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

Inspection report children’s home: 2538055 1 Registered provider: Phoenix Learning and Care Holdings Limited 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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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since August 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

Date of last inspection: not applicable. This home was registered in August 2019 and this is its first inspection.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2538055 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This is the first inspection of the children’s home since it was registered by Ofsted in August 2019.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

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

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people moving into and out of the home are very well managed by the staff. Recently, one young person successfully returned to living with their family. This move was fully supported by the staff, who advocated for the young person and ensured that the move was at the pace of the young person and family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people living in the home make progress with their education from their starting points. Staff were observed using kind and caring approaches to encourage a young person to go to school. However, further work is necessary to ensure that this young person is better helped to engage in and sustain meaningful learning.

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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 read these plans and give their views.

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

Staff help young people to understand risk and how to stay safe. They understand the need for young people to become independent and to take appropriate risks. This helps the young people to manage their behaviours and regulate their responses.

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

The registered manager and the staff team know the young people well and because of this they can identify potential risks and triggers. Plans to reduce these risks are detailed and have contributed to a reduction in the times the young people go missing. Collaborative working with safeguarding agencies ensures quick responses that result in the safe return of the young people. Further work is necessary to ensure that return home interviews take place within timescales and that all people are kept up to date when a young person is missing from the home.

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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 the young people will behave respectfully towards each other and the staff. There is no use of physical intervention. This is because staff know how to help the young people when they are upset or angry. They do this with gentle, caring and well-considered approaches. Inspection report children’s home: 2538055 3

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led and managed by a registered manager who is passionate and dedicated to improving the outcomes of young people. He achieves this by knowing the young people and the staff extremely well. His enthusiasm inspires the staff team, whose members share his passion for achieving the best outcomes for the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff team advocate well for young people. Well-written reports are presented at local authority meetings, demonstrating that the young people are helped and supported to share their views and that challenge takes place when necessary.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides staff with regular and effective supervision. This is in addition to monthly meetings that are attended by a member of the home’s integrated therapy team. These meetings provide staff with opportunities to reflect on their practice and staff say they feel supported, valued and motivated as a result.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Through the provision and implementation of learning from carefully selected training, the staff have gained the skills to meet the young people’s needs. The manager continues to develop professionally by attending management forums where good practice is shared. He encourages the continued professional development of staff members by promoting champions within the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people engage in the daily running of the home, for example by preparing and cooking meals and planning activities. Further work is necessary to ensure that the young people have opportunities to influence the development of the home. The registered manager recognises the importance of young people’s participation, and plans are in place to develop this area of practice. Inspection report children’s home: 2538055 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person must specify the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing from care or away from the home without permission and how staff should support the child on return to the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.28)  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  For some children who have experienced severe trauma, have mental health difficulties or have been excluded or out of education for significant periods, it

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Recommendations

may be necessary to address and work through their past experiences and present needs before they can positively participate in learning activities and formal education. Staff in children’s homes will play a key role in supporting these children in line with their personal education plan or EHCP plan and recommendations from education and health professionals. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 26, paragraph 5.3)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: 2538055 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Learning and Care Holdings Limited

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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: 2538055 6 to 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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