Children's home run by Phoenix Child Care Limited in North Devon

Inspection report children’s home: SC066179 1 SC066179 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

This children’s home is owned and operated by a private company which operates a number of children’s homes and a school in the south west of England. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five young people.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 12 January 2017

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC066179 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 12/12/2017 Full Good 09/11/2016 Full Inadequate 14/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC066179 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

13: The leadership and management standard

p.3

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person is required to ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, that the qualifications, skills and experience of agency staff employed in the home meet the needs of the young people living there.

p.3

Recommendations

 Ensure that the views and wishes of each young person placed in the home are documented in placement plans, and that the young people are given opportunities to discuss the impact of the care, or any changes they feel they might need to it. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 18, paragraph 3.31

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people benefit from living in a home that provides them with a calm and nurturing environment. The staff succeed in building trusting relationships with the young people. These positive relationships enable the young people to successfully work through past traumas and make progress in all areas of their lives.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people’s healthcare needs are fully met at the home. Young people are engaging well and making progress with their emotional health due to regular sessions with the home’s therapy team. This work informs placement plans. The therapists attend team meetings and discuss the most effective strategies for the staff to use with young Inspection report children’s home: SC066179 4 people to obtain the best outcomes.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people report that they are now better able to manage their anger and are able to speak to the staff about their feelings. The young people are encouraged to take up hobbies and engage in physical activities to keep physically fit and positively channel energy. One young person attends horse riding lessons each week. This activity enables her to learn a skill and helps to increase her self-esteem and confidence.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Moves of the young people into and out of the home are very well managed by the staff. Recently, one young person who had lived at the home for three years reached the age of 18 and successfully moved on to independent living. This move was fully supported by the staff, who advocated for the young person to obtain suitable accommodation, visited the accommodation with her and helped her to move in. The young person remains in touch with the staff in the home, which helps her sense of security.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people are supported effectively to learn independent living skills in accordance with their pathway plans. One young person is being supported to apply for part-time jobs. The staff encourage the young people to cook, shop and budget. This work equips them with the skills they will need when they leave the home.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people’s placement plans are detailed, and clearly explain how the staff should best meet the individual care needs of each young person. The young people do read these plans and give their views; however, the plans do not document their views, opinions or wishes.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have high aspirations for the young people and support them effectively to attend school and achieve in their examinations. One young person succeeded in passing her GCSE examinations last year and is now undertaking a vocational course at college. Another young person, who previously refused to engage in education, is now attending school. If a young person arrives at the home without an educational placement, the manager and staff are proactive in challenging the education authorities and placing authority.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people are encouraged to maintain appropriate friendships in the local area, and with their families and friends who live a long way from the home. The staff are able to support visits to families, and welcome families and friends to visit the young people at the home.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people benefit from living in a home that offers a very homely environment. The manager and staff have worked hard to reorganise and soften the appearance of the office. It is now a welcoming shared space. The downstairs bathroom has been fully refurbished and the lounge decorated. The young people said they liked their bedrooms and are able to fully personalise them. One young person who recently moved into the home has brought her own bed and wardrobe. These have been installed in her bedroom, which is helping her to settle into the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC066179 5

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The young people report that they feel safe living in the home and are confident that staff will keep them safe. They could name a member of staff they would speak to if they were worried.

p.5

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff succeed in achieving a balance of allowing the young people to take risks and learn from any mistakes, while keeping them safe. Risk assessment procedures and documents give the staff clear guidance and strategies to use should a young person engage in risk-taking behaviours such as going missing.

p.5

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff are vigilant and take prompt and effective safeguarding action if necessary. Safeguarding incidents, such as when young people disclose information or details of past trauma, are competently managed. The staff promptly pass details of the incidents to the police and relevant safeguarding authorities, such as the designated officer.

p.5

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Behaviour is managed effectively in the home. The staff implement clear routines and boundaries effectively. There is an expectation that young people will behave respectfully towards each other and the staff. One young person, who recently arrived at the home, initially refused to get out of bed each day until the afternoon and had not attended school for over a year. The staff have successfully implemented an increasingly earlier getting-up time, and now the young person is getting up in the mornings in preparation for starting an educational placement.

p.5

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Restraint is not used in the home because staff use effective behaviour management strategies. Staff skilfully de-escalate incidents using a calm, nurturing approach and appropriate humour.

p.5

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

The long-standing manager left the home in July 2018. The new manager was swiftly appointed and has submitted her application for registration. Her appointment has had a positive impact on the home, and she is providing leadership and direction. The staff team speaks positively about the manager and says that she has arrived at the home with ‘positivity and enthusiasm’. The staff report that they feel supported and appreciated. One member of staff said: ‘The new manager has made sure that the team has flourished.’

p.5

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

Prior to their appointment, the staff are subject to a comprehensive recruitment procedure to ensure that they are suitable people to be working at the home. Recently, the home has used agency staff to cover gaps in the rota caused by sickness and holidays. These staff are not subject to the same rigorous checks as the permanent staff to ensure that they are suitable to be working in the home. Evidence of a clear criminal records check is obtained from the agency prior to their employment, but no evidence is scrutinised to determine if their skills, qualifications and training make them suitable people to work with young people who have complex care needs. Inspection report children’s home: SC066179 6 The staff benefit from regular supervision that is challenging and reflective. A comprehensive programme of training is in place to ensure that the staff have the skills and knowledge they need to care effectively for the young people at the home.

p.5

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

Specialist training is obtained if a need is identified. The staff report that they feel sufficiently trained and skilled to perform their role in the home.

p.6

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

A development plan for the home is being implemented by the manager and the staff. It clearly documents the strengths of the home and the areas that need to be improved, including how this will be done and in what timescale. The recommendations from the previous inspection are fully met.

p.6

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.

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: SC066179 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

Inspector(s)

Tina Maddison, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC066179 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