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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2604092 1 Registered provider: Phoenix Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private provider of education and social care. It is registered to provide care for up to two children aged between eight and 18.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

A manager is in post. They have not yet applied to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

On 20 September 2022, Ofsted carried out an assurance inspection due to receiving safeguarding notifications regarding missing-from-home incidents. The report is published on the Ofsted website. Inspection report for children’s home: 2604092 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/06/2022 Full Good 09/11/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2604092 3

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improvement to be good

Since the previous assurance inspection, one child has moved on from the home as their needs could not be met safely. No children have lived in the home until May 2023.

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improvement to be good

When one child made a complaint about their care, this was acted on and responded to appropriately by the manager. Ensuring that all children have access to an independent advocacy service, and encouraging them to use this service, will support them to communicate their views about their care to adults outside of the home.

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improvement to be good

Managers prepared for one child to move into the home over a short period. They assessed their needs before they moved in to ensure that they could be met by the skills of the staff team. In addition, the home’s manager ensured that they were present over a weekend period to welcome the child and to help them settle in the home.

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improvement to be good

The child is developing positive and trusting relationships with staff. The child’s records demonstrate that they feel able to express their feelings and talk to staff about their past experiences. Staff respond to the child sensitively. Specialist help is in place for the child. They are supported by staff to attend planned appointments.

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improvement to be good

At times, the child participates in activities that they enjoy, such as trampolining and cooking. At other times, daily care does not promote the child’s needs and well- being. Staff do not always use skills that actively encourage the child to participate in important activities and routines. In addition, the child is not attending an education provision, and they are not receiving meaningful learning opportunities to fulfil their educational potential.

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improvement to be good

The child spending time with a significant family member is promoted well. This is a positive experience for the child. The time the child spends with their siblings is not clearly defined, nor is the support that is needed when there are difficulties in these relationships. In addition, there are few opportunities to help the child to develop friendships or interact with peers.

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improvement to be good

Recruitment procedures in place reduce the risk of unsuitable adults working in the home.

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improvement to be good

Risks associated with the child’s specific needs are understood by the manager and staff. Staff are provided with clear direction to safeguard the child in the community. Inspection report for children’s home: 2604092 4 Actions are informed by partner agencies. At times, police assistance is necessary and sought promptly alongside specialist help when the child is distressed. Staff support the child to accept help and use strategies to help calm the child.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not used restraint to prevent harm. Staff feedback provided to the inspector indicates that clarity about the use of physical intervention is needed. This is to ensure that this approach is safe and suitable when incidents occur.

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improvement to be good

The child spends considerable time using their mobile phone. The child’s records evidence that their mobile phone usage is not always safe, and, at times, it negatively impacts on their emotional well-being. While electronic measures are in place to monitor the child’s mobile phone usage, helping the child to develop their knowledge and safety online has not progressed.

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improvement to be good

Medication is recorded effectively when administered to the child on an individual basis. The manager’s oversight relating to all medication administered on an ad hoc basis is needed to ensure that it is always necessary and to inform any additional actions relating to the child’s health and well-being.

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good

Since the previous inspection, there has been a change in management arrangements. The manager appointed, previously managed the home. They are supported by an experienced responsible individual, who has confidence in the manager’s abilities to lead the home effectively.

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good

The manager spoke to the inspector about their learning and development over this period. This includes learning from previous events to strengthen safeguarding responses. Despite the manager’s attempts to request a suitable education provision for the child, further action should be taken to ensure that the child’s care plan and education plan are reviewed promptly to improve their experiences and progress.

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good

Staff are provided with training that supports them to meet the child’s specific needs. Further work is needed to increase knowledge and skills across the staff team. This is to ensure that staff use skills that engage the child in a healthy daily routine and help them to prepare for a return to a learning environment. The manager should ensure that care is monitored effectively to ensure that their daily needs are met.

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good

A stable staff team is not yet established. One member of staff is leaving the home and it is planned for new members of staff to join the home. While supervision records do not always demonstrate learning and development activities, the manager has addressed practice issues when they have occurred.

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good

In response to the issues identified by the inspector, the manager requested a review of the child’s care plan and education plan during this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2604092 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

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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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

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)(iv)(v)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

This directly relates to the registered person ensuring that daily care supports the child to achieve healthy routines and positive activities, and that they are helped to increase their understanding of risks online. 21 September

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. 21 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2604092 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(x)(b))

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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— 21 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2604092 7 lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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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)(a)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This directly relates to the registered person reviewing medication administered to the child on an ad hoc basis to ensure that it is always necessary, and that any additional actions relating to the child’s health and well-being are identified.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person should ensure that care is monitored effectively to ensure that the child’s daily needs are met.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the child is supported to understand how to build friendships with other children. They should be able to spend time with their friends in the local community, in their home area, and by having friends visit them at the home, in line with the child’s plans, age and understanding. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.7)

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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: 2604092 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Childcare 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

Louise Bacon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2604092 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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