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

Assurance visit report: SC478152 1 SC478152

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people, irrespective of gender. The home specialises in providing time-limited accommodation for children who are at a point in their lives when they need emergency care and have been exposed to high levels of risk. The home assists the local authority to identify suitable plans for children, by working with them to assess their needs.

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Information about this children’s home

Included within the home is a separate, self-contained one-bedroomed annex, which is positioned next to the main house. Since the previous inspection, the statement of purpose has been revised to allow one child to live longer term in the annex building. Currently, a child lives in the annex building on this basis.

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Information about this children’s home

The home’s manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 30 October 2019

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:  children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred Assurance visit report: SC478152 2 practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit.

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The care of children

Children have good relationships with staff, who understand their needs well. Staff listen to children and have meaningful conversations to help them understand boundaries and provide caring guidance.

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The care of children

Children are supported to see their families and to do activities that they enjoy. The team has needed to be creative with activities, due to many not being available because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has also slowed down a plan to encourage a child to attend clubs to socialise. Staff have explained why restrictions are necessary and helped children to abide by them. A social worker said that they are happy with the care offered and the communication by the team and have no concerns about the home.

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The care of children

One child has now progressed to full-time education, although the restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak have delayed plans for him to move from one-to-one to group tutoring. Another child has not yet re-started education, having moved during the school holidays. Their personal education plan has not been reviewed at the start of the term as planned, so this matter needs to be escalated.

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The care of children

Staff carefully detail children’s day-to-day experiences in a well-recorded journal format, that is written to the children. The journals show the routines that staff try to structure and what is achieved each day. Important detail is collected, and this information could be evaluated more, for example, to discuss a child’s diet with the relevant professional and translate subsequent actions into placement and health plans.

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The care of children

The home’s internet provision is weak, which is problematic for the children and the team. Managers were costing a possible alternative solution at the time of the inspection.

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The safety of children

Children said that they are safe in this home. Children are helped to feel comfortable to voice their views to staff and managers, which they show they are very able to do. They give ideas for improving the home and their experiences while living there.

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The safety of children

Significant incidents have happened this year, which have led to safeguarding concerns and placement breakdowns. However, the manager and staff have reflected on these incidents and used the learning to put in place safeguards to Assurance visit report: SC478152 3 manage potential risks. On occasions, staff have been hurt, but these concerns are not always formally recorded and centrally collated.

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The safety of children

Incidents have reduced more recently, and physical intervention is rarely used. When safeguarding matters arise, managers take the necessary action to ensure that children are protected.

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The safety of children

One medication error has occurred, and the manager took the necessary action to deal with this. The child did not suffer side effects, and no further mistakes have been made. One child takes a variety of different medication for a significant health need, and not all written information is available regarding the medication, for example, the reasons why specific medication is prescribed, the side effects, reasons why the child refused medication and any resulting impact on them. Consequently, staff do not have an easy reference from which to fully understand the implications when this scenario occurs.

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Leaders and managers

Aspects of management monitoring and review could be improved to enable children and staff to see the progress that children are making and have a clearer understanding of what goals children need to achieve. Placement plans outline targets generically, but they could be more specific and measurable. Additionally, planning documentation does not include information about children’s ethnicity and identity.

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Leaders and managers

Some significant needs and issues for one child remain unmet for too long a time. These rely on other agencies to progress, but the manager has not sufficiently escalated these concerns. For example, a child has been waiting six weeks for a hairpiece, which is an essential item and has affected her self-esteem.

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Leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have already identified that the home needs improving in some areas, in particular tackling damp/mould in one child’s bedroom, making the office more homely and general repair and maintenance jobs. A plan is being made to expedite this, as there was delay due to the pandemic. The manager is also improving the statement of purpose to demonstrate how the home provides individual care to children.

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Leaders and managers

Although there has been some movement in the staff team, there is still a stable, core team that has stepped up to the challenge during difficult times. Staff feel supported by their manager and each other and reported that they have regular supervision. Assurance visit report: SC478152 4

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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

In meeting the quality standards of engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs. (Regulation 5 (b)) 21/10/2020

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

 Ensure that children’s ethnicity and identity are reflected in planning documents.  Review the current approach regarding accidents and injuries to staff, with regards to formally recording all concerning incidents.  Continue to address Wi-Fi connection problems.  Continue to progress the maintenance and decoration issues in the home and resolve the mould/damp problem in one child’s bedroom. 21/10/2020 Assurance visit report: SC478152 5  Improve placement and health plans to ensure that they contain enough detail and have achievable, measurable targets.

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Recommendations

 The home’s Statement of Purpose should be child-focused, indicating how the home provides individualised care to meet the Quality Standards for children in their care. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 14‒15, paragraph 3.5)  Regulation 23 requires the registered person to ensure that they make suitable arrangements to manage, administer and dispose of any medication. These are fundamentally the same sorts of arrangements as a good parent would make but are subject to additional safeguards. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15) In particular, make written information available in relation to the reasons why each medication is prescribed, the side effects, any impact on the child if they are refused and why they are refused.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Learning & 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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Stephen Nicholson

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Inspector

Sarah Canto, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC478152 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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