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

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the previous inspection, the young person living at the home has experienced some changes in the team that cares for her. The registered manager has left his post and has been replaced by his former deputy. She is now acting manager and has made an application for registration to Ofsted. Two new members of staff have recently joined the home and are working alongside the more established members of the team as part of their induction. As a result of the full inspection in September 2016, eight statutory requirements were made. Some improvements and progress have been made to the service but these do not go far enough. There is a failure to comply with two of the eight requirements. These relate to the training of staff and return home interviews for young people who have been missing. There is a failure by the senior team to suitably train and qualify staff. Of the team of eight staff, one has obtained their level 3 diploma through another organisation

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

in their previous employment. The lack of staff’s technical knowledge is apparent in the service provided to the young person. This month, the staff worked with a clinical psychologist with the aim of enhancing their knowledge and skills. However, this was the first such meeting and the impact is not yet apparent. The young person has been missing on one occasion since the previous inspection. The staff team responded well to this incident and there is good evidence that the written protocol has been updated to take account of lessons learned from the incident. The process is clearly understood by staff, who have a good sense of their responsibilities and how to proceed. Shortfalls remain around establishing return home interviews with the local authority. The acting manager has made some contact with the young person’s placing authority, but this has not been sufficient, as no clear arrangement has been confirmed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Importantly, the staff team offers the young person a warm, nurturing approach. The young person likes living at the home and gets along with the staff well. There is a determination by the new acting manager to do her best for the young person. There are clear improvements in respect of the young person’s journey from her starting point in this home. She is now in full-time education, and there are good links between home and school. The young person is now engaging frequently in sporting activities and is beginning to learn about healthy lifestyles. There has been a reduction in incidents of aggressive behaviour and the staff work well together to ensure that they apply boundaries consistently. However, there is a level of naivety and a lack of understanding in addressing some of the more complex underlying care needs. For instance, the young requires professional support to address some of these needs; this is not established. In addition, staff do not have a good

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

understanding of some aspects of care where they could be offering more effective support. For example, this could include an understanding of developing sexualities and what constitutes child sexual abuse and exploitation.

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is owned by a private company that has several other children’s homes in the same region. It is registered for one young person with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The company has its own school but it is located too far away for young people in this setting to attend and so education is sourced locally. The home is well located close to a city and near the coast. The home provides a very homely environment in a domestic property that is not distinguishable from its neighbours.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

01/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

06/01/2015 Interim Declined in 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, 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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Requirement Due date

(10)(1)(b) In order to meet the health and well-being standard, the registered person must ensure that children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being, and (2)(a) that staff understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well-being. 02/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard (12)(1) In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure that children are protected from harm and are enabled to keep themselves safe, and (a) that staff— (v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. In particular, as outlined in the ‘Statutory guidance for children who run away or go missing from home or care’ (Department for Education, 2014), all young people must have an independent return home interview. 02/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

32: Fitness of workers The registered person must ensure that staff achieve the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare within 2 years of their start date or by 1 April 2016. (Regulation 32 (4)(a) and (5) (a)(b)) 02/04/2017

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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 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 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 0300 123 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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

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

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Information about this inspection

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

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