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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2538055 1 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 children’s home can provide care for two children who may have emotional and social difficulties. At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2022 and has recently left the home. A new manager has been appointed but has not yet applied to register with Ofsted.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2538055 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/07/2024 Full Good 17/10/2023 Full Good 22/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 2538055 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child receives care and support that is individualised. Staff’s interactions with the child are kind, caring and warm. The staff have developed trusting relationships with the child, and the child enjoys spending time with them. When new members of staff start, the existing team supports the child to build further safe relationships. New staff members work on shifts with existing staff members, which offers further support and helps the child develop confidence to build new relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care plans provide staff with a helpful overview of the child’s needs and how these are supported. There are clear targets, and they show the good progress the child is making. The staff use visual supports alongside this to help the child understand their emotions and feelings. Because of this, the child has made progress in being able to articulate their feelings with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff encourage and participate in activities that the child enjoys. This includes beach walks, bowling and going to the arcade. The child was recently taken on holiday abroad and is encouraged by staff to spend time in the home’s gymnasium to promote regular exercise.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to see family. The staff and child understand the restrictions around this, and staff help the child to manage their feelings around time with family through supportive conversations. The child has spent time with a friend, which has been a positive experience for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to access tailored educational programmes that meet their needs. The child is making good educational progress, with improved attendance and engagement. Strong collaboration with education professionals ensures that plans for the child’s future education are ambitious, realistic and aligned with the child’s interests and aspirations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff understand the importance of supporting the child to learn independent living and life skills in line with their individual needs. They have taught the child how to make their bed, and they are encouraged to tidy up after themselves and help to do their washing. They help the child to develop healthy social skills and to be safe through conversations and focused support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff celebrate the child’s achievements. The home recently entered a gardening competition, which the child was involved in. A beautiful den was built, which the child enjoys spending time in. Certificates and photos are proudly displayed throughout the home. The child has chosen to display their certificates on the wall of their snug. This helps to promote a strong sense of pride and personal accomplishment. Inspection report for children’s home: 2538055 4

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

The care and support provided help children to become increasingly safe. Staff consider the child’s individual circumstances and previous experiences. Plans are individualised and offer clear guidance and strategies to support the child. External support is requested when needed and professionals support the review of these plans.

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

Staff manage situations and behaviours well. They maintain clear and consistent boundaries, which contributes to a feeling of well-being and safety for the child. Plans outline specific ways for staff to respond to the child, which have been effective in de-escalating behaviours more quickly. Because of this, there has been a significant reduction in the frequency and length of incidents.

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

The staff understand the risks to children. Risks are identified, and plans to address these are regularly reviewed. Individual risk assessments do not always include the behaviours presented and when these have occurred. Therefore, these do not provide an accurate and current understanding of the risk. As a result, they do not clearly show the progress the child is making over time because of the support from staff.

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

Staff understand the risks of mobile phone and internet use. The checking of devices is robust and safeguards the child effectively. The staff know who the child is playing online games with and monitor the child’s use. Meaningful conversations take place with the child when anything of concern is identified to support the child’s understanding of how to be safe.

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

Safeguarding arrangements are in place to protect the child. When concerns about staff are raised by the child, leaders and managers respond promptly to help keep children safe. Concerns are shared with the relevant external professionals and agencies. The manager follows all advice given. During investigation processes, support is given to both the child and the person who is subject to the allegation. The child is regularly updated about what is happening and is informed when outcomes are reached. As a result, children know that they are listened to and protected by staff.

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

The home is staffed to meet the needs of the child. The manager completes safer recruitment checks to determine the suitability of staff working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been recent changes to the management of the home. Leaders and managers demonstrated a robust response to this. An interim manager was quickly appointed, and senior leaders maintained strong oversight of the home and provided ongoing support to staff. This has helped to promote stability and continuity of care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2538055 5 Some staff have struggled with the change of management and adjusting to the different ways of working. The manager has shown resilience and commitment to overcoming these challenges, and staff are now feeling more positive. The staff enjoy working in this home and are proud of what they have achieved with the child. They feel the child is well cared for, and they can identify the progress the child has made. The staff support each other, and newer members of staff have felt welcomed to the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have worked hard to provide a supportive environment for staff. Team meetings and supervisions enable the team to reflect on the needs of the child. They encourage reflection on practice and enable the manager to identify further support needs. Appraisals for some staff are overdue. The new manager has scheduled these in to ensure they are completed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new manager has an ambitious vision for the home. She is committed to maintaining the high standards of care and has a good understanding of the strengths and areas of development. The manager is working collaboratively with the staff to ensure continuous improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff have completed all training to meet the child’s needs. One staff member has not completed their qualification in timescales. There are currently no plans in place to outline how they will be supported to complete this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External professionals can identify the progress that the child has made. They are positive about the care and support from the staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2538055 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. In particular, the manager should ensure that where children present with risks, the plans provide an accurate reflection of this risk and include details of all related behaviours that have occurred to accurately reflect progress made over time. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that all staff have the relevant qualification within the timescales required by regulation. When there have been delays, a clear rationale should be recorded as to why this has not been met. This should include what support is in place for the staff member to complete the qualification within agreed timescales and plans to regularly review this. (‘Guide to the Children’s

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Recommendations

Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)  The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff over the year and children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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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: 2538055 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

Carly Parry, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2538055 8 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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