Children's home run by Phoenix Care & Education Limited in Liverpool

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1228091 1

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Phoenix Care And Education Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home is registered to care for up to three young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager was registered with Ofsted in August 2018.

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This monitoring visit

On 24 April 2018, Ofsted completed a full inspection that judged the home inadequate. This monitoring visit has been completed to review the progress made since the last full inspection. Previous monitoring visits were completed on 25 May 2018 and 12 June 2018.

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This monitoring visit

There have been no new admissions since the last monitoring visit. This means that, currently, there are no young people residing at the home.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has utilised this opportunity to improve the appearance of the home, both internally and externally. Although this is an ongoing process, with new furniture arriving on the day of the monitoring visit, the home now offers a pleasant and homely environment for young people to live in.

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This monitoring visit

Staff and managers have undertaken a range of training, with a focus on safeguarding and behaviour management. Further training is scheduled to take place. The staff’s ability to implement the learning from this training is not fully understood, due to there being no young people in placement.

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This monitoring visit

Staff and managers now receive regular supervision sessions. This is complemented by frequent team meetings. These forums are being used by the manager as learning space, in order to develop the staff’s confidence, knowledge and skills.

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This monitoring visit

Recent safeguarding concerns relating to young people who no longer reside at the home have been responded to appropriately. The manager has worked in Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1228091 2 partnership with the relevant local authorities to ensure a swift and appropriate investigation into the concerns.

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This monitoring visit

During the monitoring visit, information relating to the manager’s period of employment at the home was reviewed. Specifically, in April 2018 the manager had left the employment of the home for a period of a week to take up new employment. Ofsted was not notified of the manager’s departure from the home.

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This monitoring visit

The manager was reinstated to his position after less than a week, due to a decision to return as a manager. The registered provider failed to review the manager’s suitability for employment despite this being a new period of employment. Specifically, no reference was obtained from the employer that the manager was briefly employed by. This practice is not consistent with the need for robust and safe recruitment of staff.

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This monitoring visit

The manager does not ensure that records are maintained of rotas worked by staff. The impact of this is low, due to there being no young people in placement. However, this shortfall fails to demonstrate effective leadership.

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This monitoring visit

The manager does not ensure that records of visitors to the home are maintained. Specifically, a record of visits by the responsible individual has not been completed in a consistent manner. This administration issue has had no noticeable impact on the care provided in the home as there are no young people resident.

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This monitoring visit

Due to there being no young people in placement, the extent to which the other requirements raised at the full inspection have been met is difficult to review. Positively, the manager has completed an action plan to address those requirements. The implementation and effectiveness of that action plan will continue to be reviewed at future inspections.

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This monitoring visit

The manager applied to Ofsted to become registered in July 2018 and was registered with Ofsted in August 2018.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

12/06/2018 Monitoring Not judged 25/05/2018 Monitoring Not judged 24/04/2018 Full Inadequate 17/01/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 02/08/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/04/2017 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1228091 3

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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, 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only— employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). The requirements are that— the individual is of integrity and good character; the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 32 (1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(a)(b)(c)(d)) In particular, the registered provider should ensure that a reference is obtained in relation to the manager’s last period of employment. 30/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home. The registered person must— maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4; ensure that the records are kept up to date; and retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)) In particular, the registered person should maintain duty rotas of persons working at the home, and a record of the actual rotas worked. Furthermore, any visitors to the home, including the responsible individual, should be recorded as a visitor to the home unless they are on the rota to work. 30/09/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1228091 4

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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 children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Care And Education Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 22–24 Balfour Road, Bootle L20 4NZ

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Inspector

Paul Robinson, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1228091 5 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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