Children's Home run by Phoenix Care & Education Limited in Cheshire West and Chester

Inspection report for children’s home: 2651807 1 Registered provider: Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a small privately owned company which operates two children’s homes. This home is registered to provide care for up to four children between the ages of eight and 17. Children are likely to have emotional and behavioural needs due to trauma that they may have experienced.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been the manager of this home since its registration in September 2021.

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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: 2651807 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2651807 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of inspection, four children were living at the home. Transitions into the home are carefully planned and children are matched to those already living there. Children’s welcome guides and the home’s information book are tailored to meet the individual needs of the child. For example, the manager changed the welcome guide to a story book for a younger child moving into the home. This level of planning supports children to experience a positive transition into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Effective care planning means that children are receiving individualised care to meet their specific needs. Children’s plans show the progress children have made from their starting points. Plans capture children’s progress and journey and the positive experiences they are having.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children arrive in the home with a history of educational disruption. All children are now in full-time education and are making good progress with their learning. The manager is a good advocate and will challenge other professionals to ensure the children can access the correct educational provision.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents and professionals speak highly of the care and support that children receive. The manager and staff work closely with birth families to strengthen and repair relationships. Children are supported with family time. One professional said, ‘The manager supports family time and fully understands the importance of mum in the child’s life. She organises individual family time and I trust her to do this.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to move out of the home and ongoing support is provided to children when this is deemed appropriate. However, the absence of transition plans impacts on being able to demonstrate how children are supported to progress to independent living. A requirement has been made to address this shortfall.

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

Staff work effectively and proactively with professionals to safeguard and protect children. Individual risk assessments discuss any known risks and vulnerabilities, with clear actions that should be taken to address and reduce risks.

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

Children said that they like living in the home. All children are in good routines, including getting up for school and having a set time to give their phones to staff in the evenings. This provides children with clear boundaries and consistent and predictable care. This makes children feel safe.

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

Children are supported to develop strategies to regulate and understand their behaviours. Direct-work sessions educate children in how to keep safe. When necessary, specialist services are used to support children’s emotional well-being following disclosures of harm and to help them recover from trauma. Inspection report for children’s home: 2651807 4 Allegations against staff or safeguarding concerns for children are swiftly reported to the appropriate agencies. All relevant action is taken to ensure that risk is mitigated. Children are supported and protected throughout this process.

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

Safer recruitment practice at the home ensures that all staff are appropriately checked and vetted before coming to work in the home. This helps to ensure that the home is a safe place for children to live. Children’s safety is supported further by all staff being trained in safeguarding practices.

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

The physical environment for children is safe and secure and protects them from harm. However, the manager must ensure that certificates for annual checks on outdoor oil tanks are on file.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed effectively and efficiently by a dedicated, experienced and qualified manager. The manager is passionate and committed to providing a high standard of quality care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager invests in staff progression and development. Through effective and meaningful supervisions and appraisals, she supports staff in understanding their roles. Staff are provided with opportunities for professional development. This high level of support has created a stable staff team which in turn provides consistent care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff are committed to training and have completed mandatory training. Staff also receive training and workshops on behaviours that are specific to the individual needs of children. For example, staff have completed some training to support children who make disclosures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager continually reviews and monitors systems to ensure their effectiveness and has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. However, a shortfall has been identified in relation to the records of physical interventions. Details of any steps taken to de-escalate or avoid the need to use physical intervention need to be clearly recorded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is good multi-agency work and placing authorities are extremely complimentary about the standard of care provided to children. In relation to the home, one professional said, ‘They have been absolutely fantastic. They have been excellent advocates and the manager is so trauma informed.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2651807 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, 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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Requirements Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirements Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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Requirements Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirements Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(iii))

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Requirements Due date

Specifically, ensure that children have clear transition plans when preparing to leave the home. 29 March 2023

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Requirements Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirements Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirements Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirements Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (3)(v))

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Requirements Due date

Specifically, clearly detail and record what de-escalation techniques have been used to avoid the need to use the measure of restraint. 29 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2651807 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home complies with relevant health and safety legislation (alarms, food hygiene etc.); and in doing so, obtain annual certificates for oil tanks. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 2651807 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Phoenix Care & Education Ltd, 22-24 Balfour Road, Bootle L20 4NZ

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Inspector

Nicola Clements, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2651807 8 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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