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

Requires improvement

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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because:

 While the Registered Manager has been absent for nearly four weeks, the leadership team failed to put in place satisfactory arrangements for the management of the home. This has meant that although a senior residential care worker has overseen the day to day running of the home, she has not been given appropriate time, support or guidance to fully deputise in the absence of the manager. Consequently, several managerial responsibilities have not been fulfilled. This is because the senior residential care worker has continued in her own full time caring responsibilities and has not been given any dedicated management time. It is unacceptable that the leadership team has not given appropriate attention to supporting the senior, the staff team and young person during the absence of the manager.  Management responsibilities not carried out include ensuring concerns about incomplete documentation are escalated with the placing authority,

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because:

undertaking a review of highly pertinent records relating to the welfare and safety of the young person, providing staff with practice-related supervision and completing the manager’s review of quality report.  There has been no serious impact on the day-to-day care or welfare of the young person. However, her placement is at an early and crucial stage and the absence of a confident and competent manager has meant that her care has not been supervised or reviewed as effectively as it should have been.

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The children's home strengths

 With the exception of the above, this home has made good progress since the last inspection. Two young people have made successful transitions. One social worker said he had been ‘very impressed with the home’ and that staff had provided ‘excellent support and preparation for transition’.  The home provides a very homely and nurturing environment. Young people feel central to its functioning and feel safe and listened to. They enjoy really close relationships with staff. They spend quality time together, creating works of art, going to the cinema and generally having fun. Staff have a really good awareness of the importance of keeping young people safe. Along with dedicated external professionals, they support young people to develop a better awareness of how to keep themselves safe, improve their confidence and self-esteem.  The Registered Manager is well thought of by young people and staff. They have missed his presence in the home and were looking forward to his

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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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

5: Engaging with the wider system to ensure children's needs are met In order to meet the engaging with the wider system to ensure children's needs are met standard with particular reference to obtaining up-to-date documentation from the placing authority the registered provider must ensure that: (5)(c) if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority's or a relevant person's performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, they challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child's needs are met in accordance with the child's relevant plans. 08/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard with particular reference to having a clear understanding of the objectives of the placement the registered person is required to ensure staff: (6)(2)(b)(iv) provide personalised care that meets each child's needs, as recorded in the child's relevant plans. 08/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard with particular reference for the importance of satisfactory arrangements being put in place if the registered manager is absent the registered provider must ensure that: (6)(3)(c)(ii) the care of a young person is under the supervision of a person who is appropriately skilled and qualified to supervise that care. 08/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard with particular reference to young people who may go missing from the home the registered provider must ensure that staff: (12) (2)(v)understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting young people that are assigned to them by the registered person. 31/10/2015 13: The leadership and management standard In order to meet the leadership and management standard with particular reference to meeting the needs of young people the registered person is required to ensure that staff (13)(2)(c) have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each young person. 30/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

33: Employment of staff The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience, in particular newly appointed staff and staff acting in a more senior role must receive appropriate supervision and support to enable them to successfully undertake their responsibilities. (Regulation 33(4)(b)) 08/11/2015

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Requirement Due date

45: Review of quality of care The registered provider must complete a review of the quality of care provided for young people at least once every 6 months and supply a copy to HMCI. (Regulation 24(1)(4)(a)) 30/11/2015

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Information about this children's home

The home is operated by a private provider of education and social care for children and young people. It provides care and accommodation for up to two young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Young people can attend education within the company school or via an external provision. The home is situated on the edge of a city and near to the coast

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

03/03/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

05/03/2014 CH - Interim Satisfactory Progress

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Requires improvement

The overall experiences and progress of children and young people living in the home does not meet a consistently good judgement. Adequate interim management arrangements have not been put in place while the registered manager has been absent for nearly four weeks leading up to the inspection.

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Requires improvement

Important and up-to date documentation is not on file for young people. This includes their local authority care plan. While staff are aware of the overall objectives of the placement and have formulated an in house placement plan, the need to achieve an up-to-date care plan from the placing authority has not been appropriately escalated. This compromises the progress and safety of young people who are very vulnerable and have complex needs.

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Requires improvement

Other records, such as risk assessments and behaviour plans are not of a good standard. There is evidence of these being recycled from previous young people’s, who had very different needs and information is put together in a way that does not prioritise what are the serious risks. Other records do not clearly outline in detail to staff what to do in relation to managing challenging behaviour or if a young person is missing from care. These records are too generic and do not reflect the specific needs of the individual young person. While they were put in place when the young person was admitted to the home during the summer, they have not been updated and reviewed since.

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Requires improvement

Staff do not receive regular practice-related supervision. This includes new and inexperienced members of staff. Despite the company’s own expectations that new staff on probation for their first six months receive supervision every two weeks, this is not happening. One recently appointed members of staff had received seven supervisions in six months and another just two supervision in three months. Both of these members of staff are new to the care of young people in care. This lax approach compromises the effectiveness of care provided to young people and does not support staff to develop their practice appropriately.

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Requires improvement

The need for specialist training to fully prepare staff to successfully fulfil the expectations of their role is not robust. For example, there is an expectation that the senior member of staff will manage the home in the absence of the registered manager, yet they do not receive training to prepare them for their additional responsibilities. Also, while all staff receive basic training in attachment as part of their induction programme, the majority of staff have not had more advanced training despite there being a current need for this if the needs of young people are to be fully understood and responded to effectively. Other training needs, such as developing staff’s awareness of supporting young people with a learning disability, have also not been addressed.

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Requires improvement

Notwithstanding the above, staff do establish really nurturing and trusting relationships with young people. They work well as a team to establish healthy routines and enable young people to achieve the objectives of their placement and personal goals. There is a lovely sense of creativity in the home. Young people’s interests such as art and music are really well supported, as is their education. Young people feel they have a voice and can talk openly to staff. Staff acknowledge their achievements and regularly praise young people which is captured and included in their memorabilia when they leave the home. Young people also benefit from staff really helping them to settle in when they arrive at the home, helping them to build their confidence and have high aspirations for themselves. The home has a good track record in supporting young people to make good progress and be successful when they leave the home.

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Requires improvement

The home is caring for a very complex and vulnerable young person. Discussions with staff confirmed their awareness, but associated records are not clear or detailed enough. They do not reflect the extent of the young person’s vulnerability and how staff are expected to respond in specific circumstances. Nor do they reflect the staff team’s growing knowledge and insight of the young person over the few months they have been caring for her.

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Requires improvement

While all key in house records are in place, some have not been reviewed since being completed on admission. For example the positive handling plan has not been added to in the light of staff developing successful strategies to manage a range of behaviours. The missing from care protocol (included in the pre-event risk assessment) feels too generic and does not give staff clear and unmistakable guidance about what to do, in what timescale, should the young person go missing from their care.

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Requires improvement

Positive behaviour is consistently promoted. Staff establish a really open and positive rapport and act as good parents. They use effective and creative techniques to provide individual support. There is a lovely sense of calm. Staff have a good understanding of the risks that the use of the internet may pose and provide good supervision. Along with external professionals, they support young people to develop a better sense of how to keep themselves safe. Staff benefit from a range of e-learning and face to face training in safeguarding and child protection. They have good links with local agencies and know how to make referrals.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager of the home had been absent for nearly four weeks prior to this inspection. Satisfactory interim management arrangements had not been put in place by the leadership team. While the senior residential support worker had taken overall day to day charge of the home, she has never received relevant training. Nor has she been given adequate support from the senior leadership team. For example, she had not been relieved of her full time caring responsibilities and had not had any dedicated management time. It is unreasonable to expect a less experienced and less qualified member of staff to fulfil the role of an absent registered manager in this way. Throughout this period she has not received practice related supervision, nor has she had any other support by way of face to face time with any senior manager. This member of staff has done the best she could and it is the senior leadership team that needs to give

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Requires improvement

careful consideration to what management oversight needs to be in place to prevent a reoccurrence of this unsatisfactory situation.

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Requires improvement

Other quality monitoring processes are not effective. For example they have not identified that staff practice- related supervision is not occurring regularly for all staff including new and inexperienced members of staff. This shortfall has been occurring for many months, prior to the absence of the registered manager. The manager’s review of quality for the past six months is only in its early stages and has not been completed as expected by the end of September.

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Requires improvement

At the interim inspection in March 2015, one requirement was made about the safer recruitment of staff, specifically ensuring two references are gained and verified prior to new starters working with young people. This has been addressed ensuring that a robust approach is taken in preventing unsuitable people working with vulnerable young people.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager has been in post at this home since July 2014. He has suitable experience and some relevant qualifications in caring for children and young people and is part way through the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare. He is very well thought of by his team who find him child-centred, supportive and approachable. The staff team are a mixture of experienced and inexperienced childcare workers. Just two of the six staff, including the senior, have the expected Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare. Three members of the team are being enrolled and one member of staff who is newly appointed has still to complete her probation. Given the relative inexperience and unqualified nature of this team, it is essential that they receive appropriate supervision and guidance to inform their good practice.

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Requires improvement

The home feels and looks like a family home. It is well maintained and furnished and young people can clearly contribute to decisions made about décor.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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