Children's home run by Reflexion Care Group Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2671827 1 Registered provider: Reflexion Care Group Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider operates this home. The home provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties due to past trauma. At the time of this inspection, two children were living in the home and both were spoken with by the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified and registered with Ofsted in November 2023.

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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: 2671827 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/08/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2671827 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children flourish in this home. Their experiences are extremely positive, and they make extensive progress in line with their plans. Since the last inspection, two children have moved in and two children have moved on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

When children come to live in this home their moves are centred around them and are meticulously planned. Careful consideration is given to ensuring that children are well matched. As a result, the children live together in harmony. Children are fond of each other and like spending time together. They share many interests, including supporting the same football team. This impacts positively on their well-being and contributes to their overall happiness.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s experiences of moving on from the home are excellent. Managers are forward- thinking and creative, which results in children feeling confident and well prepared. One child moved on to live more independently. The specific work carried out to achieve this milestone was shaped by good practice resources and information gathered from a national care leavers forum. This exceptional work has increased the child’s life chances as they have gained a wealth of knowledge and important life skills such as cooking and budgeting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children benefit from living in a nurturing and homely environment where they are valued, respected and encouraged to achieve. Staff are proud of the children and understand the importance of making happy memories. Children’s photos and many certificates of achievement and sporting medals are on display, which promotes a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive exceptional care, nurture and love. The children are at the heart of everything staff do. A particular standout is the positive relationships that children and staff share. When a child returned home from school, they sought out each staff member and gave them all a big hug. The hugs were reciprocated in a very natural way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Consultation with children is strong and care planning is highly effective. Children’s views, wishes and feelings are considered in all aspects of their care. Innovative, high- quality discussions with children help them to make sense of their experiences and support them to achieve their goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s hobbies and interests are encouraged and well supported. One child thoroughly enjoys playing for a local football team and they love it when the staff cheer them on from the sidelines. One staff member said, ‘It’s the highlight of my week.’ Supporting and sharing the child’s interests builds relationships and increases the child’s self-esteem and sense of self-worth. Inspection report for children’s home: 2671827 4 Both children attend school. This is exceptional progress for one child after a long absence from education. The child has lived at the home for two months and the individualised support provided by staff has helped them to reframe their thoughts and think positively about their education and their future. This has contributed to the child’s progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s links with people who are important to them are highly valued by staff. Children’s family members are warmly welcomed to the home and one child’s friends attended their birthday party. The child described this as ‘the best day’ because they had a barbecue and a bouncy castle. Staff go above and beyond to make the time children spend with their families positive. This includes taking one child to visit their family members every weekend, which supports them to maintain their identity. This is of particular importance as the child is living far away from home.

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

Children feel safe and their safety is a top priority for all the staff caring for them. Staff share an excellent understanding of the risks children face, and they recognise the reasons for their behaviours exceptionally well. The staff team embraces research-based practice and works closely with the therapy team which supports the home. This has improved staff practice and has led to some significant outcomes for children.

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

One strength of the home is the dynamic support provided to one child to gently challenge their use of unkind language. This sensitive approach helped the child to understand how their behaviour has an impact on others and to develop socially acceptable behaviour.

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

Staff recognise that, due to their previous experiences, children on occasion exhibit some risk-taking behaviours, such as going missing from home. Staff are professionally curious and continually implement different strategies to reduce harm. Staff’s knowledge of the children informs their day-to-day work, which reduces and minimises the risks for children effectively. Detailed safety plans help staff to provide safe, high-quality care.

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

Incidents of children going missing from home are rare. When they occur, staff take prompt action and liaise effectively with safeguarding partners to bring children home safely. On their return, staff talk to children to understand their feelings. Through effective collaboration and direct work with children, the risk is well managed. Staff have developed relationships with the children built on trust. This is helping one child to manage their risk-taking behaviours. As a result, they are showing a greater awareness of the dangers they face. This is excellent child-focused practice and helps the child to process and understand their feelings.

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

Staff use their skills and experience well to de-escalate incidents quickly. This is testament to the positive relationships between children and adults. Physical intervention is very rarely used. After any such incidents, conversations are held with children to gain their perspective of being held. Records of incidents are scrutinised by the manager to Inspection report for children’s home: 2671827 5 ensure that the use of restraint practice is necessary and proportionate and to identify any learning opportunities to improve practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leadership is a main strength of the home. The manager is an experienced and confident leader. Since the last inspection, she has taken some planned leave and she returned to work in August. In her absence, another dedicated manager, from within the organisation, led her team. The handover of information between the managers was seamless. Staff hold the leadership of both managers in very high regard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders are highly ambitious for children and inspire staff to provide exceptional care. Their ethos is shared by a motivated and enthusiastic staff team. The culture is open and inclusive and there is a strong sense of togetherness. Staff morale is high and staff thoroughly enjoy working at the home and spending time with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has excellent relationships with the children, who are at the heart of her practice. Her oversight of children’s care is exemplary. She has great knowledge of children’s starting points and she is proud of their progress and achievements. Children have an active voice regarding their experiences, and the manager implements change based on their feedback.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders maintain good communication and working relationships with external professionals and children’s families. Leaders are strong advocates for children when needed. This ensures that decisions made are always in children’s best interests. This shows commitment to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Quality assurance tools and monitoring systems are highly effective to ensure high standards are maintained. These processes ensure that children’s care continually exceeds good and the strengths and development areas for the home are identified and actioned quickly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager ensures children receive care from a highly skilled staff team, in line with the home’s therapeutic model of care. Turnover of staff is minimal. The stability and expertise of the staff team contribute to excellent outcomes for children because they know and trust the staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Regular consultation and expert guidance from clinicians generate new ideas to drive continual improvement to benefit children. Staff practice is built on in-depth knowledge, resilience and commitment to understand and support children’s needs. This is underpinned by effective training, annual appraisals and focused team meetings. In addition, staff receive reflective supervision which supports their ongoing development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations were made at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2671827 6

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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: 2671827 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

Amy Richards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2671827 8 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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