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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC458812 1 SC458812

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Registered provider: Phoenix Learning & Care Holdings Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company that operates several children’s homes in the region. It provides care for one child with social and emotional difficulties. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since July 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

The child living at the home was living there at the time of the last full inspection.

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Inspection date: 15 January 2025

Date of last inspection: 30 October 2024

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Inspection date: 15 January 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 15 January 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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'. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC458812 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

The inspector spent time with the child in the presence of carers and observed the interactions and support given. The child is making progress overall and having positive experiences in and out of the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The home environment is cosy and is personalised to the child; they appear confident as they move freely between all rooms. Photos of the child with family, friends and staff are throughout the home. The child’s bedroom has been decorated in colours chosen by them, and accessories of their favourite toy characters are everywhere. Some required redecoration is being undertaken.

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Findings from the inspection

The child maintains full-time school attendance, and staff champion, support and praise the child for this. Additionally, they support the child’s hobbies and encourage out-of-school activities. There is a plan being implemented in response to the child’s request for access to devices that would appropriately improve their freedom and choices.

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Findings from the inspection

The staff are attentive, nurturing and responsive to the child’s neurodivergent, emotional and physical health needs. However, they do not consistently follow strategies set out in the child’s plan or the therapeutic advice given. Consequently, there have been some incidents of self-injurious behaviour that were avoidable. The actions by leaders and managers and the therapeutic team’s input are not ensuring consistent practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers could not provide a satisfactory explanation of how restricted items were used and monitored. For example, the child is restricted from drinking from glass, which is deemed appropriate and evidenced in plans. However, staff can use glass, but there is not an effective system of monitoring that glass is locked away or the action to take if a glass is broken. This is a potential risk.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and leaders have delivered one session with staff on closed culture, and it is stated that more is needed. There is a plan to move an experienced deputy manager into the home to provide additional support at practice level. This is in recognition of the fragile morale among the staff team.

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Findings from the inspection

Restraint is used with the child, when necessary and proportionate, to prevent harm to them or others. Leaders and managers ensure that records of restraint are maintained and that staff have been appropriately trained in the techniques. There is managers’ oversight on incident records, although this is not always timely. Conversations are held with the child and staff following incidents. Some records of these conversations show professional curiosity. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC458812 3 The leaders and managers do not evidence that they know their strengths and weaknesses well. The planning of improvement and development of the home in response to the last inspection requires more work. The manager is relatively new to this level and needs more support, mentoring and modelling to enhance their skills and development.

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Findings from the inspection

There is sufficient progress made in respect of the three previous recommendations to deem them all as being met. However, the findings and requirement in relation to the leadership and management standard, as set out at the last Ofsted inspection, need robust and coordinated action by senior leaders. There is a risk of serious and widespread failures if action is not taken. Therefore, the details and timeframe of the requirement are both amended to ensure the urgency of required action is conveyed. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC458812 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/10/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/08/2023 Full Good 13/06/2022 Full Good 11/05/2021 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC458812 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, 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 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—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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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)(e)(f)(g)(i)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that robust monitoring systems are in place that support them to evaluate the effectiveness of the care and support that is provided to children.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, monitoring must help managers to ensure that staff have the most up-to-date and useful information about children to support them to meet children’s needs. 28 February 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC458812 6 Finally, records should have written managerial oversight that is timely, consistent and supports the development of the staff and delivery of care in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, leaders and managers must provide robust monitoring of restricted items, and any items that may present a risk to the child, to improve identification of risk and help keep the child safe. 28 February 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC458812 7

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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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Inspector

Ashley Arkless, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC458812 8 regulates and inspects 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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