Children's Home run by Phoenix Learning & Care Holdings Limited in Plymouth

Inspection report children’s home: SC458811 1 SC458811 Registered provider: Phoenix Learning and Care Holdings Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider of education and social care for children and young people. Care and accommodation are provided for up to two young people who have needs that are associated with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC458811 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/07/2018 Full Good 20/09/2017 Full Good 16/06/2016 Full Good 16/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC458811 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(viii)) 18/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14(a)(2)(b)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular:  ensure that plans are specific, updated, and have timescales for review;  consider providing all staff with relevant face-to-face training in social media and child exploitation. 08/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that by the relevant date, the registered manager has attained the level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (England); or a qualification which the registered provider considers to be equivalent to the level 5 18/12/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC458811 4 Diploma. (Regulation 28(2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Recommendations

 Children’s home staff should seek to identify and provide appropriate opportunities for children to develop themselves in accordance with their wishes and feelings and as part of the home’s plan for their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.4) In particular, explore all possible options to improve the effectiveness of Wi-Fi services.  As set out in regulations 31–33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguard children and minimise potential risks to them. In particular: – ensure that supervision is planned, takes place in line with the frequency of the home’s policy, and that it is recorded; – ensure that all references are verified. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff create a supportive and homely environment for the young people in the home, who feel valued and have fun. Young people have lovely relationships with staff, who are positive role models.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One young person has lived in the home for several years and has not stopped making progress – emotionally, socially and educationally. He has learned to develop confidence because, as his social worker said, staff continually think of ways and activities to extend his comfort zone in a safe and positive way. At a recent medication review, it was agreed that the young person no longer needed previously prescribed medication to help him sleep at night.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Another young person has had a successful start to her placement following her recent move into the home. She enjoys owning a well-cared-for pet and getting to know her staff team. Before agreeing to the move, the manager was fastidious in ensuring that the staff team could meet the young person’s needs, and that the two young people who would be living together were compatible. This was also the case with the young person who lived in the home before, and has since moved on to independent living. The Inspection report children’s home: SC458811 5 admissions process also included input from the organisation’s psychologist. The distance between this home and the young person’s previous home did not prevent thorough preparation from being done beforehand; introductions took place, with the manager and senior residential care worker visiting the young person, as well the young person visiting the home, prior to the move.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Social workers spoke highly of the home. They have good communication with the team and work closely with them to ensure that the young people are happy and safe. Family visits are supported by staff; young people have developed their relationships with family members since coming to the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have their own Wi-Fi access, and the system has the necessary safety filters. However, the connection is not reliable, which has the potential to cause frustration. Therefore, a recommendation is made to address this problem.

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

Young people feel safe and are kept safe by staff in the home. They have respectful and loving relationships with staff, in whom they can confide about problems or concerns they have. Staff regularly have meaningful conversations with young people to help them with the issues identified in their care plans. Due to the staff’s understanding of young people’s emotional needs and a commitment to maintaining boundaries, such as young people not having their mobile phones in their bedrooms at night, behaviours are well managed and incidents rarely occur. Young people have not been restrained or gone missing from their home.

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

If allegations or safeguarding concerns are raised, they are dealt with appropriately and investigations are carried out, with clear reasons being recorded for any decisions made.

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

Approximately six months ago, two medication errors were made within a short space of time. No harm was caused to the young person, but the manager and staff team took this very seriously. Following investigation and a thorough review of the incidents, staff undertook training and competency tests. The nurse for children looked after attended a team meeting, and an in-depth discussion and review took place regarding medication errors and subsequent learning.

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

The home has a long-standing staff team that has had minimal changes. When staff are appointed, recruitment procedures are followed to vet the suitability of applicants. Two reference verifications were not clear at the time of the inspection, but these were quickly resolved by the manager.

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

The young person who has recently moved into the home has not yet been enrolled in a school, despite being in the home for over three weeks. The manager has been Inspection report children’s home: SC458811 6 searching with the young person to find the right school and they have visited one school, but this process has not been expedited.

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

Planning documents make clear why young people are looked after, and what targets staff are helping them to achieve. However, increased management oversight, to ensure that all information is specific and clearly updated with timescales, would improve planning and guidance for staff so that they could help young people in the most effective way. Face-to-face training for all staff in social media and child exploitation would assist in helping them to deal with complex issues.

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

Supervision arrangements lack the tenacity and organisation that are needed to ensure that the home continues to run efficiently, and that staff receive the development opportunities and appraisal required for such an important role. The staff are experienced and skilled, and most have worked in the home for some time, but there can be no room for complacency. Supervision, both formal and informal, does take place, but is not planned, prioritised and recorded enough, including supervision for new starters.

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

A repeat requirement is made for the manager to complete his diploma, a qualification designed to equip managers for their role by providing them with their own development opportunities and training. The manager is now over three quarters of the way through this course.

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

Young people are central to this home; their routines, wishes and views are integral to any decisions made and to how the house is run. It is a welcoming and relaxing home, due to the manager’s and staff’s approach, the good relationships they have with young people and the clean, bright and airy environment.

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

Team meetings are held regularly, and are well recorded and well attended by the manager and staff. The overwhelming impression is that staff really enjoy caring for the young people and seeing the progress they make.

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

The home’s independent visitor objectively assesses the home and provides good-quality reports with recommendations that help the manager to improve the home and safeguard young people. Alongside this, a strong senior leader provides good support and supervision.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC458811 7 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: SC458811 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Learning and Care Holdings Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Phoenix Learning and Care Ltd, Rolle Quay, Barnstaple Devon EX31 1JE

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Inspector

Sarah Canto: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC458811 9 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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