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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC389830 1 SC389830 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

The home is run by a private company. It is registered to provide care for one child who may have had adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and presenting complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2022. They have a level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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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 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: 16 November 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC389830 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/11/2021 Full Outstanding 11/02/2020 Full Outstanding 12/02/2019 Full Outstanding 13/02/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC389830 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, no children have moved in or out of the home. At the time of this inspection, one child lived at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide the child with a level of care that is specifically tailored to his needs. They form good bonds with the child using curiosity and playfulness. Staff join in with imaginative play with the child, creating positive experiences. The child also enjoys a range of activities with staff in the home and out in the community. Positive relationships and experiences help the child to improve their self-esteem through having fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is provided with a comfortable environment. Communal areas offer the child an opportunity to relax, either with others or alone when the child desires. Staff provide the child with the opportunity to personalise his home, which enables him to develop a sense of pride in it.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child makes steady progress with his education. Educational attendance is excellent, and the child enjoys going to school. Staff and the manager know the child’s targets and attainment levels through regular consultation with teachers and attendance at parent and carer evenings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child receives good healthcare to meet his needs. This is because staff advocate for the child well. For example, when health professionals wished to discharge the child from their care for a specific need, this was challenged as it was felt this decision was not in the child’s best interests. The child continues to receive the support from specialist health professionals at the time of this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to remain in close and regular contact with family. The manager meets with the child’s parent to create robust plans and show the child that they can work together to support him. The child’s parent told the inspector, ‘Things are much better with the new manager. He listens to me, and he does the things he says he will do.’ The child sees the staff and family coming together to help him, and this gives him a sense of security.

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

The child feels supported and protected. He informed the inspector that he has trusted adults that he can speak to should he have any worries or concerns. Investigations into complaints and allegations of harm are handled fairly and effectively.

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

The child informed the inspector that he feels safe. Individual management plans provide staff with relevant information of the child’s trauma and how this may lead to presenting behaviours. The manager will review and update these plans with new Inspection report for children’s home: SC389830 4 information or following incidents of challenging behaviours. This ensures that staff are provided with up-to-date guidance to support the child effectively. Staff implement this guidance, which promotes the child’s safety and welfare.

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

The child is provided with the freedom to complete tasks and activities with good risk reduction plans. This is because the child takes part in direct work to address his individual needs and risks. This means that the child is educated well about risk- taking behaviour and knows how to keep safe.

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

Staff de-escalate incidents of challenging behaviour well. Staff know the child and look beyond the presenting behaviours that are linked to his past experiences and trauma. Staff only ever physically intervene to keep the child and others safe as a last resort. The manager reviews the handling of incidents to improve practice. The manager completes debriefs with staff who have been involved in the incident of restraint to allow for further learning, which is incorporated into the child’s plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been three managers in post since the last inspection. The new manager is registered with Ofsted and is suitably qualified for the role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Despite the changes with the management role, a consistent core team of staff cares for the child. Staff work well together and cover gaps in the rota between themselves, which helps to provide the child with the continuity of care he requires. Staff enjoy working at the home and are positive about the support they receive from the manager. One member of staff informed the inspector, ‘He is very supportive and will go out of his way to accommodate any issues that we may have.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff hold the required level 3 diploma in residential childcare, and some are also given the opportunity to progress on to the level 5 diploma in leadership and management. Staff attend a wide range of training courses that provide them with the skills and knowledge to care for children who have a diagnosis of global developmental delay.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff receive regular and effective supervision. Supervision sessions provide staff with the opportunity to discuss their well-being, the child and their own professional development. One staff member informed the inspector that the manager is ‘experienced and supportive to the team’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has formed positive relationships with children’s families and professionals to ensure that children’s needs are met effectively. This partnership working results in the children receiving good-quality, coordinated care. A social worker informed the inspector, ‘[Name of child] is the most settled he has ever been, and since the new manager came to the home, the relationship with the child’s shared lives carers is now perfect. [Name of child] sees this, which is a real positive.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC389830 5 An independent person visits the home on a monthly basis in line with regulation 44 of the Children’s Home (England) Regulations 2015. However, the visitor has not spoken with the child for a period of six months due to most visits taking place when the child is at school. This does not provide the child with the opportunity to speak with the independent person if needed. The manager has provided the visitor with

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

the child’s feedback forms and has now arranged for the visitor to attend during the hours that the child will be home from school. Inspection report for children’s home: SC389830 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person must ensure that any individual who is appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. This includes the registered person helping the individual to speak to the child in private if the child consents to do so. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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: 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: Fitzroy Academy, Cruckton, Shrewsbury SY5 8PR

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Inspector

Kev Brammer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC389830 8 regulates and inspects 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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