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 home is privately run and offers care for up to two children who experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is experienced and has applied to be registered with Ofsted

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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: 28 February 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC376719 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/02/2023 Full Good 05/01/2022 Full Outstanding 19/11/2019 Full Outstanding 12/11/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC376719 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children currently live in the home. One child has lived in the home for over two years and is making substantial progress. Since the last inspection, one child has left the home and moved into semi-independent accommodation. This was part of a well-planned transition in line with their care plan. Since then, the home has recently welcomed another child who has settled well as the result of a thoughtfully planned move into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide children with nurturing care using a therapeutic approach. As a result, the children have built trusting, secure and positive relationships with the adults who care for them. Staff help and support the children to express themselves openly. This provides children with a sense of security and belonging. The children say they like their staff and like living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education is promoted. They attend their education provisions daily and are making steady progress from their starting points. One child who has moved on obtained their GCSEs. Staff help children by practicing subjects they are struggling with, such as mathematics, spelling and reading, in the home. This proactive approach supports children with their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children can have their say, raise issues and have discussions about matters affecting them through children’s meetings and key-working sessions. As a result, children’s wishes, feelings and requests are acted on by the adults caring for them. For example, one child has made a formal complaint to their placing authority around a care plan decision they did not agree with. The staff helped the child to write the complaint and are following this up to ensure the child is provided with an outcome.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to prepare for independence in line with their care plans. Staff have helped children to obtain part-time work. This enhances children’s social skills and provides them with a structured routine, giving them a sense of purpose and achievement while promoting their independence. As a result, children are making timely progress with learning life skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is spacious, well maintained and homely. Children’s bedrooms are personalised to their interests. The home has a well-equipped gaming area where children engage in gaming with friends and staff. The home also utilises the additional kitchen space for children to practice their independent cooking skills. This provides children with their own space to maintain as part of preparing them for their futures. Inspection report for children’s home: SC376719 4

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

Children do not go missing from the home. Staff understand the protocols and have received training to ensure that they know how to respond if a child does go missing from home.

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

Since the last inspection, there have been no complaints or allegations made. This has been a settled period for the home and children. There have been some low- level incidents, which have been managed well by the staff team. Staff use de- escalation techniques and therapeutic responses when incidents occur. As a result, there have been no physical interventions, and children feel supported and listened to.

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

Staff, supported by the in-house therapist, understand children’s needs and vulnerabilities. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed to promote the welfare of the children. For example, in response to concerns around the potential risk of criminal exploitation, a child has been helped through direct work to understand the risks and their personal safety. The manager communicates effectively, sharing concerns with relevant professionals and involving specialist agencies to provide an informed response to risks.

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

Medication is not always administered correctly; errors have been made on three occasions. Appropriate actions were taken to keep children safe in response to the mistakes made. Following the incidents, staff received extra training, and amendments were made to the medication administration process and records. However, when children are given medication in their education provisions, medication records are not updated to show that it has been given. As a result, it is not clear whether children have received their medication or when it was administered.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An experienced, qualified manager runs the home. He is also the manager for another home in the organisation and has applied to be registered with Ofsted for both homes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A stable staff team provides consistent care and stability for children. Staff show dedication and are child-focused and committed. One staff member said, ‘The team works well together. It’s a nice place to work, and I feel supported by the manager.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and have the opportunity to reflect on their practice and identify any learning needs. All staff are up to date with their mandatory training. Additional training is also provided to help staff understand and meet children’s individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals say the communication from the manager is good. One professional said, ‘The staff team do their upmost best to support the children.’ However, for one child who is new to the home, the manager has not challenged the local authority Inspection report for children’s home: SC376719 5 effectively, as it has not provided up-to-date care plans. This leaves staff and the manager without the information needed to potentially effectively meet the child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring and reviewing systems are in place, which enables the manager to have oversight of the home. However, the manager did not ensure the recent quality of care review was completed and sent to the regulator on time. Inspection report for children’s home: SC376719 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure they work with the children’s placing authority to obtain up-to-date children’s care plan records. When there has been a delay, the registered person should appropriately follow this up using Regulation 5. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.5)  The registered person should ensure they make suitable arrangements to manage and administer medication. Records must be kept of the administration of all medication. In particular, managers and staff should have robust processes in place when children’s medication is administered out of the home by education provisions. Administration records must reflect this and be kept up to date. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person should ensure the quality of care review is completed within a six-month period and sent to the regulator. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes

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Recommendations

Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.3)

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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

Joanne Humphreys, 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 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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