Children's home run by Phoenix Learning & Care Holdings Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1244137 1 Registered provider: Phoenix Learning & Care Holdings Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children who may have emotional and/or social difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home, having moved there in December 2022. Another child lived at the home from January 2018 to November 2022.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager at this home has been in post since December 2022 and is not yet registered with Ofsted.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 26 October 2021

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1244137 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/10/2021 Full Outstanding 07/01/2020 Full Good 30/01/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/11/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1244137 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children told the inspector they have positive and trusting relationships with staff. Staff know the children well and are proud of their achievements.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals report that children are making good progress. Staff are knowledgeable and child-focused. Communication is good, and staff give a high standard of care to children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child made significant progress while living in the home. However, once they turned 18, the support provided to them became less effective.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are well supported when moving in or out of the home. For example, one child met staff before moving in and was given a welcome package containing their favourite foods. Some staff also maintain contact with the child who previously lived in the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children are not in education, staff and managers raise concerns to the relevant professionals and escalate these appropriately. However, the routines and structured activities for when children are not in education could be promoted more consistently.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of promoting children’s identity. Children are supported to maintain contact with family and other important people. However, staff should ensure that children have access to specialist support for self-care and haircare if needed.

p.3

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

The children told inspectors that staff treat them well, and they feel positive about living in the home. The children were able to identify safe adults in the staff team they could talk to about any worries.

p.3

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

Staff provide children with nurturing care and have a good understanding of each child’s specific needs and risks.

p.3

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

When children self-harm, staff manage these incidents empathetically and appropriately.

p.3

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

There has been one incident of restraint since the previous inspection. When restraint is used, appropriate procedures are followed, and children are offered support afterwards.

p.3

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

There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1244137 4 Police were contacted on one occasion for support during a significant incident. Managers have since identified a need to review recent incidents as a team to further develop staff practice.

p.3

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

When allegations are made against staff, relevant safeguarding procedures are followed and investigations carried out promptly.

p.4

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

Recruitment of staff follows safer recruitment procedures, and a period of induction and training is in place for all new staff.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the previous inspection, there have been several changes in staff. Staff told inspectors that they enjoy working at the home and feel supported by their colleagues despite being a new team.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are positive about the support and visibility of both the home’s manager and the responsible individual.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular and specific training for the needs of the child living at the home. For example, staff access specialist and up-to-date resources around e-safety to support their work with children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision takes place regularly, is of good quality and is reflective.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have a good understand of children’s needs and risks. Risk assessments and care plans contain relevant detail and are reviewed regularly. However, some documents contain incomplete or out-of-date information.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers acknowledge the need to escalate concerns to placing authorities more promptly when gaps in information are identified. Inspection report for children’s home: 1244137 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.5

Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

p.5

Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

p.5

Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)) 29/03/2023

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are supported with their self- care and have access to appropriate haircare. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.2)  The registered person should ensure that appropriate routines are in place for children who are not in full-time education. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)  The registered person should ensure that incidents are reviewed and that lessons learned from these are used to develop practice and the support given to children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24) Inspection report for children’s home: 1244137 6

p.5

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: 1244137 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Learning & Care Holdings Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspector

Janet Jauregui, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1244137 8 inspects 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit

p.7

Inspector

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8