handover of the home. A lack of consistent oversight of the registered manager’s capacity and needs has contributed to the failure to identify a deterioration in the quality of care provided to children.

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good

The independent person visits do not provide an accurate assessment of the care provided to the children. In part, this is because the independent person does not routinely check that staff have taken effective action following incidents and has failed to identify the shortfalls from this inspection. This has affected the registered manager and responsible individual’s understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development.

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good

Recording systems are not clear. There is confusion about whether paper files or electronic records are the ones staff need to refer to. Managers told the inspector this is because records have been updated electronically. It is not clear that staff have access to and use the most up-to-date information to support children.

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good

Staff supervisions take place but they are not always effective in supporting staff in relation to times when they have had to use their professional judgement to respond to incidents involving physical aggression from children. This is a missed opportunity to ensure that there is management oversight relating to staff practice. Despite this, staff speak positively of their managers and say they have confidence in them.

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good

Staff have recently completed face-to-face physical intervention training. However, this has not been effective. Staff could not all confidently explain the de-escalation technique they use for children.

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good

Managers and staff spoke warmly about the children. Managers were realistic about the issues identified during the inspection. Despite the shortfalls identified at the inspection, professionals speak positively about the deputy manager and the staff. One social worker said communication from the deputy manager is helpful. Inspection report children's home: SC366107 6

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that children’s risk assessments and behaviour management plans are kept up to date. Also, that children have appropriate furniture. 7 December 2021

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 7 December 2021 Inspection report children's home: SC366107 7 lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that there are sufficient staff at the home to provide children with consistent care and to get to know the children’s strengths and needs well. In addition, that managers review significant incidents and consider any learning from these.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that the children’s care plans are kept up to date and are followed. In addition, ensure that matching of new children is thoroughly considered. 7 December 2021

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration; 7 December 2021 Inspection report children's home: SC366107 8 details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that the physical intervention records give more details about the type of hold used and what steps staff took to avoid restraint. In addition, the registered person should review incidents thoroughly and consider any learning as soon as practical.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the home’s rotas provide a true account of which staff have worked in the home and when. 7 December 2021

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the independent visitor has the skills and ability to undertake an accurate assessment of the quality of care provided to children. 7 December 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff supervision reflects how staff are supported when responding to challenging incidents and consider any learning from this. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 48, paragraph 9.53) Inspection report children's home: SC366107 9  The registered person should ensure that there is a clear process in place when records are updated for staff to follow for guidance relating to the children’s needs, particularly when records are kept electronically. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 14.2)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC366107 10

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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: Fitzroy Academy, Cruckton, Shrewsbury SY5 8PR

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Inspector

Sam Dulay-Kainth, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC366107 11 to 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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