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

Unique reference number SC458811 Inspector Christina Maddison Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Phoenix Learning and Care Limited Registered person address Phoenix Learning & Care Ltd Rolle Quay BARNSTAPLE Devon EX31 1JE Responsible individual Mark Ian Parker Registered manager Simon Uren Date of last inspection 03/07/2014 2 of 6 Inspection date 03/03/2015

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Previous inspection adequate Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged adequate at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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This inspection

The full inspection of this service was undertaken in July 2014 when the overall judgement was adequate. The registered manager has been in post now for eight months and during this time has improved systems, outcomes for young people and established a stable and consistent staff team. The five requirements made at the previous inspection are all fully met. However, staff recruitment processes undertaken at the company head office, are not always robust and do not always ensure safer recruitment procedures are followed to ensure only suitable persons are employed at the home.

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This inspection

Young people benefit from stable, long term placements. Young people make very good progress with their education from their starting points on admission to the home. Staff have high aspirations for young people and seek appropriate educational placements to ensure young people's talents and abilities are valued and they are able to gain qualifications and skills. Staff successfully support young people to think about future employment and what qualifications and skills they will need for the future.

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This inspection

Young people are encouraged and supported by staff to be as independent as possible. They manage their own money and shop for and cook their own meals. Young people are supported to become equipped with the skills they need to move on to independent living. Placements plans are now comprehensive and document targets and aims of the placement. Plans are regularly updated and reviewed as necessary.

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This inspection

Staff effectively prepare some young people to return home to live with their family if this is the plan. This is achieved through communication by staff with families, careful planning and stabilising the behaviour of young people. There is then a gradual build up of young people returning home to stay for weekends and holidays 3 of 6 and finally returning to the family home.

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This inspection

Incidents of young people missing from the home are minimal. If young people do go missing then staff are always curious to know and find out where they are, who they are with and what they are doing. Discussion is held with young people on their return to find out why they went missing and how this can be prevented in the future. Friends and families of young people are welcome to visit the home and some families visit every week to enjoy meals with their young person. Young people living in the home have positive and respectful relationships and get on well with each other. One young person said 'the best thing about living here is the people I live with, I like all the staff and the other young people.'

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This inspection

Staff do not restrain young people and use effective behaviour management strategies to manage the behaviour of young people. There are now comprehensive recording systems in place to record any restraints and this includes what action staff take to avoid a restraint. Young people said 'I've done well since I have been here, my behaviour is improved, I have learned to be less angry and I get on better with others now. Staff talk to me all the time and I really like living here and feel safe.' Sanctions given by staff for undesirable behaviour are minimal and young people report that they are fair. Staff implement boundaries and rules consistently, so young people know what is expected of them and they are able to improve their behaviour and learn from their mistakes. Staff reward and praise positive behaviour through incentive schemes and verbal praise. Books are created for young people to keep, where positive comments from staff are recorded and shared with them.

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This inspection

The home is clean, well maintained and homely. Young people are able to keep small pets in the garden that they are responsible for caring for. Young people are fully consulted about the decoration of the home and their ideas are implemented, such as colour schemes and replacement of furniture. Young people's bedrooms are personalised and contain photographs of family and representation of their interests and hobbies.

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This inspection

Health and safety is well managed in the home. The manager has undertaken a comprehensive location risk assessment and has liaised with the local police to ascertain if there are any issues in the area the home is situated in, and how these are to be managed. Risk assessments are now in place for staff when they are lone working that identify risks and comprehensive control measures. Fire drills and checks of equipment are regularly made and young people and staff are able to clearly state what action they would take in the event of a fire. A comprehensive development plan is now in place for the home which details how the manager will improve and develop the home in the next twelve months.

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This inspection

The manager has worked hard to improve the regularity and quality of supervision and training. All staff are now receiving regular supervision and training that is of a good quality and ensures they have the necessary skills and competence to work in the home. The manager is regularly supervised by a senior manager in the 4 of 6 company. Staff recruited since the previous inspection are not always recruited following robust and comprehensive recruitment processes. For example, one member of staff does not have two written references on file that were confirmed through a telephone conversation with the referee. One referee has only known the member of staff for two weeks and this was accepted by the company as being suitable to demonstrate the member of staff has the ability and suitability to work with young people at the home. The manager has made efforts to chase this shortfall with the company head office, but there is not a recorded response to his

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This inspection

requests for recruitment information. 5 of 6

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Information about this children’s home

Compton Vale is a 3 bedroom house located in a residential area of Plymouth. The home provides accommodation for 2 young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home is operated by a private provider that has another children's home in close vicinity.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/07/2014 Full adequate 05/03/2014 Interim satisfactory progress 04/10/2013 Full adequate

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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) ensure that no person is employed unless that person is fit to work at the children's home; in particular ensure that two suitable references are obtained and verified prior to the person commencing employment at the home (Regulation 26(1)(a)). 27/03/2015 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Reg. Requirement Due date

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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Information 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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Information 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 framework of inspection for children's homes.

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