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

Inspection report children’s home: 1234374 1 Registered provider: Phoenix Child Care Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a small children’s home situated in a small, family-friendly housing estate. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for two children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One child lives in the home. He is happy there, and currently feels safe. He gets along with most of the staff team and enjoys attending the local school.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

However, there have been occasions in the past when the staff team failed to consider the impact that the behaviour of another child, who previously lived at the home, had on the current child in residence. The team failed to consider how the current child might feel, and did not provide support to help him through the negative experiences that he suffered.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home is currently stable and calm. The core staff team is made up of enthusiastic, well-meaning staff. Staff have received training in key areas including safeguarding and how to manage self-harming behaviours. However, there is a lack of knowledge around Inspection report children’s home: 1234374 2 some basic aspects of care. On at least one occasion, the police were called to the home to manage children’s behaviour. No consideration was given by staff for the impact that involvement with the police was likely to have on the children in their care. In addition, leaders and managers failed to identify this as a shortfall.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

On one occasion, the staff team attempted to contact the on-call manager in the first instance, to help them with a serious incident. The on-call manager failed to respond promptly, and the police were called. On this occasion, assistance from the police was justified. However, the home’s on-call system is ineffective and does not support the care of children or the staff team.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children do go missing from home on occasions. The staff team responds promptly and makes good efforts to ensure that children return home safely. However, on one recent occasion, a child went missing sometime during the night. The staff team was not aware that the child had left the home until the next morning. The acting manager has given consideration as to how a reoccurrence of this event can be avoided in the future, but he has failed to implement any preventative strategies.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager left the home in September 2017. The new acting manager has worked in the home for some time, and he receives support from the responsible individual.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, clear improvements can be seen in the documentation to support children’s care needs. Children’s care plans and risk assessments have been developed, and now provide good working documents that instruct the staff in how to deliver care to the children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One statutory requirement set at the previous inspection is not met. This relates to Regulation 8, the education of children. The child currently in residence receives good support with his educational needs. However, there was a lack of persistence and a failure to pursue educational opportunities for a child who recently moved out. This requirement is repeated.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/02/2017 Full Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: 1234374 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

7: The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard. In order to meet the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard, ensure that children receive care from staff who (c) take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare; (iv) regularly consult children and seek their feedback about the quality of the homes care. 15/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

8: The education standard. In order to meet the education standard, ensure that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. In particular, ensure that the manager (iii) understands the barriers to learning that each child may face and takes appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers. Specifically, the manager must pursue educational opportunities for every child living in the home. 15/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

11: The positive relationships standard. In order to meet the positive relationship standard, ensure that staff (ii) help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; (xiii) have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. In addition, ensure that the police are not called to unnecessarily manage children’s behaviour. 15/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard. In order to meet the protection of children standard, ensure that staff (i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and if necessary make arrangements to reduce any risk of harm to the child; (vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. In particular, ensure strategies are put into place to alert staff should children go missing from home. 15/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard. In order to meet the leadership and management standard. (a) Lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos and delivers the outcomes set out in the home’s statement of purpose. In particular, ensure that there is sufficient senior support for staff and young people when the manager is off duty. 15/12/2017 Inspection report children’s home: 1234374 4

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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

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

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’.

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Stephen Nicholson

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Inspector

Michelle Oxley, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1234374 5 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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