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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC463431 1 SC463431 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

This home is operated by a private organisation. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since May 2013.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC463431 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/03/2023 Full Outstanding 25/05/2021 Full Outstanding 29/10/2019 Full Outstanding 10/07/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC463431 3

p.2

outstanding

Staff are both passionate and ambitious in their approach and support the child to thrive in important aspects of their life. The progress the child has made since arriving at their home, considering their starting point, is remarkable. For example, the child has gone from not attending any educational provision to achieving 100% attendance in school. A social worker commented that they are very impressed with the home and that the child is making significant progress.

p.3

outstanding

The child is cared for by a consistent and experienced staff team. Staff have formed strong and trusting relationships with the child. They invest time in the child, promote their well-being and help enable the child to experience positive outcomes, including joining a local football team. Staff have enabled the child to develop a deep sense that they belong; the child says that without doubt the home is outstanding and that staff are amazing.

p.3

outstanding

Staff use research to increase their knowledge and to inform practice. For example, staff researched additional training packages to gain a more profound understanding of the child’s individual health and well-being needs, so they can provide bespoke care and support. Staff are continuing to improve their expertise in this area and are consequently making a significant positive difference to the child’s life.

p.3

outstanding

Staff place strong importance on the child having every opportunity to enjoy a range of social activities and recreational opportunities that reflect the child’s interests and aspirations. They encourage the child to live a healthy lifestyle and promote the positive impact that physical exercise can have on the child’s mental well-being. For example, with the support and encouragement of staff, the child is attempting to complete a five kilometre run in a local park. Staff take pride in the child’s accomplishments and wholeheartedly celebrate them with the child.

p.3

outstanding

Well-trained, compassionate staff provide high-quality care that helps keep the child safe. Staff ensure that consistent boundaries are always applied to contribute to a positive environment being formed. The child is supported to clearly understand what is expected and through this is developing a stronger sense of safety. Staff spend time having important and sensitive conversations with the child to help alleviate any feelings of anxiety or worries. The child said that they feel 100% safe living in the home.

p.3

outstanding

The child has never gone missing from the home. Staff promote good behaviour effectively and are careful not to be punitive in their approach. They understand the importance of being role models to help the child understand how to react in certain Inspection report for children’s home: SC463431 4 situations and to encourage positive behaviour. Very few negative incidents have occurred involving the child. On the rare occasions that they do, Staff confidently support the child to manage their feelings safely and to feel secure. Staff then have purposeful conversations with the child after the event to learn exactly what they could do better for the child if similar incidents arise in the future. This strong and protective response from staff has helped ensure that restraint has never had to be used.

p.3

outstanding

Staff understand the importance of the child being able to take crucial age- appropriate risks and take a positive but proportionate approach to promote this. The child spends quality time with peers in the local community without any unnecessary restrictions. This has enabled the child to build friendships and start to develop their critical social and emotional skills and to gain an important sense of their own identity.

p.4

outstanding

Staff have an acute knowledge of the unique vulnerabilities of the child. They understand the risks to the child that accessing the internet may pose. Staff spent time researching the best technology that could be installed that will allow the child to safely experience going online. They successfully purchased a product that seamlessly detects, blocks and removes inappropriate content and prevents the child from being exposed to it. This action has robustly ensured that the child remains safe and protected from harm when using the internet.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The devoted and vastly experienced manager leads by example. The manager has developed a culture of strong ambition which has been sustained over several years. Each member of staff is acutely aware of the high expectations put on them to ensure that their practice is influential in positively changing the lives of all the children they support. Excellent care is consistently delivered that has significantly improved the life of the child who is currently living in the home and which is enabling them to flourish. A social worker commented that they could not thank the team enough for support and dedication to the child.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers interact with children and staff with kindness and affection. All staff have been in post from the time the child started living in the home. Staff retention is high and agency staff are never used, meaning that children are supported by a consistent, well-established staff team who know them extremely well. This has been fundamental to the excellent progress that children have made.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about working at the home. They benefit from a robust reflective practice process and have access to an in-house therapies team to support their development and enhance their well-being.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The strong and dedicated manager has excellent working relationships with partner agencies and the school. The manager is influential and has appropriately challenged the local authority to ensure that the best possible outcomes for the child Inspection report for children’s home: SC463431 5 are achieved. They helped ensure that the child began their school placement as soon as possible and was not unnecessarily prevented from doing so, understanding the important impact this would have on the child’s development, experiences and future.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager takes a lot of pride in making the home feel warm and cosy. The home is extremely well maintained and has a loving family home feel to it. The child is strongly included in the home’s development and enjoys helping staff to maintain their home. This has included fitting a new doorbell, carrying out repairs and painting their own bedroom.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations have been raised at this inspection.

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: SC463431 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Learning & Care Holdings Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

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

p.6

Inspector

Gary Turney, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC463431 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.6

Inspector

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.

p.7

Inspector

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 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.7

Inspector

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

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7