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 Ltd

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 children or young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager was registered with Ofsted in August 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

On 24 April 2018, Ofsted carried out a full inspection that judged the home inadequate. The home is subject to ongoing enforcement action by Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit has been carried out to review the progress made since the last inspection on 21 November 2018. No judgement was made during that inspection as the provider had previously chosen not to admit any children into the home, and there has been insufficient time since the admission of a child on 14 December 2018 to demonstrate the evidence required for a full judgement inspection. The child’s admission to the home was well managed, under difficult circumstances due to the placement being agreed in a very short period of time.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager met with the placing authority prior to the admission to ensure that the home could meet the individual needs of the child. The registered manager ensured that a compatibility and impact risk assessment was completed. This provided the staff team with strategies to manage the known behaviour of the child. Transition into the home has been a positive experience for the child. Using the small team pending recruitment has negated the need for agency staff. This has provided a high level of consistency and enabled the child to develop positive relationships with all three members of the staff team.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has developed a professional working relationship with the placing authority and he has shown determination to ensure that the provider’s own admission procedure is followed. The registered manager has also ensured that all Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1228091 2 the relevant documentation for the child is available and on file. Initial planning meetings have taken place and plans have been established to support the needs of the child, in line with the statutory care plan. The registered manager has also raised with the placing authority and other relevant professionals the need to review the current planning arrangements, to ensure that the care plan remains current and in line with the child’s emerging needs. This means that the requirements raised under regulation 14, the care planning standard, and regulation 36, children’s case records, have been met.

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This monitoring visit

Since the child was admitted to the home, the registered manager and staff team have ensured that the health needs of the child have been identified and recorded in the internal healthcare plan. Staff have also registered the child with health services in the local area. Individual sessions have taken place involving staff and the child to ensure that the child’s views have been sought on their current health needs. For example, as the child is currently declining to take some prescribed medication the registered manager has taken steps to request a full medication review by a paediatrician. Emerging health needs have been addressed appropriately by the registered manager, and a referral has been made and accepted by the local substance misuse service following an incident involving the child and cannabis possession. This means that the requirement raised under regulation 10, the health and well-being standard, has now been met.

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This monitoring visit

The action identified in the regulation 44 visitor’s report in relation to the home’s fire extinguishers being serviced has now been addressed. The registered manager was able to evidence that the fire extinguishers had been serviced prior to the child being placed. The recommendation raised at the last inspection has now been met.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of this monitoring inspection, the child had only been in placement for three weeks. However, since the child was admitted the registered manager had taken steps to ensure that the educational needs of the child have been prioritised. Meetings have taken place between educational professionals and the home to ensure that the child’s educational placement was stabilised, and plans have been established to maximise the engagement of the child in education. An appropriate plan has been put in place to re-engage the child in school, however it is too early to measure its impact for the child. This means that the requirement raised under regulation 8, the education standard, has not been met and will be reviewed at the next full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The arrangements to manage risk have been actioned by the registered manager. He has developed clear and detailed risk management plans which have strategies in place for staff to consistently support and manage the behaviour of the child. These plans are reviewed and discussed with the child to ensure that the strategies support them effectively in learning to manage and reduce risk. However, it is too early to assess if this process is embedded into practice and can be sustained over time. This means that the requirement under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, has not been met and will be reviewed at the next full inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1228091 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/11/2018 Interim Not judged 24/04/2018 Full Inadequate 17/01/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 02/08/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1228091 4

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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

8: The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible; and help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(iii)(iv)(vii)(viii)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

12: 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 staff— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; help each child to understand how to keep safe; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; and take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi)) 08/03/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1228091 5

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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 Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector(s)

Louise Redfern, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1228091 6 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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

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