Children's home run by Phoenix Learning & Care Holdings Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1244137 1 Registered provider: Phoenix Learning and Care Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is operated by a private provider of education and social care. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since August 2016.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 8 November 2018

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

In the short period since the previous inspection, leaders, managers and staff have worked hard to continue to provide the child who lives here with good care and positive experiences.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The child has now settled well into a new school and is receiving good support from staff at the home to attend regularly and engage with lessons. Early signs show that this is a positive change, indicated by the child achieving 98% in a recent maths test. Staff are very proud of the child’s progress. The child’s written plans have not been updated to include this change of school nor information about increased family contact. This is a recording shortfall as, in practice staff are supporting the child well in both areas. Inspection report children’s home: 1244137 2 The child remains very happy living here, and observations of interactions between staff and the child are very positive. Staff demonstrate how much they care for the child and the relationship that has developed between them is trusting, enabling the child to start to share information with staff about her history. This is a positive development.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff safeguard the child effectively and have helped her to build positive relationships with other children Previously, staff were concerned about the amount of time the child was spending in the company of adults. She is now making friends with other children, and her free time has increased because she is managing these friendships positively.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

An independent visitor regularly visits the home, and the registered manager uses information from these visits to develop practice. Although the reports from the independent person include a wealth of important information, the visitor does not routinely gather feedback from children’s families and does not explicitly state in the monitoring report whether the visitor feels children are safeguarded at the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff carry out regular fire drills and undertake safety checks of the fire equipment as required. The fire risk assessment is usually completed by an external contractor. This assessment was due for review on 23 January 2019 but has not yet been completed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

One of the two requirements made at the last inspection has been met. Staff supervision records are now of a good quality. They reflect the discussions held and include information about actions agreed between the supervisor and member of staff. Staff are provided with good opportunities to reflect and develop their practice.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The second requirement to improve the quality of the six-monthly audit report is repeated at this inspection, along with the previous recommendation related to the locality assessment. The six-monthly audit report has not been required in the intervening period between the two inspections, and although the registered manager has recently devised a new format for the locality assessment, this assessment has not yet been implemented.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/11/2018 Full Good 17/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 16/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 1244137 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

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must— take adequate precautions against the risk of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, review and update the fire risk assessment. 28/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (‘a quality of care review’) at least once every 6 months. In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— the quality of care provided for children; the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (‘the quality of care review report’). The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for

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Requirement Due date

ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that feedback is gathered from children and other stakeholders and ensure that the report is evaluative and includes inspiring and/or challenging actions. 31/03/2019

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Recommendations

Inspection report children’s home: 1244137 4  Under regulation 46, the registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1) In particular, ensure that the evaluation of identified risks is recorded consistently and includes the actions that staff should take to reduce the risks.  Ensure that all children’s case records are kept up to date. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)  Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page

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Recommendations

65, paragraph 15.5) In particular, ensure that the independent visitor obtains feedback from children’s families and specifically states in the written report the visitor’s view as to whether children are effectively safeguarded.

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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’. Inspection report children’s home: 1244137 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Learning and Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Rolle Quay, Barnstaple EX31 1JE

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Inspector

Wendy Anderson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1244137 6 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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