Children's home run by Phoenix Childcare Ltd in North Devon

Inspection report children's home: 1234374 1 Registered provider: Phoenix Child Care Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is operated by a private provider of care and education. It is registered for two children and young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

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.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 8 February 2017

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Inadequate

p.1

Enforcement action since last inspection

Monitoring visit completed: 28 March 2017

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home requires improvement to be good because:

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

 The registered manager must ensure that the care provided to young people by Inspection report children's home: 1234374 2 all staff is of a consistently good standard.  Care planning and information-sharing documents are not currently effective tools for promoting positive outcomes for young people.  A number of positive safeguarding changes have been made, such as a safer recruitment system. However, these changes are not yet embedded into practice.

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

 Key relationships between the young person and their wider support network are encouraged and promoted by staff.  A great deal of training is being provided for staff, to ensure that they have the knowledge to meet the presenting needs of young people.

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/02/2017 Full Inadequate Inspection report children's home: 1234374 3

p.2

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

p.3

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered person must ensure that staff:

p.3

Requirement Due date

(2)(b)(iv) provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background; and (vi) help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. 19/05/2017

p.3

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the education standard, the registered person must ensure that staff:

p.3

Requirement Due date

(2)(a)(i) help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; (ii) support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study; (iii) understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; (iv) help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; and (ix) help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. 19/05/2017

p.3

Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

p.3

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must:

p.3

Requirement Due date

(2)(c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and 19/05/2017 Inspection report children's home: 1234374 4 skills to meet the needs of each child; (f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

p.3

Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

p.4

improvement to be good

The young person living at the home has recently started to participate in education. This has had a positive impact and raised their self-esteem. However, a key part of this three-day provision is a day of work experience which is yet to be organised.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff are now providing increased opportunities for the young person to develop independence skills. However, emotional resilience is a key issue which requires greater input. For example, not all staff members are providing a consistent approach to challenging behaviour.

p.4

improvement to be good

The young person is spending time with a number of family members, and their boyfriend. These relationships are supported by staff, which has led to a significant increase in the amount of time the young person spends with their parent.

p.4

improvement to be good

The young person is provided with a great deal of support from external professionals in order to promote their mental well-being. There is also an open dialogue between the young person and staff at the home, which is supporting the young person’s progress towards good emotional health.

p.4

improvement to be good

There is no clear plan in place to support the young person to develop skills and move on from the home. However, it is also acknowledged that the local authority plays a significant role in planning for independence. It is important that the registered manager advocates for a clear plan in order to avoid the young person feeling worried or concerned about their future.

p.4

improvement to be good

A safer recruitment system has been developed, and all staff files are being reviewed using this new system. Important training has also been provided to ensure that staff Inspection report children's home: 1234374 5 have the skills to meet the needs of young people. Therefore, the requirement made at the last inspection, regarding the fitness of workers, is now met.

p.4

improvement to be good

There is now a clear complaints system in place which ensures that any concerns a young person may have regarding those who care for them are handled safely. All members of staff have been given guidance on this system.

p.5

improvement to be good

The behaviour management records have now been revised in line with regulations. Risk assessments need to be developed further in order to ensure that all staff are given clear guidance in respect of how to meet young people’s needs. Also, a number of risk assessments are not relevant to the young person’s welfare.

p.5

improvement to be good

In respect of information sharing, chronologies provided to social workers are lengthy recordings of non-relevant information. These documents need to be streamlined to ensure that important information is easily accessed and can be shared effectively.

p.5

improvement to be good

Staff are not ensuring that the young person is on time for important meetings. This further indicates that clear boundaries are not being consistently promoted.

p.5

improvement to be good

The young person continues to smoke, although they have been provided with health advice and guidance. Further creative approaches need to be attempted by staff in order to support the young person to end this harmful habit.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager has been actively seeking to address all of the shortfalls identified at the last full inspection. While progress has been made, further time is required in order to ensure that good practice is embedded.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Team meeting records demonstrate how the registered manager is promoting good practice for all staff. For example, expectations regarding staff conduct have been made very clear and further reinforced during two consecutive team meetings.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Areas for further improvement include the need for the registered manager to provide a single placement plan, which is an effective tool to direct staff in how to care for the young person. Other important tools, such as risk assessments, are also not currently purposeful documents.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager is actively advocating for the health needs of the young person. He has identified that there is a gap in the young person’s medical history record. He has recognised the significance of this missing piece of information, and is ensuring that clarification is obtained.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Feedback received from a staff member highlighted that the registered manager is passionate about working with young people. The staff member commented that he is always available to give guidance, which has promoted confidence in the staff team. Inspection report children's home: 1234374 6

p.5

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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.

p.6

Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report children's home: 1234374 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Child Care Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Phoenix Learning and Care Ltd, First Floor, Rolle Quay House, Rolle Quay, BARNSTAPLE, Devon EX31 1JE

p.7

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Stephen Nicholson

p.7

Inspector(s)

Polly Soper, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: 1234374 8 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

Inspector(s)

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector(s)

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

p.8

Inspector(s)

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

p.8