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

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has improved in effectiveness because the young person has made steady progress and has achieved positive outcomes in most areas. The shortfalls at the previous inspection have been actioned.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home was rated requires improvement at the full inspection on 7 September 2016. This was because the company had opened another children’s home next door and the two young people, when together, were unable to moderate their behaviour safely. This close proximity between the homes meant that staff could not provide the necessary care to meet the young people’s needs.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager responded to this situation by moving the young person and staff team to an empty registered children’s home several miles away. Although this made the situation considerably safer, the young person was not happy there. His dissatisfaction was compounded by the company moving his key worker to help staff another service, so that she was no longer working with him.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Following the full inspection, the registered manager took assertive action to reclaim this member of staff and reinstate her as the young person’s key worker. Within a few weeks of the inspection, the home that had previously been located next door closed, and the service moved back to the original premises. The young person was happy with the move and felt much more positive.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

For the majority of the time since he moved in, the young person has made good progress in most areas. He has received nurturing, child-centred care from skilled staff. The good quality care provided has helped him to become sufficiently secure to make plans for his future, to share outdoor activities with staff and to begin to make substantial changes in his life.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The only area where progress was halted was in education, but this was not the fault of the home. At the time of the full inspection, the young person had been excluded from school, but prior to that had increased his reading age by five years and improved in maths and science. Following his exclusion, the young person did not want to return to the company’s school, and by the time he left the home, there was still no formal education in place. The manager worked hard to set this up, and organised individual tuition for him. Although not ideal, this at least enabled the young person to continue to learn while he prepared to move on to independence.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young person moved back to his own local authority area the day before this inspection. His departure was partly from choice, because he wanted to be closer to home, but there were also difficulties in keeping him and other young people safe. The move was, however, well planned, and the registered manager continues to support him in his new home. Key-worker records show that the young person was effectively consulted about the changes that have taken place since the full inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young person has generally been well protected since the previous inspection. There has been a small number of incidents of going missing, including, in late November, the young person disappearing sporadically over several days and camping in the woods with a peer. During this absence, he kept in touch with the home and returned regularly for brief periods, but this episode was a contributory factor in the decision that he should move on to independence.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no complaints or restraints since the previous inspection. The young person was appropriately rewarded when he showed mature behaviour, and enjoyed several meals out with the staff team. The staff did well to manage some very challenging situations for a substantial period of time, with good outcomes for the young person.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no new residents in the home since the full inspection, but the staff are busy preparing for another young person to arrive. The bedroom is being thoroughly cleaned and the maintenance man has replaced the bathroom floor. The registered manager said that the home will be painted and decorated, with a new carpet in the lounge. The new young person will be visiting the home as soon as it is ready.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager is experienced, effective and very child-focused. The young people’s progress is well monitored. The manager supports her staff very effectively through regular team meetings and supervision. She also continues to develop and maintain productive working relationships with parents and professionals in order to promote positive outcomes for the young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There were three requirements and one recommendation at the full inspection. The home was asked to review the policy of locating children’s homes in close proximity and to ensure effective and consistent behavioural boundaries. The two homes are no longer located next door to each other, but the company has recently registered a new service in very close proximity to this home. So far, there have been no difficulties with the new service’s location, so the requirement has not been repeated. In addition, the company was asked not to move the young people’s key staff without warning. The registered manager reclaimed her member of staff immediately after the full inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The second requirement concerned a member of staff who had not completed their level 3 qualification within the specified timescale. This member of staff has made very good progress towards completion of the award and the majority of the work has been done. The manager is an NVQ assessor and this places her in an ideal situation to support this member of staff. Other staff have also made good progress with their qualifications in a relatively short period of time.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The third requirement concerned the need to evaluate the location of the two children’s homes and to learn lessons from the incidents that took place prior to the full inspection. The extent to which learning has taken place will become evident in time.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The inspector was told that the former responsible individual, who was also a company director, left the company on 15 December 2016, four weeks before this inspection. There is no evidence that senior leaders informed Ofsted in writing of this person’s departure. A new requirement has been made under regulation 49.

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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 is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two young people who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties. Young people can attend education at the company school or through external provision.

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Information about this children's home

The provider operates a number of other services for children and young people in the South West of England.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/09/2016 Full Requires improvement 01/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 26/11/2015 Full Good 13/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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, 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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49. Notice of changes

The registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI, as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, if any of the following events take place or are expected by the registered person to take place – (a) a person other than the registered person carries on or manages the children’s home; (b) a person ceases to carry on or manage the home; (e) if the registered provider is an organisation – (ii) any change of director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the organisation; (iii) any change in the identity of the responsible individual. (Regulation 49(1)(a)(b)(e)) 15/02/2017

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection 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

Inspectors 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 that 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 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, 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,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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