Children's Home run by Phoenix Children’s Homes Limited in Torbay

Inspection report children’s home: 2610709 1 Registered provider: Phoenix Childcare Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home was registered in October 2020 to care for up to two children and young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural care needs. The home is operated by a private company that operates a number of children’s homes in the local area.

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Information about this children’s home

A registered manager is in place and has completed a level 5 diploma in leadership and management for residential care.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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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: Not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2610709 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Carers provide good experiences and positive outcomes for children. The two children living in this home are settled. One child has found much needed stability after an unprecedented number of different homes. A second child is settled sufficiently and is emotionally stable enough to be able to engage in therapeutic life-story work. The thoughtful and nurturing care provided meets the expectations of placing authorities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend school on a full-time basis. They benefit from the close working relationship between education providers and the adults caring for them. Educators describe the communication from the home as ‘brilliant’. Contact is almost daily, and carers are sharing strategies to improve engagement and to avoid disruption to learning. There has been very little interruption to learning, with children continuing to attend school throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A range of activities is provided which encourages the skills and interests of the children. Physical activity is encouraged to keep children fit and healthy. Trips to the skate park with trick scooters are very popular, and the children make good use of a newly acquired trampoline.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Alongside routine healthcare provision, children access specialist support services that they need to improve their emotional and physical well-being. One child’s constitution is known to be adversely affected by particular foods. The number of accidents has reduced in part due to the healthy and varied diet provided. Children are encouraged to eat well and avoid food with little nutritional value.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to spend time with their families, where this is appropriate. Carers are skilled in recognising and in reducing the anxiety some children feel following these events.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and the staff plan effectively for children to move in. They meet with children and other stakeholders. Children visit the home prior to moving in and are provided with important information. Careful matching of children has been effective in avoiding issues and in allowing for friendships to develop. Children’s views about their environment are considered. Bedrooms are highly personalised for and by children. Visitors can tell quite a lot about each of the children from the environment, which feels like a home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Keeping of photographs, memorabilia and meaningful records of children’s time in the home is insufficient. There is a danger that children’s history of their time spent in this home will be lost to them now and as adults. Inspection report children’s home: 2610709 3

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

Children are and feel safe in the home. Practice is informed through detailed planning and through understanding the impact of children’s previous trauma and associated risks.

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

Carers want children to do well. They avoid blame language, both verbally and in children’s records. These meaningful nurturing relationships allow children to feel safe, loved and valued. Hugs and praise are commonplace.

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

Regular individual support sessions are, generally, naturally occurring and topical. They cover a wealth of subjects which supports children’s understanding and helps children to make informed choices. Recent subjects include internet safety, eating too much chocolate and safe use of the trampoline.

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

Children are supported to take age-appropriate risk as part of growing up. Activity risk assessments are provided in a child-friendly format. These documents include photographs, and are discussed with the children, who can add their own comments about keeping safe.

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

Children have therapeutic care plans which include signs, symptoms and precursors to anxiety, distress and various risks. Early intervention and distraction avoids behaviour which becomes very distressing for children or beyond the control of the carers. Physical intervention is kept to a minimum.

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

The manager has successfully and quickly resolved two complaints from neighbours. Relationships with neighbours in this small cul-de-sac community remain positive.

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

Additional precautions are in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The risk to children is considered as part of their individual risk-management plans. All carers are fully vaccinated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A suitable registered manager is in charge of the home. He has a childcare qualification and has successfully completed a level 5 leadership and management diploma.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home provides the service as described in the statement of purpose. This document has just been reviewed by the manager. It is clear and concise and outlines the services offered, such as monitoring arrangements and theoretical approaches to practice. Interspersed with photographs and diagrams, it is easy to read, and it is worthy of wider dissemination as an example of good practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Strengths and weaknesses of the home are understood, and a development plan is in place. Carers take individual responsibility for improvement projects linked to their Inspection report children’s home: 2610709 4 skills and interests. Projects include, improving diet and healthy eating, garden development and the introduction of music therapy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Good relationships with professional agencies have been established by the manager and the carers. Feedback from stakeholder agencies is wholly positive. This working together contributes to the progress made by the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Quality reflective supervision, together with essential and specialist training, promotes understanding of the children’s needs and develops successful practice. The majority of carers feel supported effectively and enjoy their work. There is some discontent about the way particular teams of carers work on shifts together. This has been impacted by the merging of carers from a home that has recently closed. Managers had recognised some of these issues and plans are already in place to make some changes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and the carers are ambitious for and proud of the children’s progress and achievements. Records are well ordered. The children’s case records reflect progress and achievements. A well-established clinical evaluation tool is in place to monitor the individual progress of the children and the success of the home in meeting the children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Independent visitor monitoring of the home contributes to ensuring good quality care and to developing practice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure the home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. Children and their parents should be supported to understand the nature of records kept by the home and how to access them. Staff should understand their important role in encouraging the child to reflect on and understand their history, according to their age and understanding. Staff should keep and encourage children to keep appropriate memorabilia of the time spent living at the home and help them record significant life events. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5)

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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: 2610709 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Childcare 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

Janice Hawtin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2610709 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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