Children's home run by Phoenix Children’s Homes Limited in North Devon

Inspection report children’s home: SC368137 1 SC368137 Registered provider: Phoenix Child Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to two young people irrespective of gender. The home is operated by a private provider.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Not applicable Inspection report children’s home: SC368137 2

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Key findings from this inspection

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

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Key findings from this inspection

 Leaders, and managers have not ensured that safeguarding practice is of a high standard.  Behaviour management approaches have not been reviewed effectively in order to ensure that all approaches are appropriate. This does not provide much- needed consistency for the young person.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The registered manager and her team demonstrate a great deal of commitment to the young person. An abundance of nurturing practice was seen during the inspection and within records.  The young person is provided with a great deal of experiences, which are tailored to his interests. These include surfing, swimming, attending at car boot sales and craft activities, and a great deal of trips including a recent holiday abroad.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 20/04/2016 Full Good 10/12/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 12/08/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC368137 3

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard requires the registered person to ensure that staff:- Understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person.

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Requirement Due date

Take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare, and are familiar with, and act in accordance with the home’s child protection policies.

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Requirement Due date

That the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. ( Regulation 12 (2) (v) (vi) (vii) (b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the need to ensure that young people are safeguarded effectively. Importantly, staff must fully understand the parameters of their roles. Young people who disclose safeguarding concerns must only be interviewed by appropriate designated professionals. It is also important that staff understand how and when to share concerns regarding the practice of others in a timely manner. 29/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs. (Regulation 5 (b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the need for care planning and interventions to evolve when the needs of young people are not being fully addressed. Specifically, the registered person should seek to access alternative therapeutic solutions if those being used no longer meet the emotional needs of young people. 13/12/2017

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Recommendations

 It is good practice to notify Ofsted of significant events such as errors in the management of medication or when there has been a concern regarding the Inspection report children’s home: SC368137 4 ability of staff members to meet the needs of young people. This enables Ofsted to monitor the ability of the home to manage such issues prior to inspection. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 63, paragraph 14.11)

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Recommendations

 It is important to provide consistent and fair boundaries for young people in order to promote positive behaviour. Any consequences or sanctions applied should promote learning opportunities for young people in order to meet their best interests. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’ page 46, paragraphs 9.33–9.37)

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improvement to be good

There is one young person living at this home. He has lived there for four years now. The home is personalised for this young person throughout. This includes a significant number of photographs and personal items, which reflect the identity of the young person.

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improvement to be good

The young person is provided with a great deal of experiences, which are tailored to his interests. These include surfing, swimming, attending car boot sales and craft activities, and a great deal of trips, including a recent holiday abroad.

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improvement to be good

The young person’s attendance at school is good, and he is being supported to develop peer relationships. This support includes trips out with friends and visits from friends to the home. Contact with family members is also promoted by staff, and has increased in frequency since the young person moved into the home.

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improvement to be good

It was agreed a year ago for staff to stop giving hugs to the young person. This is due to the young person being unable to manage healthy boundaries in respect of physical contact. Nurturing support has been put in place in order to support the young person around this issue. However, the current approach is not working and the young person feels very frustrated by the fact that staff are not allowed to hug him. He does receive hugs from family members and friends, although he is very vocal about this not meeting his needs. A requirement has been made in order to promote the need for different approaches to be explored in order to support best outcomes for the young person.

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improvement to be good

Planning and preparation for the young person to move onto to their next home when they have reached eighteen, or as hoped when they have finished their current education, is being undertaken. Clarification has not yet been obtained in respect of whether the young person can remain living at the home until they have completed their current education in July 2018. This current lack of clarity does not promote considered planning for the young person should they not be able to remain at the home until July. Inspection report children’s home: SC368137 5

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improvement to be good

A disclosure made by the young person in respect of alleged sexual harm was not managed appropriately by staff. A staff member used interview-style questioning when the young person disclosed this information. Any such interviewing must only be undertaken by professionals who are qualified to interview young people, such as social workers and police, which is in line with statutory requirements and promotes the best interests of young people.

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improvement to be good

A staff member was appropriately dismissed for gross misconduct. However it transpired that concerns regarding the practice of this staff member had been held by a number of other members of staff. These concerns were only shared by these staff members when one staff member whistle-blew and a subsequent investigation took place. The registered manager did not challenge this matter with these staff members during supervision sessions, and whistleblowing knowledge has not been refreshed for the entire staff team.

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improvement to be good

A requirement in respect of the above issues has been made in order to reflect the need for leaders and managers to ensure that young people are safeguarded effectively.

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improvement to be good

There has been one error in the management of medication since the last inspection. This matter has been managed appropriately, and effective practice support was given to the staff member within the supervision process.

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improvement to be good

Behaviour management approaches lack consistency and are not always appropriate. This is confusing for the young person who very much needs clear boundaries.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager and her team demonstrate a great deal of commitment to the young person. An abundance of nurturing practice was seen during the inspection and within records. Opportunities to develop the young person’s resilience and ability to keep themselves safe are frequently initiated and promoted by staff. As a result, the young person has progressed a great deal in relation to their independence and social skills since moving into the home four years ago.

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

The registered manager demonstrates ambition for the young person. She and her staff team are very aware of the young person’s needs and are striving to provide high standards of individualised care.

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

As explored earlier in the report, areas which require improvement have been identified by this inspection. However, the commitment of the registered manager and her team to promote best outcomes for the young person is clear. Feedback from a social worker highlighted that staff are ‘unconditional with their care’.

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

Notifications of significant events to Ofsted are not always completed. It is Inspection report children’s home: SC368137 6 acknowledged that regulations allow for an element of professional judgement in some areas. However, it is good practice to notify Ofsted of matters such as medication errors and significant staff conduct issues. This enables Ofsted to monitor the ability of the home to manage such issues prior to inspection. Therefore, a recommendation regarding this practice guidance has been made.

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

Supervision is regular and overall of a good standard. However, as explored above supervision sessions are not always used to rigorously address practice concerns such as the need for staff to share any concerns regarding the practice of others.

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

Recruitment practice is safe. Furthermore, the induction process and training provision are of a good standard.

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

The registered manager has addressed the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection. These included revision of the statement of purpose, the development of pathway planning and the provision of an advocate.

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

The statement of purpose and the pathway plan have both been appropriately updated. The young person now sees an independent advocate on a regular basis. The young person is also supported to share their views and participate in care planning on a regular basis.

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

Leaders, and managers have not ensured that safeguarding practice is of a high enough standard. Furthermore, behaviour management approaches have not been effectively reviewed in order to ensure that all approaches are appropriate. This fails to provide much-needed consistency for the young person.

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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 differences 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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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: SC368137 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Child Care Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Polly Soper, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC368137 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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