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

Inspection report children’s home: SC066179 1 SC066179 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 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.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a manager in post who has been registered with Ofsted since April 2019.

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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 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: SC066179 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/10/2018 Full Good 13/03/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 12/12/2017 Full Good 12/01/2017 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC066179 3

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Recommendations

 The children’s home must produce a children’s guide. The children’s guide must be made available to all children when their placement in the home is agreed (or on arrival at the home if the placement is made in an emergency) and must be age appropriate, provided in an accessible format and explained to each child to make sure they understand it (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.21)  The children’s guide should help children to understand: ─ what the day to day routines of the home are (‘what happens in the home’); ─ the Statement of Purpose of the home (the care they can expect to receive while living there); ─ how to make a complaint in line with the home’s complaints procedure; ─ how they can access advocacy support or independent advocacy if eligible; and ─ how to contact the Office of the Children’s Commissioner. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’,

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Recommendations

page 22, paragraph 4.22)  Children should be encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. In particular, ensure they are kept up to date and signed by the author. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19) Inspection report children’s home: SC066179 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s opportunities and experiences are good. They are provided with a wide range of activities in the home and in the local community, for example swimming and football clubs. In addition, children enjoy spending time in the home’s garden, playing on their bikes and looking after the two cats that live with them. As a result, the children have developed a wide range of interests and hobbies that improves their physical health and social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress from their starting points. All the children attend school full time; their attendance and attainment have gradually improved in recent months. Staff understand that the children have different learning styles and, therefore, provide a good range of additional learning opportunities for the children outside the school day.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are thriving in all areas because they have developed a good sense of belonging and permanence in this home. Despite several changes to the staff team since the previous inspection, the children have good opportunities to spend good-quality time with the staff who look after them. The staff maintain clear, consistent and appropriate boundaries. This has helped the children to develop confidence in the staff and to form positive attachments.

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

Children benefit from taking age-appropriate risks. Good use is made of the home’s garden and woodlands. This space helps the children learn to play safely and engage in imaginative play, for example, building dens.

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

Staff support children well to manage their emotions and feelings. When physical interventions are used, they are proportionate and appropriate, to manage the seriousness of the risks. Restraint practices are monitored for effectiveness.

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

There have not been any missing from home incidents. Risk assessments and protocols are in place for staff to follow in the event of a child going missing.

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

The registered manager and the staff team know the children well and identify potential risks and triggers. Plans to reduce these risks are detailed and effective. As a result, the children are supported positively whenever they are worried or upset.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a manager, who is qualified and experienced. She knows the children and her staff team well. She has a strong commitment to improving the outcomes for children and leads a team of staff who are equally aspirational for the children. Inspection report children’s home: SC066179 5 Monitoring of the quality of care provided in the home is, in the main, good and informs the continued development of the home. However, the manager had failed to recognise a small number of omissions and inaccuracies in records completed by staff. These, along with a statement of purpose that had not been submitted to Ofsted, and an out-of- date children’s guide were addressed during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staffs’ practice remains up to date through regular training and formal and informal supervision. The staff team has the necessary skills and experiences to provide a child-centred approach. A social worker who contributed to this inspection spoke positively about the quality of care and how it has contributed to the progress of the child. She referred to the staff’s knowledge and understanding of the child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff confirmed that they attend regular team meetings and are provided with good training opportunities.

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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 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 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: The Hub, Seckington Cross, Winkleigh, Devon EX19 8EY

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Inspector

Linda Bond, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC066179 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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