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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1256638 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

The home is registered to provide care for up to three children who have suffered adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and presenting complex behaviours. Children may also have a learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and forms part of a large social care organisation, which offers an education service and therapeutic support. There were three children living at the home at the time of the inspection. All three children were spoken to.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left in August 2024. There is a manager in post and they have applied to register 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: 6 February 2024

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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: 1256638 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/02/2024 Full Good 14/03/2023 Full Good 22/11/2021 Full Good 24/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1256638 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The three children living at the home have all lived there since the last inspection and are settled. Children benefit from a nurturing home environment and are supported by staff who hold them in high regard. Children say they have people to speak to in the home if they have worries or concerns and they feel safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a home that is warm and welcoming. Children’s rooms are personalised to their interests and children say they have everything that they need. Staff put up photos of children and children’s artwork, and certificates of their achievements are on display. This helps to ensure that children feel a sense of belonging and feel valued in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prioritise education. All children attend school full time and make good progress. School professionals describe excellent communication with staff. A teacher called the relationship with the home the best they had experienced in 20 years and said that staff are the child’s biggest supporters.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children well to develop independence skills. One child is being supported to manage a budget and is regularly cooking his own meals. Building life skills helps to ensure that children are well prepared when they move on from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend time with people who are important to them. They have built positive and trusted relationships with family members for the benefit of children. One family member described the home as ‘fantastic’. They said that staff hold their child at the centre of decision-making and want what is best for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to explore their interests and enjoy a range of activities that enhance their experience of living at the home. One child attends regular gymnastics sessions and has gained badges to mark their achievements; another child now attends regular football training and plays in competitive matches. All children enjoy holidays and trips out with staff. These experiences help children to build self-esteem and confidence and develop a sense of identity.

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

Staff benefit from training on how to de-escalate incidents and physical intervention is only used as a last resort to keep children safe. The manager ensures that children and staff are routinely spoken to after incidents. These discussions explore incidents and identify learning. As a result, children’s risks are well understood, and incidents have significantly reduced over time and are now rare. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256638 4 Staff and children benefit from the support of a clinical team who carry out direct work with children and provide staff with training on therapeutic approaches to care. Children benefit from the support of staff who are skilled at meeting their needs.

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

Health and safety is managed well in the home and, as a result, children live in an environment free from hazards.

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

There have been no episodes of children going missing from home. Children’s plans and risk assessments provide staff with clear guidance on the steps they need to take to keep children safe. Children benefit from educational one-to-one sessions about risks. These sessions help them to understand risks and how to keep themselves and others safe.

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

Children benefit from consistent rules and boundaries and positive behaviour is recognised and rewarded. Staff implement consequences in response to undesirable behaviour. Consequences include restricting children’s access to electronic devices. Children say that they think consequences are fair and say they are not given often. However, consequences are not always recorded. This hinders the manager’s ability to evaluate the effectiveness of these measures. The manager has reflected on this and has a clear plan to discuss it with the team and ensure that consequences are recorded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is passionate about providing high-quality care. She is dedicated to achieving positive outcomes for children and places a high value on child-centred decision-making. The manager has positive and meaningful relationships with children and spends regular time with them. This ethos is mirrored by the staff team, who provide children with nurturing care and genuine affection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager was previously a senior staff member in the home and understands the home, staff and children well. A comprehensive handover from the outgoing manager helped to ensure that this change was seamless.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular supervisions. These discussions are reflective and identify clear actions for ongoing development. Staff say that they feel well supported and that they enjoy working in the home. One staff member described the home as a ‘fantastic place to work’. Another staff member said, ‘I genuinely enjoy working at this home and feel privileged to be part of such a committed and caring team.’ Staff turnover is low, and children benefit from the support of a consistent team who know them well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager fosters positive relationships with external professionals, who say there is excellent communication. Good multi-agency working helps to ensure that children’s needs are met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and senior managers in the organisation have good systems in place for monitoring and auditing the home. The manager creates clear development plans using Inspection report for children’s home: 1256638 5 the outcomes of audits. Good oversight helps to ensure the service is continually developing. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256638 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure.

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure;

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record 25 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1256638 7 confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii) (c)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that records are completed when consequences are given.

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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: 1256638 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

Laura Norcop, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1256638 9 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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