Phoenix Family Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2483425 1 Registered Provider:

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Inspected under the social care inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre is owned and managed by a private provider. The residential family centre is registered to accommodate up to six families.

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Information about this residential family centre

At the time of the inspection, there were five families in residence.

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Information about this residential family centre

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2021.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out in response to information received by Ofsted about the physical condition of the centre and inconsistencies in staff practice.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has taken steps to address the shortfalls in the physical environment of the centre. Repairs have been completed to remove mould following a water leak. However, the registered manager has not identified that one family’s bedroom wall continues to have mould and a window does not shut properly. The registered manager took immediate steps to resolve these matters during the inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Staff enjoy working in the family centre and feel supported by the registered manager. However, the registered manager does not always challenge inconsistencies in staff practice, which does not support staff to learn and develop. Some residents spoke positively about the support they receive from staff. One resident said that staff had adapted the assessment process to account for her disability, which enabled them to develop their parenting skills. However, residents’ Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: 2483425 2 experiences of support from staff are variable because of inconsistencies in staff practice. This does not enable residents to understand what is expected of them.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager imposes disproportionate restrictions on residents’ use of some areas of the home, to manage risk. These identified risks are not assessed and alternative, less-intrusive methods are not considered. Residents are not permitted to dry clothes inside the family centre or use the dryer unless they have hung the washing out in an outhouse overnight. Residents say that the restrictions in place around drying clothes in winter months make it difficult to dry clothes within the allocated time.

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This monitoring visit

Complaints made by residents or persons acting on their behalf are not always investigated or responded to. This means that some residents or persons acting on their behalf do not understand what action has been taken, or how their views have been considered. This does not support an environment in which residents are included in decisions made about the running of the centre.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders and the registered manager are unable to evidence written records of complaints. This means that they do not have a clear understanding of complaints received or the action that was taken. The registered manager is not assured that staff practice is consistent when complaints are received. Despite this, staff have not received training to give them the skills or knowledge to respond to complaints.

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This monitoring visit

A requirement about the management of complaints has been stated at the previous two inspections. Senior leaders and managers have failed to take sufficient action to ensure that residents’ views are understood or acted on. A compliance notice has been issued to the provider in respect of managing complaints.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements previously issued under regulations 19 and 23 and previous recommendations were not reviewed during this visit. For this reason, they are restated. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: 2483425 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

* The registered person must ensure a written record is made of any complaint or representation, the action taken in response, and the outcome of the investigation. (Regulation 20 (6)) 21 April 2024

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Requirement Due date

Subject to regulation 4(6), the registered person shall provide facilities and services to residents in accordance with the statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall having regard to the size of the residential family centre and the number and needs of residents—

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Requirement Due date

provide adequate laundry facilities for parents to wash, dry and iron clothes and linen for their families. (Regulation 14 (1) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that parents have access to sufficient laundry facilities to wash and dry clothes and linen.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to ensuring that any restrictions on parents’ use of laundry facilities are kept under review. 21 April 2024

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Requirement Due date

employ a person to work at the residential family centre unless that person is fit to work at a residential family centre.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (1), a person is not fit to work at a residential family centre unless—

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Requirement Due date

he has the qualifications, skills and experience necessary for the work he is to perform. (Regulation 16 (1)(a) (3)(b)) 21 April 2024 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: 2483425 4 This specifically relates to the registered manager taking steps to resolve shortfalls and inconsistencies in staff practice.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall maintain in respect of each family accommodated in the residential family centre a record which—

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Requirement Due date

includes the information, documents and other records specified in Schedule 3 relating to the members of the family. (Regulation 19 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that letters of instruction are obtained from each family’s placing authority. 21 April 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall establish and maintain a system for improving the quality of care provided at the residential family centre.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall make a copy of the report available to residents. (Regulation 23 (1)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has not been met from the previous inspection and so has been restated. 21 April 2024

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they work effectively in partnership with other agencies concerned with child and adult protection. Specifically, that they make referrals to the local authority designated officer as and when required. (Residential family centres national minimum standards, page 12 and paragraph 5.9)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they can demonstrate, including from written and electronic records, that they consistently follow good recruitment practice, and all applicable current statutory requirements and guidance, in staff recruitment. This includes Disclosure and Barring Service checks and all requirements in Schedule 2 of the Residential Family Centres Regulations 2002, as amended. (Residential family centres national minimum standards, page 22 and paragraph 14.2) Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: 2483425 5

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the residential family centre since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: 2483425 6

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Inspector

Sally Griffiths, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: 2483425 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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