Children's home run by Reflexion Care Group Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2655354 1 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 operated by a private company. It is registered to care for up to six children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since June 2023. He is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, four children were living in the home

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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 outstanding

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2655354 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/05/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2655354 3

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outstanding

Children flourish and thrive at this home because of the excellent care they receive from a dedicated and passionate staff team. Research-informed practice helps staff to provide the children with nurturing and sensitive care that is therapeutically informed. As a result, the children are provided with individualised, high-quality care that meets their complex needs.

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outstanding

The attention that staff pay to ensuring that the children can communicate their wishes and feelings is exceptional. Staff understand the importance of the children’s voices being heard and take every opportunity to make sure that children can contribute to and inform their care. Staff use a wide range of communication systems to support the children to have their say. As a result, children can easily express their views and are fully consulted about their care.

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outstanding

All of the children attend the onsite school and are making progress in all areas of their learning. Staff and teachers communicate with each other daily. The inspector observed useful and informative handovers between the teaching staff and the residential staff. Purposeful and child-centred communication between staff and teachers ensures that the children receive the right educational support at the right time to meet their individual learning needs.

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outstanding

Staff are effective at meeting children’s health needs. This is supported by children having detailed health plans that staff make sure are kept up to date. All children are registered with local health services and attend all health appointments. This helps to maintain children’s physical and emotional well-being.

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outstanding

The registered manager has worked hard to create a warm and welcoming home for the children. Soft furnishings and photos of the children help to create a homely feel. Furthermore, each room in the home has been designed with the needs of the children at the forefront. For example, a large soft play area creates a safe space for the children to play and is a comfortable place for the children to spend time.

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outstanding

Children who are new to the home are provided with a wealth of support to ensure that they move into the home smoothly. Staff make it a priority to visit the children before they move in. This helps them to become familiar with who will be caring for them. The opportunity to visit the home as part of the introductions supports children to explore their new surroundings. One-to-one work between staff and the children living in the home prepares children to welcome a new child into their home.

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outstanding

When children move on from the home, this is managed sensitively and with care. Staff work closely with other professionals, such as social workers, teachers and foster carers to ensure a child-focused moving-on plan is in place. The attention Inspection report for children’s home: 2655354 4 given to organising a move has resulted in remarkable outcomes for one child, who has been able to move from the home to a foster family. When children move from the home, staff make sure they provide extra support to the children who continue to live in the home to help them manage change positively.

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outstanding

Staff are creative and enthusiastic about enabling children to experience new opportunities and activities in the home and in the community. For example, staff take the children to a local weekly disco that is specific to their needs and abilities. Staff and the children also enjoy activities together, such as bowling and indoor activity play centres. Furthermore, the children have recently been on a seaside holiday. This not only provides children with a sense of enrichment but also promotes their social, emotional and physical needs.

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outstanding

Staff go above and beyond to promote positive relationships between children and their families. Staff make it a priority to ensure that family members feel welcomed into the home. One parent shared with the inspector that they ‘loved coming to the home’. This level of support ensures that children maintain positive relationships with those who are close to them. Good advocacy by the registered manager ensures that family time is in the best interests of the children.

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outstanding

Staff have a thorough understanding of each child’s behaviour and the associated risks. The children’s behavioural plans and risk assessments are comprehensive and are updated in response to any incidents that occur. The oversight of managers ensures that staff always have up-to-date guidance. This ensures that staff have the necessary information to keep children safe.

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outstanding

Research-based practice means that staff are well informed, skilled and have the right knowledge to keep children safe. The registered manager shares relevant and current safeguarding publications with staff. Team exploration of these safeguarding reviews helps to raise staff awareness of new and emerging themes in relation to safeguarding. It has also helped to develop safeguarding practice in the team. For example, as a result of considering a practice review, the registered manager has ensured that each child has their own advocate. This ensures that children’s voices are independently heard.

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outstanding

Staff know the children extremely well, and children enjoy positive relationships with the staff who care for them. As a result of these close relationships, staff are alert to the children’s triggers and use their knowledge to de-escalate behaviours to avert incidents. The staff use individualised approaches to help the children manage heightened behaviours effectively. For example, a daily planner for one child has helped to reduce high levels of anxiety.

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outstanding

Staff only physically intervene with children as a last resort. This is to prevent children from harming themselves and others. The reports completed following physical interventions are sufficiently detailed to demonstrate what took place and Inspection report for children’s home: 2655354 5 ensure accountability. Following a physical restraint, staff use the child’s preferred method of communication to ensure that the child’s voice is heard and acted on.

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outstanding

Staff support children to take appropriate risks to develop their social and independence skills. For example, one child has become increasingly confident in the kitchen and is now able to prepare and cook their own meals. This is significant progress given her starting point. The child was keen to show the inspector her independence skills, which include preparing the table for the other children and staff for their evening meal. Furthermore, the child was excited to share photos of her shopping and cooking.

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outstanding

Staff are safely recruited. The home undertakes all of the required checks on staff. This ensures that children’s safety and welfare are promoted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is led by a skilled, experienced and suitably qualified manager. He is supported by a knowledgeable and committed deputy manager. Both managers are tenacious about creating opportunities that promote children’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers have a detailed knowledge of the strengths of the home and the areas for development. Excellent monitoring systems ensure that managers maintain good oversight of the quality of care provided to children. This ensures that children receive care that enables them to flourish.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have regular supervision that is purposeful and reflective. Regular team meetings allow staff the opportunity to discuss the children’s care and support needs and ensure everyone is clear about the progress children are making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home has a skilled, stable and committed team of staff who know the children well. Staff enjoy their work and feel valued and supported by managers. The staff and managers work well together and staff morale is positive. This contributes to children being provided with consistent, positive and child-centred care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Most staff hold the required level 3 diploma. A small number of staff are currently working to achieve the award, and plans are in place to ensure completion within the required timescales. Staff have completed a wide variety of training that they use to inform their practice and meet the children’s individual and diverse needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Partnership working with other agencies is a real strength of the staff. Staff regularly discuss the care that they provide with the children’s social workers. Professionals speak highly of the care that children receive and the positive effect that the care has on children’s lives. One social worker detailed the exceptional progress that their child has made since moving to this home. Another social worker informed the inspector that their child has made significant progress since living at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2655354 6 The registered manager communicates well with families so that they are kept up to date about how their child is progressing. A parent told the inspector that the staff had saved her and her child’s lives. Another parent said that there is nowhere else they would want their child to be. Inspection report for children’s home: 2655354 7

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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: 2655354 8

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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

Lydia Isaac, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2655354 9 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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