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

Inspection report for children's home: 2507361 1 Registered provider: Reflexion Care Group Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company and provides care for up to two children who have faced adverse childhood experiences.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably experienced and holds a level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 6 February 2024

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2507361 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/02/2024 Full Outstanding 28/02/2023 Full Outstanding 08/11/2021 Full Outstanding 29/01/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: 2507361 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a beautifully decorated home set in an idyllic position overlooking countryside. The home is decorated to a high standard and has a warm and cosy feel. Children’s photos and achievements are displayed throughout the home and their bedrooms are decorated to reflect their personalities and individual tastes. Children live in an environment that is comfortable and reflects their identity. This supports children in feeling valued and having a sense of belonging.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children were living in the home at the time of this inspection and both children were spoken to. Since the previous inspection, one child has moved in and then moved out of the home. Staff support children well with moves in and out of the home. Before they move in, they give children information about the home in a manner they can understand and offer them opportunities to visit the home to understand what it is like to live there. Children’s moves out of the home are well planned and children are assisted by staff to settle into their new home. This reduces the worry children may have about the changes they are experiencing.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy and at ease with staff. Children experience kind and caring relationships with staff, who they seek out when needed. Children enjoy spending time with staff they like and trust. A child said that they would not change anything about the home and that the staff are great.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff spend time having fun with children, doing things the children enjoy. This supports staff in developing trusting relationships with children and gaining a good understanding of their needs and behaviours. Staff support children to reflect on their behaviours and to change patterns of behaviour. There has been a significant reduction in incidents for one child as they are now more able to manage challenging emotions. Children are making positive progress in all areas of their lives and are very settled in the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend school full time and are making progress both academically and socially. Staff have worked closely with teachers to create bespoke reintegration plans in line with children’s needs to support them in attending school every day. Children are now settled in school and making good progress from their starting points.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff consult children regularly to gather their wishes and feelings. Children meet with staff members in planned and unplanned ways to share their views. Children are informed promptly of outcomes to their requests. This supports children to feel heard and valued. One child is now able to express their feelings by talking to staff, rather than displaying negative behaviours. Inspection report for children's home: 2507361 4

p.3

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

Complaints and allegations are taken seriously and explored. Staff follow the correct procedures when a complaint or allegation is made. Children are informed of outcomes to their allegations promptly. Children and staff are offered resolution meetings following any allegation, to rebuild positive relationships. Children feel heard and able to share their concerns, as they are confident that their views will be taken seriously and their safety prioritised.

p.4

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

Children do not go missing from the home. One child who frequently went missing before moving into this home no longer does so. Staff support children to talk about their feelings and have a strong understanding of their lived experiences and triggers to their behaviours. This enables staff to offer the support children need. Children feel settled and safe in the home and are not seeking to leave the home and go missing.

p.4

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

Physical interventions are rarely used. When physical interventions are used, they are generally managed well. However, not all staff are confident in de-escalating challenging situations in a therapeutic manner. This has, on some occasions, resulted in trivial issues escalating into a physical intervention. The language in records of physical interventions is not always child focused and therapeutic. Children are not always supported to regulate their emotions, and their behaviour can be heightened by staff’s responses.

p.4

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

Consequences are used to help children understand the impact of challenging behaviours, and various rewards are used to recognise positive behaviours. Children can choose a monetary reward, treat or activity as recognition for positive behaviour. Children understand that there are consequences to all their actions, which supports them in making better choices.

p.4

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

Staff understand the individual needs of children and strongly advocate for them. Staff create visual aids and communication tools to ensure that information is shared with children in line with their understanding and functioning. Staff liaise with external professionals to ensure that children get the correct support services to achieve the best possible outcomes. Children receive care that is in line with their needs and their unique identity is promoted.

p.4

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

Staff offer children consistent boundaries, structure and routines. This gives children a sense of certainty and contributes towards them feeling safe. Staff take time to understand children’s feelings and support them in processing challenging emotions on a day-to-day basis. This has resulted in both children developing skills in being able to talk to staff about their feelings rather than displaying challenging behaviours and placing themselves at risk of harm.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is enthusiastic, dedicated and committed to ensuring that children achieve the best possible outcomes. She is actively involved in caring for children and advocates for them when needed, while still providing strong leadership to the staff team. The Inspection report for children's home: 2507361 5 manager and staff speak proudly of children’s progress and achievements since moving into the home and have high aspirations for them. This provides children with positive role models.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is focused on staff development and ensures that staff are offered a vast amount of training and regular supervision sessions. This provides the staff with the required skills to meet the individual needs of children. Team meetings provide staff with the opportunity to reflect on the needs of children and enhance their learning. Children receive care that is in tune with their needs.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have a clear understanding of the progress children are making and the challenges they face. The manager has oversight of all incidents. On some occasions, the manager’s oversight of incidents has not been reflective, resulting in missed opportunities to address shortfalls in practice and implement learning. This has meant that staff practice is not always underpinned by the reflective therapeutic approach the home subscribes to.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively of the manager and feel supported and able to approach her with any issues. One member of staff said, ‘I feel so supported by management.’ Team morale is high and staff enjoy working in the home. Children are cared for by staff who enjoy coming into work every day. Children feel wanted and valued by those who care for them.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff have developed good working relationships with external professionals. They have worked closely with health professionals, teachers and social workers to ensure that children’s medical, educational and emotional needs are understood and addressed. External professionals were positive about the home and the quality of care given to the children in their care. Inspection report for children's home: 2507361 6

p.5

Recommendation

 The registered person should lead a team which provides high-quality care for all children living in the home. They must lead and manage the home in a way that delivers the ethos, outcomes and approach set out in the home’s statement of purpose. They should ensure that the home’s therapeutic model is embedded in all staff’s practice and that this is evidenced in records. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.4)

p.6

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: 2507361 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Reflexion Care Group Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Fitzroy Academy, Cruckton, Shrewsbury SY5 8PR

p.7

Inspector

Menaka De Silva, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2507361 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8