Children's Home run by Phoenix Learning & Care Holdings Limited in Plymouth

Unique reference number SC458812 Inspection date 13/06/2013 Inspector Guy Mammatt Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 25/02/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

The home provides accommodation for up to two young people who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a private company.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : a service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements Good : a service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements Adequate : a service that only meets minimum requirements Inadequate : a service that does not meet minimum requirements

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be adequate .

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Overall effectiveness

This is the first inspection for the children’s home, as it was newly registered in February 2013. The service is operated by a well-established provider with experienced managers leading the home. Lack of attention to detail by all parties has undermined some otherwise positive outcomes for the young people.

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Overall effectiveness

The home provides an adequate quality of care with some good outcomes for young people. Young people have a good relationship with the staff team and the home provides personalised care to meet their needs. However, many shortfalls exist in administrative areas across care practice and this impacts on the overall judgement.

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Overall effectiveness

There are shortfalls in the Statement of Purpose, which has also not been reviewed and submitted to Ofsted. There are errors in the recording of medication receipts. Records of disciplinary measures in the home are not effective. Staff lack specific training to support young people with autistic spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Also, the sleeping arrangements for some staff in the house are unacceptable, as they infringe on the young people’s rights and privacy.

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Overall effectiveness

Recommendations are also made in relation to speaking with young people following the use of a sanction; ensuring that records of any incidents where young people go missing and staff recruitment details are kept at the home and ensuring that probationary staff do not work alone. Also, the home does not complete initial impact risk assessments for new placements, so it is unable to demonstrate that the home only admits young people whose assessed needs it can reasonably expect to meet. There has been insufficient management monitoring of sanctions imposed at the home.

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Overall effectiveness

Although there are a large number of shortfalls, none of the issues identified directly impact on the safety of young people.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) compile in relation to the children's home a written statement (in these regulations referred to as the Statement of Purpose) which shall consist of a statement as to the matters listed in schedule 1 (Regulation 4 (1)) 10/08/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) provide a copy of the Statement of Purpose to the HMCI and make a copy of it available upon request for inspection (Regulation 4 (2)) 10/08/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

17B (2001) ensure that within 24 hours of the use of any measure of control, restraint or discipline in a children's home, a written record is made in a volume kept for the purpose of which shall include details of the child's behaviour leading to the use of the measure and the effectiveness and any consequence of the use of the measure (Regulation 17B (3) (b & f)) 10/08/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the registered person shall make suitable arrangements for the recording, handling, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of any medicines received into the children's home (Regulation 21 (1)) 10/08/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that at all times, having regard to the size of the children's home, the Statement of Purpose, and the number and needs of the children accommodated there a sufficient number of suitably qualified, competent and experienced persons working at the children's home; with particular reference to staff completing training in autistic spectrum disorder and ADHD (Regulation 25 (1) (a)) 10/08/2013

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the registered person provides for persons working at the children's home sleeping accommodation where the provision of such accommodation is needed in connection with their work at the home. (Regulation 31 (10) (b)) 10/08/2013

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure that where sanctions, disciplinary measures or restraint are used, children are encouraged to have their views recorded in the records kept by the home (NMS 3.18)  ensure that records kept by the home when a child goes missing detail action taken by staff, the circumstances of the child's return, any reasons given by the child for running away from the home, and action taken in the light of those reason. The information is shared with the responsible authority and where appropriate, their parents (NMS 5.10)  ensure that the children's home only provides admission to children whose assessed needs they can reasonably expect to meet; with particular reference to completing an impact risk assessment for all new placements (NMS 11.2)  ensure that the children's home has a record of the recruitment and vetting checks which have been carried out on those working (including volunteers) for the children's home which includes all the matters listed (a - f) (NMS 16.3)

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Recommendations

 ensure that staff members who are placed in charge of the home and other staff at particular times (e.g. as leaders of staff shifts) have substantial relevant experience of working in the home and have successfully completed their induction and probationary period (NMS 17.5)  ensure that the manager regularly monitors, in line with regulations, all records kept by the home to ensure compliance with homes policies, to identify any concerns about specific incidents and to identify patterns and trends. Immediate action is taken to address any issues raised by this monitoring; with particular reference to the sanction log. (NMS 21.2)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for young people are adequate .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are happy living at the home and make good progress towards developing a positive self-view and improved emotional resilience. Young people enjoy good health and have all their health needs addressed promptly.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have a good attendance at school. Their educational achievement is satisfactory, considering their past difficulties with education. Young people’s engagement and behaviour at school is sometimes poor. However, young people are benefitting from this opportunity for social inclusion and making peer group friendships while at school.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people participate in regular family contact, as agreed by the local authority. Staff maintain good links with the young people’s families and include them in the care of their child where appropriate. This ensures that young people remain in touch with people that are important to them and with their cultural heritage. Young people learn age-appropriate basic living skills while at the home. They also exercise choice in the food they eat and the personal requisites that they buy. As a result, young people receive a good level of care which helps them to prepare for adulthood and develop an understanding of economic well-being.

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Outcomes for children and young people

A young person who previously lived at the home became involved with people in the community who could potentially harm them. This led to an abrupt end of their placement and for a period of time also put others in the home at serious risk of harm. The home worked closely with the police, who evaluated the risk. The police state that the risk to the home and residents has decreased to acceptable levels. A thorough risk assessment is in place to ensure its continued safety.

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Quality of care

Young people and staff have good relationships. Staff set clear, consistent and appropriate boundaries for young people. They respond appropriately to unacceptable behaviour. Staff have high aspirations for the young people and demonstrate good knowledge of the desired outcomes for each placement. As a result, young people live in a supportive and nurturing environment. They are cared for in line with their individual plans, so that initial objectives of the placement are fulfilled.

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Quality of care

Young people have access to all the appropriate sources to make a complaint. Young people know how to make a complaint and feel able to speak with the staff team to share their concerns. Staff act appropriately to ensure the young people’s views are heard and passed onto the correct parties. Young people receive prompt feedback on any concerns that they raise and are kept informed of progress.

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Quality of care

Staff engage young people in key worker sessions; this is the preferred method of formal communication by the young people. Young people participate in their care planning, although they demonstrate a limited understanding of the process and how they can contribute to it effectively.

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Quality of care

Staff ensure that young people’s health needs are promoted. Young people are registered with the necessary health professionals; they receive regular check-ups and have all other specific health and dietary needs addressed promptly.

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Quality of care

The arrangements for recording medication at the home are ineffective. For example, a medicine was brought into the home and was not recorded in the receipts book, which made the stock balance incorrect. This does not pose a risk to young people, but it is not competent practice.

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Quality of care

Staff follow detailed risk assessments to support the young people and minimise risky situations occurring. Young people engage in individualised incentive schemes in the home to reward their personal achievements and to promote positive behaviour. The needs of all young people are discussed with the placing authority prior to admission. There is currently only one young person in the home, but when there were two, no compatibility risk assessment had been completed. This does not ensure that only suitable young people are introduced to the home, whose needs are likely to be compatible with existing residents.

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Quality of care

Staff support the attendance and achievement of young people at their school. Education placements are tailored to the individual needs of the young people to ensure the best possible outcomes. Staff support and encourage young people to engage in purposeful activities in their leisure time. For example, young people attend the Pony Club, engage in cooking and use the local leisure centre. As a result, young people benefit from a good all-round timetable that promotes their educational, social and physical needs.

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Quality of care

The home is maintained to a good standard and is appropriately secured to ensure the wellbeing of young people living there. Generally young people live in a homely, non-institutionalised environment. However, the sleeping arrangements for the second member of staff are unsatisfactory, as they infringe on the communal living space for the young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is adequate at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people feel safe at the home and state that bullying has not been an issue since they moved in. Young people identify an adult they can talk to if they feel unsafe or threatened. The staff team manage unsafe situations well to ensure the young people’s safety.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Safeguarding allegations are efficiently managed to ensure that young people’s rights and safety are maintained at all times. Investigations into suspicions of harm are handled quickly in a way that provides effective protection for young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There have been no incidents of physical intervention since the home was registered in February 2013. Incidents of missing from home are very low. The home does not always keep written records when a young person does go missing. Therefore it is not evident what action the staff took, the circumstances of the young people’s return and any follow action taken to minimise its reoccurrence.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home has sound missing-from-home protocols in place with the local police and the local authority. The home also works promptly with local agencies in order to maintain the young people’s safety.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Positive behaviour is promoted in the home with the use of a daily reward system and a positive handling plan specific for each young person. The home aims to focus on praise and will only use negative consequences as last resort.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Sanctions are not frequently imposed; however, on the occasions they have been used, the level of recording is insufficient. In most cases the records lack detail of the young person’s behaviour leading up the use of the measure and do not contain an evaluation of the effectiveness of the measure imposed. Also, young people’s views following sanctions are not recorded in the records kept by the home. Therefore it is not clearly demonstrated that the home is taking effective action to monitor and reduce the use of physical intervention measures.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Selection and vetting of staff takes place centrally at the company’s head office, where main recruitment files are kept. The home does not keep a record of the recruitment and vetting checks that are carried out on members of staff. This means that although recruitment practice is safe, the Registered Manager does not have access to copies of recruitment information in order to confirm staff suitability.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The home is physically safe; all the environmental and health and safety checks are completed on a regular basis. Good fire safety systems are in place with fire evacuation drills carried out on a regular basis. As a result, young people live in a carefully managed environment that promotes their safety.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are adequate .

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Leadership and management

There is a permanent Registered Manager in post. There were no requirements or recommendations resulting from the registration visit. Placing authorities are very satisfied with the home and young people comment that they feel it is ‘outstanding’. Strong leadership and oversight arrangements of the service are in place while the home is establishing itself as a new registration; ensuring that the Registered Manager and staff receive a good level of support.

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Leadership and management

The home meets its stated aim to place a strong emphasis on creating a holistically nurturing environment where young people are encouraged to explore and develop their potential. However, there are shortfalls present in the home’s Statement of Purpose. For example, the Statement of Purpose does not contain the number, relevant qualifications and experience of staff working at the home and makes reference to an incorrect Local Safeguarding Children’s Board for the area that the home is located. An up-to-date Statement of Purpose has not been submitted to Ofsted. Therefore external agencies and staff do not have accurate information about the home and the local services.

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Leadership and management

The home has produced a well-written children’s guide to help young people when they first move into the service. The guide includes what the home sets out to do for children, how they can find out their rights and contact independent people for advice. The home has an adequate development plan place which details the service’s objectives and confirms the continuation of the home’s current operation and resources.

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Leadership and management

An independent person carries out regular monitoring visits. They include conversations with young people living at the home. This ensures that they are consulted about the quality of care provided. The Registered Manager uses the inspection visits to improve the service.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager carries out regular monitoring of records kept at the home. Generally this is completed to a good standard; however, disciplinary measures for the young people do not contain a managerial overview or comment. Therefore the manager does not routinely monitor all records to ensure that they are compliant with the home’s policies and practice.

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Leadership and management

Staff feel very well supported and happy with amount of supervision and guidance they receive to fulfil their role. On occasion, inexperienced members of staff have worked alone on shift, which leaves them vulnerable to being placed in difficult situations that they cannot manage. Also, staff lack training to support the young people’s identified needs in autism spectrum disorder and ADHD.

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Leadership and management

All significant events relating to the protection of young people accommodated in the home are notified to the appropriate authorities. Appropriate action is taken following a concern to maintain good safeguarding working practice and the young people's safety.

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the Inspections of children’s homes – framework for inspection and the evaluation schedule for the inspection of children's homes.

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