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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1255407 1 Registered provider: Phoenix Learning & Care Holdings Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private provider and is registered to provide care for up to four children. At the time of inspection, two children were living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager, who has been in post since January 2023, was not present for the inspection.

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 requires improvement to be 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 September 2023

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1255407 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/09/2023 Full Good 18/08/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/09/2021 Full Good 03/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1255407 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is maintained to a high standard and meets the needs of the children. The home provides a welcoming environment. There are several pictures in the home of the children, staff and the children’s family. The children’s bedrooms are unique to them. They have space to play, learn and relax.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have built trusting and secure relationships with the children. Staff care deeply for the children and want them to do well. Children’s achievements are promoted and celebrated throughout the home; an achievement tree and displayed certificates give the children things to be proud of and aspire to.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children participate in many fun, planned activities that support their learning and development. One child has recently learned to ride their bike independently. Another child attends karate lessons, and both children look after their pet guinea pigs.These activities are helping the children to learn new skills and build their confidence.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s education plans are up to date. Clear guidance is provided to staff to help the children to achieve their goals. Staff integrate learning activities into the children’s daily lives to support their educational progress. This has helped one child to make steady progress in their learning.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are supported to maintain relationships with family and friends. Staff work with the children’s family, social worker, and school to proactively support meaningful and safe relationships.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are provided with training and clear guidance on all aspects of the children’s lives. There are plans in place to support the children’s health, education, emotional and social well-being. Staff use different approaches to help the children to process difficult feelings. They encourage them to name the feeling and understand that feeling all different kinds of emotions is normal. They help the children to react positively to all the emotions they feel and not feel shame or embarrassment. All staff follow the guidance in place, so that the children receive a consistent approach to their care.

p.3

improvement to be good

It is recognised that there has been a reduction in the use of restraint. However, the number of restraint incidents continues to be high. There are periods where restraint incidents are less in number, and periods where restraint is used more frequently. The reduction is not sustained; it declines and increases without a clear pattern. There is no positive and sustained change in how some incidents resolve for the children. They know Inspection report for children’s home: 1255407 4 that incidents may result in them being restrained. Resolving a high number of incidents with restraint could result in the children being unable to manage high levels of emotion.

p.3

improvement to be good

In the main, restraint is recorded well, with management oversight, and conversations are held with the children. The children are encouraged and supported to manage what they are feeling. The staff work together to keep the children safe and resolve incidents as swiftly as possible. The staff use distraction, play, words of affirmation, and giving the children space. If incidents cannot be resolved and restraint is used there is restorative work immediately after. This supports the children to manage strong emotions and the impact of being restrained.

p.4

improvement to be good

There is no clear plan in place for reducing the restrictions for the children in the home. Staff bedrooms, the front door, and storage for additional snacks for the children are all locked when the children are in the home. The home is not fully accessible to the children who live there.

p.4

improvement to be good

Allegations and subsequent investigations of harm are shared with appropriate agencies and managed in a timely way. The children have the process explained to them and understand the outcomes of the investigations. There is limited independent oversight when allegations are made against the registered manager. The registered manager was part of determining the next steps of an allegation made against them.

p.4

improvement to be good

Risk assessments are clear for missing episodes, therapeutic support, and restraint. The staff are aware of each process, know where they can be found, and follow them. Staff practice comes from a unified place. Staff know why they need to follow processes, and this will have a positive impact on the children’s care. Staff’s shared approach to practice allows the children to know what care they will receive from all staff at the home.

p.4

improvement to be good

There are no medication errors. Medication is stored safely, recorded well, and audited weekly. A child’s prescribed medication was dispensed from a medical professional without clear instructions for administration. This meant that it was not clear for the staff how much medication should be administered and when.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team clearly inform staff about the expectations of their role, to promote and deliver targeted care to the children and support them to do well and progress. The management team has clear aspirations for the children in line with their individual needs. Staff say that they receive a very high level of support from the manager. They feel safe working in the home and enjoy working there. Staff know who to talk to and feel they can approach management at all levels.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel that they have been given a good induction, and ongoing training informs their practice and professional development. Team meetings have clear objectives and allow staff to discuss practice in an open forum. Open discussions provide collaborative decisions on care, which is consistent and children’s needs are advocated for. Staff have Inspection report for children’s home: 1255407 5 shared ownership of the home’s practice. Manager oversight of incident logs promotes practice reflection amongst the staff team during team meetings.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recruitment procedures are in place to ensure that suitable people are recruited to the home. Supervision, in the main, is detailed and clearly recorded. Supervision supports good practice; areas of development are identified, and support is in place to ensure actions are completed. In some supervision records there is less focus on the children’s needs and quality of care. Inspection report for children’s home: 1255407 6

p.5

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The 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.6

Requirement Due date

The restraint and deprivation of liberty standard is that restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

p.6

Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

p.6

Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child); or

p.6

Requirement Due date

a child who is accommodated in a secure children’s home from absconding from the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should implement a robust and time-limited plan to a plan being about a sustained and consistent reduction in restraint. 19 September 2024

p.6

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.6

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

p.6

Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; 19 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 1255407 7 are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

p.6

Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(x)(xi))

p.7

Requirement Due date

The polices for the protection of children standard. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

p.7

Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

p.7

Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers should implement a robust policy for when allegations are made against the registered manager. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b)) 19 July 2024

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s prescribed medications are labelled correctly by the medical professionals who dispense them, and have written confirmation from the prescribing professional on how to specifically administer the medication to the children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)

p.7

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: 1255407 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Learning & Care Holdings Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspectors

Hannah Spencer-Townesend, Social Care Inspector Louise Bacon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1255407 9 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.8

Inspectors

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 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.9

Inspectors

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

p.9

Inspectors

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

p.9