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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC478152 1 SC478152 Registered provider: Phoenix Learning & Care Holdings Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for up to four children and specialises in providing time-limited care for children who need this in an emergency. At the time of this inspection, there was one child living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since June 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC478152 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/03/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/08/2022 Full Good 12/01/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC478152 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is supported to develop trusting relationships with the adults who look after them. Staff take time to listen to the child and ensure that their voice is heard and their rights are upheld. The focus on building trusting relationships has enabled the child to talk more openly about their feelings and understand their own behaviours.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff take time to listen to the child’s opinions on how they wish to see and spend time with their relatives and friends. Staff work proactively with the child’s family members to ensure that the child maintains regular, meaningful, and safe contact with their loved ones. The child is supported to make their own decisions about seeing family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s health and mental health needs are understood by staff. The child is supported to maintain healthy routines and take responsibility for age-appropriate tasks. The child has access to multi-agency support, and gaps in services are challenged by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of ensuring that children’s educational needs are met, and they support the child to attend school. Staff liaise effectively with the school to ensure that the child’s timetable meets their individual educational needs and they have the best opportunity to succeed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming and has a homely feel. Some redecoration, repairs and personalisation are needed to improve the home environment. The child’s bedroom is personalised and decorated in line with their tastes. The walls have pictures, photos and fairy lights. The child has books in their bedroom and enjoys having stories read to them by staff before bedtime.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide opportunities for the child to experience a range of social and recreational activities, such as horse riding, concerts, baking, shopping, beauty, and arts and crafts. Memory books and boxes capture these special days in photos and memorabilia, such as tickets, wristbands and pictures, so that the child can look back and remember the positive experiences.

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

Staff support the child to participate in age-appropriate activities, some of which carry risks. Leaders and managers are involved with other professionals in developing carefully considered plans to enable the child to participate safely in these activities. More work is needed to ensure the child is given enough information to make safe decisions about health and safety matters. At times, staff have been unable to ensure everyone leaves the building to retreat to a safe place when the fire alarm sounds. Inspection report for children’s home: SC478152 4 Staff understand the child’s vulnerabilities and are further developing their understanding of when they may be upset or distressed. Plans to positively support the child’s behaviour are detailed, individualised and clearly set out what staff need to do to keep the child safe and minimise risks. At times, restraint it used as a last resort to protect the

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

child and others from harm. Staff are all appropriately trained in the safe use of holds.

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

Information about incidents and the use of restraint is comprehensively recorded, with strong oversight and evaluation by the manager. The manager identifies important information and reflection opportunities for staff. Protocols are reviewed in response to specific incidents. This enables staff to learn and change their practice to minimise the risk of similar incidents occurring in the future.

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

Staff have many open conversations with the child. They discuss a range of sensitive topics. Records are kept of these conversations, which show thoughtful management oversight and any actions that may be needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has high expectations of the staff team. Leaders and managers are developing a positive culture of openness and transparency to support team cohesion. The manager is aspirational about the home and has plans for the future, which include redesigning the outside space and repurposing other buildings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers use learning from incidents to inform staff practice. Children’s thoughts and wishes are regularly sought to enhance staff’s knowledge of each child’s needs. There is effective monitoring and good management oversight that impacts on the practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are strong advocates for the child. Staff appropriately challenge external agencies and advocate on the child’s behalf to help to ensure that their needs are met. They proactively liaise with professionals to ensure that the child’s voice is heard, and changes are made to reflect what is currently important to them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported by managers, who are approachable and knowledgeable. They benefit from good quality and reflective supervision sessions. Clear actions are identified for staff to improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from professionals about the manager and the care and support the child receives is good. A social worker commented, ‘This is the most settled [name of child] has ever been.’ Other professionals commented on the ‘excellent communication’ and ‘proactive approach to behaviours and risk’ from staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC478152 5 Inspection report for children’s home: SC478152 6

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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, 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.

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purpose of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home; (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that when issues are identified, repairs are carried out and furnishings and decor updated. 23 August 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they use informed professional judgements that are based on the individual child’s needs and developmental stage about when to allow a child to take a particular risk or follow a particular course of action. In particular, this relates to children’s understanding of health and safety within the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.7) Inspection report for children’s home: SC478152 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: SC478152 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Learning & Care Holdings 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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Inspectors

Stacey Pellow, Social Care Inspector Janet Jauregui, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC478152 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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