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

Inspection report children’s home: SC463431 1 SC463431 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

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is operated by a provider of education and social care for young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC463431 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/07/2018 Full Good 17/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 31/08/2017 Full Good 11/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC463431 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff excel in providing consistent, nurturing care for young people. There have been no changes to the leadership and management of the home and the staff team for a significant amount of time. The stability provided by the registered manager and the staff team is excellent. As a result, the young person who lives in the home, receives highly individualised, tailored care directly leads to consistently improved outcomes. Extremely well-documented records evidence marked improvements for the young person who has recently moved in. These include the young person’s education, emotional well-being and behaviours. For example, the young person is now enjoying more frequent visits with his family, playing out without the supervision of staff and going to school full time. This is significant progress from the young person’s starting point. One young person recently moved on to independence. While living in the home, this

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

young person experienced a significantly long period of stability. As a direct result of this, trusting and warm relationships were formed. Those relationships continue to exist and, in doing so, provide this young person with a sense of belonging. For example, plans are already in place to support this young person over the Christmas period. The young person who currently lives in the home benefits from a staff team that is qualified, extremely well informed and highly committed to supporting him. The staff are skilled in recognising when the young person is worried and take immediate steps to support him. They go the extra mile by identifying research and learning opportunities to better inform their practice. For example, one member of staff is currently studying how to better support transgender matters. All the staff recognise the importance of including young people in their plans. Consultation with the young person is exceptional. The young person is very involved in

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

all aspects of his care and future planning. This makes him feel valued and listened to, which has increased his self-confidence.

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

Risk assessment and risk management are of the highest quality. The registered manager and staff have well-developed knowledge around the risks and issues for young people and apply this knowledge when moving young people into the home. This enables the staff to pre-empt, plan, review and ultimately reduce the risks. Young people make some excellent choices about keeping themselves safe. They have shown great maturity and better decision-making since moving into the home. This has directly impacted on their safety. For example, the young person can now play outside without the supervision of staff. Staff have an excellent understanding of how a young person’s previous experiences of trauma and abuse can affect their behaviours. Staff’s detailed knowledge of the young person’s circumstances, supported by clear safeguarding policies and procedures, helps Inspection report children’s home: SC463431 4 to keep the young person safe.

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

The registered manager and the staff team are intuitive. They know the young people extremely well. Considered and well-planned approaches to behaviour management by all the staff are supported by an integrated therapy team. There is a direct correlation between this collaborative approach and a significant reduction in the young people taking risks. As a result, there have been sustained improvements in the young people’s behaviours. The young people do not go missing and the staff do not use physical interventions to manage behaviours.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager maintains high-quality standards of practice. Over the years, she has continued to develop her knowledge and understanding of how to better support young people who have complex and challenging needs. Because of this knowledge and experience, she has been repeatedly recognised by her employer for the skill and expertise she demonstrates. The registered manager has been instrumental in supporting colleagues and managers across the company to improve children’s outcomes. The registered manager is passionate and inspirational. She leads the staff with a confidence that is a result of her many years of experience. The registered manager promotes embedded learning and empowers the staff using regular team meetings and reflective supervision. Through the provision and implementation of learning from carefully selected training, the staff have gained the skills to meet the young people’s

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

very complex needs. Monitoring of the home takes place regularly and is of a high quality. Professionals spoken with confirm that information is shared with them routinely and that their relationships with the staff and the registered manager are ‘excellent’. Records kept indicate a significant and sustained improvement in the outcomes of the young people. The registered manager and the staff strive relentlessly to promote positive outcomes for the young people, while developing their self-esteem and confidence, and ensuring that they are more resilient in the future. Examples of this are found in the records of the young people who have successfully moved on from the home.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC463431 5 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: SC463431 6

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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 & Care Ltd, Rolle Quay, Barnstaple, Devon EX31 1JE

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Inspector

Linda Bond, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC463431 7 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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