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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC376719 1 SC376719 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 privately run home offers care for up to two children with social and/or emo- tional difficulties. The home is managed by an experienced manager who registered with Ofsted in October 2012.

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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 inspection 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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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 19 November 2019 to carry out a full inspection. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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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 good

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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: 19 November 2019

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: SC376719 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/11/2019 Full Outstanding 12/11/2018 Full Good 25/01/2018 Full Good 01/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC376719 3

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outstanding

The home provides a consistent and safe environment. The atmosphere is calm and relaxed. Staff make every effort to ensure that each child feels comfortable and welcomed. For example, the home has a ‘family tree’ mural on the wall with pictures of staff and children, and a note by the kettle of how everyone likes to drink their cup of tea. This helps children feel a sense of belonging.

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outstanding

The dedication from the staff means that children make outstanding progress from their starting points. For example, one child who previously engaged in risk-taking behaviours is now attending full-time education, has a part-time job and spends independent time in the local community with his friends. In addition, a child who has recently left the home is now living successfully independently, and remains in regular contact with staff due to the close relationships they had developed. The excellent support offered at this home allows children to build confidence in their abilities when leaving the home.

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outstanding

Children receive excellent individualised care from dedicated and caring staff. The manager and staff undertake high-quality reflective and purposeful work to ensure that they understand the needs of each child and how best to support them. This is documented in placement plans and within six-monthly assessments. In addition, staff complete ‘vision plans’ to collectively share their hopes for children’s futures and to discuss how they will meet their long-term care plan. One child’s social worker said, ‘Because of this home, [the child] now has the ability to feel cared for and loved.’

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outstanding

The emotional well-being and physical needs of the children is clearly understood. Children are registered at local services and attend all routine appointments. Clinical support underpins the care provided. Qualified therapists work with children and staff to ensure that the therapeutic model of care is embedded into practice. This ensures that children’s emotional and psychological well-being significantly improves.

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outstanding

Staff help children understand the importance of education. Children who were previously reluctant to attend are now attending full time and excelling academically. Staff have excellent communication with schools, and both work collaboratively to support children to achieve their full potential. The manager sends detailed monthly reports to teachers to provide updates on care planning in the home and, together, they create homework plans for the children. As a result of this, children are aspirational about their future and proud of their progress.

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outstanding

Consultation with children is creative and child centred. Children are included in every aspect of their lives. Staff have enabled children who struggle to share their views by buying colourful stamps to help them explain their thoughts about care Inspection report for children’s home: SC376719 4 planning. In addition, children have influence over their day-to-day experiences. For example, staff have changed the routines around TV and mobile phone use in response to children expressing their views. This practice ensures that the voice of the child is considered and acted on.

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outstanding

Staff help children develop skills that result in them becoming more independent, spending time with friends in the community and seeking and successfully gaining part-time employment. Children are active members of clubs such a gymnastics and football groups. In addition, staff plan for children to attend special activities that they have not experienced before, such as music concerts and go-karting classes. This means that children feel valued, their self-confidence has improved and they are developing a true sense of self-worth and identity in the home and in the wider community. Consequently, children are happy and content, and make exceptional progress socially.

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outstanding

Staff help children to see family members and those who are important to them. Staff facilitate arrangements flexibly, and arrange transport and accommodation for children who are placed at a long distance from their home locality. In addition, when appropriate the manager provides food hampers for children’s loved ones and advocates for children to visit other family members. This practice ensures that important relationships are maintained.

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outstanding

Safeguarding incidents are rare. Children experience exceptional levels of safety planning and stability, due to the consistently implemented, personalised and child- centred risk assessments. The manager and staff successfully use information from clinical meetings, and research to identify, assess and plan to reduce risk. For example, for one child who struggled to follow boundaries around safe touch, a booklet to explain consent was created by staff to improve his understanding. This creative and sensitive practice has had a positive impact on the child’s well-being and safety.

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outstanding

Children have not had any recent missing-from-home incidents. However, missing protocols are up to date, reviewed regularly and shared appropriately with relevant professionals. This helps to ensure that staff know what to do in the event of children going missing from the home and, as a result, children are better protected from harm.

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outstanding

Staff’s approach to behaviour management is excellent. Physical interventions have not been used and children rarely receive consequences. Staff complete reflective discussions with children to help them understand and to manage their emotions and choices. This then helps the staff to understand the reasons behind children’s behaviours and to consider emotion and cause. This approach has been successful in reducing incidents and strengthening relationships in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC376719 5 Children’s key-working sessions are creative and extremely child focused. Staff use research to inform the conversations had with children, and when appropriate use interactive games to help children engage. This ensures that the sessions are enjoyable, and that information is up to date. Through this work, children are able to understand risks and work towards their goals.

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outstanding

New staff are recruited safely, and appropriate checks are completed. There are no concerns in relation to safer recruitment practices.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is passionate, motivational and driven to provide a high standard of care. She knows each child well and holds high aspirations for them. This investment ensures that children in the home are well prepared, happy and safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The stability of the staff team is a contributing factor to achieving positive outcomes for the children. The manager has led by example during the COVID-19 pandemic, being flexible with her working patterns to cover shortfalls in the rota. This means that children experience consistency and have the opportunity to form meaningful relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff have excellent structured and developmental supervision that promotes reflection and learning. In addition, clinical staff attend team meetings to support staff to reflect on dynamics in the team, the needs of the children and individual practice. This means that staff are clear on the expectations in the home, and the impact of their work. As a result, children benefit from well-informed and supported staff who are able put the needs of the children first.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive a range of training. The training raises staff knowledge and awareness of the issues pertinent to the children. The learning from this is implemented into day-to-day practice. However, during the inspection, it was identified that one staff member’s internet safety training had lapsed. In response, the manager took immediate action to ensure that the training was scheduled.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works collaboratively with partner agencies and is held in high regard by staff and other professionals. Social workers and teachers provided exceptional feedback and identify the manager as being proactive and a good advocate for children . This practice has a positive impact on the outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although staff are knowledgeable about the children’s care plans, it was identified during inspection that the manager had not ensured that a child’s case file contained the most up-to-date and accurate information. The manager took immediate action to escalate this with the local authority. Inspection report for children’s home: SC376719 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have access to appropriate resources to support their training needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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 for children’s home: SC376719 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: Fitzroy Academy, Cruckton, Shrewsbury SY5 8PR

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Inspector

Sophie Hills, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC376719 8 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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