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

Inspection report for children's home: SC458812 1 SC458812 Registered provider: Phoenix Learning & Care Holdings Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home cares for one child and is operated by a private company that operates a number of children’s homes in the local area. A child was living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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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 for children's home: SC458812 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/05/2021 Full Good 12/11/2019 Full Good 26/06/2018 Full Good 09/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: SC458812 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since living in the home, the child has made significant progress in many areas of her life as she approaches young adulthood. The manager and staff support the child to have an interesting life where she can control many aspects of her daily experience to increase her level of independence. She is no longer subject to any legal restrictions on her movements. She sees friends and regularly goes out on activities, including concerts and horse riding.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have encouraged the child to complete her exams. After an uncertain start, staff have motivated the child to choose a college course that meets her aspirations to work with young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the child to look after herself, which has improved her health and she no longer relies on medication to help her sleep. The child has made the home her own. She has chosen the décor throughout the home and garden. The child has created a colourful, practical children’s guide to help other children in the future. She cooks and can manage her daily activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have encouraged the child to achieve her wider goals. She is an accomplished musician and staff support has contributed towards her confidence to perform at festivals. She also teaches students in her local youth club, where she has made friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The level of trust and love between the staff and the child has raised her self- esteem and sense of worth. For example, she is able to talk about her worries, and she listens to advice from staff and other professionals. The manager and staff have a good relationship with the child’s family. They work together to help the child achieve her goals. For example, the child regularly sees her family, and even the family dog has come to stay. However, there is no clear plan to prepare her for the next step into young adulthood, which raises concerns for the child.

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

The manager and staff listen to the child. They know how to support the child to keep her safe. Overall, there has been a reduction in high risk behaviours.

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

Staff remain vigilant and reflect with the child on how she can become more resilient and able to manage difficult situations as she reaches adulthood. The child trusts staff and they have an open and honest relationship. This means that any concerns can be quickly addressed and balanced against the child’s ability to make choices.

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

The manager and staff coordinate effective responses to the child going missing from home. They seek advice from other professionals to make sure that they respond in the most effective way to keep her safe. However, the plans require Inspection report for children's home: SC458812 4 updating to accurately reflect the details of the actions for staff to follow. For example, the recording of one incident did not reflect that a form of restraint was used to keep the child safe.

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

Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities and how to raise a concern. The manager is able to challenge staff effectively about safeguarding concerns in order to keep the child safe. Leaders and managers have suitable safer recruitment processes and achieve high standards of behaviour from staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced, and the staff are supportive of one another. They are suitably qualified or are working towards qualifications within the relevant timeframes. Staff receive regular training and supervision to provide them with a good range of skills to meet the child’s particular needs. For example, staff use an empathetic approach to reassure the child that they are listening to her.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers carefully monitor any movement of staff between the organisation’s local homes. They make sure that all the staff who work in the home are familiar with the child’s needs. The child knows the staff. She likes to refer to the team rota to plan her week’s activities with them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good working relationships with other professionals. They work closely together, and the manager acts on advice from the independent person to help keep high standards of care in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and the manager challenge other professionals to reduce the delay in making a long-term plan for the child. The manager is a strong advocate for the child. She recognises the delay raises anxiety levels for the child and for the staff about how to prepare her for young adulthood. The manager’s engagement with other professionals, the family and the child is ongoing to find the best plan. Inspection report for children's home: SC458812 5

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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

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult; and

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(ix)) 29 July 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC458812 6 In particular, ensure that the child is provided with the appropriate level of care and guidance to prepare them safely for independence.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the child’s records contain sufficient detail for staff to follow and to support the child according to their individual plan. Also, ensure the child is supported to move from the home to independence in a well-timed and structured way. 29 July 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that records of restraint are kept in order to enable staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint. This will allow them to identify effective practice and provide an opportunity to amend practice to ensure it meets the child’s needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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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, Inspection report for children's home: SC458812 7 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 for children's home: SC458812 8

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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: Support Hub, Unit 5, Chinon Court, Lower Moor Way, Tiverton, Devon EX16 6SS

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Inspector

Justine Hosking, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC458812 9 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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