Children's home run by Phoenix Childcare Ltd in North Devon

Inspection report for children’s home: 1234374 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

The home provides care for up to two children who may have emotional and/or behavioural care needs. It is part of a large organisation that operates children’s homes in the local area.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager is in post and has applied to register with Ofsted. Two children were 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

Date of last inspection: 1 February 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1234374 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/02/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 02/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/01/2020 Full Good 26/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1234374 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are two children currently living in the home and they are happy and making good progress. The children have lived together for nearly a year and are respectful towards one another.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a new manager, who has brought energy and experience to the home. She has reviewed the home’s practice and is building on the last inspection’s outcome of improved effectiveness. Staff support the manager to create a safe, friendly environment for the children. The manager and staff build positive relationships with the children. They encourage the children to contribute to home improvements, and to their care planning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is clean and tidy. It is a comfortable home and is due a makeover. There are plans to repaint the main living areas. The children have agreed a bedroom swap to give them space to have new furniture to meet their changing needs. For example, staff are creating a sensory space for one child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children respond well to boundaries and set routines. This has enabled one child to regularly attend school. The other child has left school and staff have encouraged her to find an apprenticeship to meet her goal of working with vulnerable people and animals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to make positive choices. They carefully consider how one child responds to situations and give him strategies to manage his emotions. For example, staff create a visual social story to help him understand the consequences of his actions and how they affect other people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff develop effective professional relationships with other agencies to help the children. The manager is a strong advocate and makes sure that all agencies work together to give effective support to the children. For example, staff hold regular school meetings to share information and to agree an approach to help one child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to take part in activities, and to make friends and see their families where it is safe to do so.

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

The manager and staff respond promptly and in a caring manner to any serious incidents. Children are confident to talk to staff if they have any concerns. Staff are curious and discuss concerns with the children and other professionals to keep the children safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 1234374 4 The manager has made significant changes to how staff and the children manage incidents. She has introduced some restrictions around internet use that meet the needs of each child according to their age. This led to a slight increase in incidents for one child. The manager is willing to listen to the children and to negotiate a safe response to situations, and incidents have now reduced because the child understands that staff want to keep him safe.

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

Leaders and the manager have effective oversight of all incidents and seek specialist in-house support to manage risks. Staff provide consistent boundaries to help the children. Incidents of restraint, to keep one child safe, are rare. Staff are respectful of the process and give the child time and space to think about his reaction.

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

After each incident, the manager talks to staff and the child to see what could be done differently. This learning is shared at team meetings and is set out in the children’s plans. For example, the manager and staff have changed their use of language, which is helping the children to respond in a positive way. This approach increases the level of trust and respect between staff and the children, and the number of incidents has reduced.

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

The manager encourages one child to contribute to her plan on what to do if she goes missing from the home. This approach has reduced the number of times that the child has gone missing from the home. It has also provided staff with valuable information on how to find the child quickly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is fairly new to the home but is very experienced. She has already applied to register with Ofsted. The manager knows the children and has them at the heart of her practice. She has identified areas for improvement in practice with staff and has put those changes in place to help the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders provide support to the manager. The organisation makes sure that there is a common approach to supporting staff across its local homes. This provides consistency of practice and raises standards of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safer recruitment and training requirements are met. Staff are supported to undertake their childcare qualifications as soon as they complete their probationary period at work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and the manager have access to specialist advice that provides emotional support and help to the children and also to staff. The manager and staff use supervision discussions to monitor and adapt their practice to meet the children’s needs. However, not all supervision notes are written up in accordance with the home’s procedures. While most issues are discussed in team meetings, this can hinder reflection for individual staff members. Inspection report for children’s home: 1234374 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that a record of supervision is given to staff in line with good practice. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4)

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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 for children’s home: 1234374 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Childcare Ltd

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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: 1234374 7 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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