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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2651807 1 Registered provider: Phoenix Care & Education 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 run by a small private company which runs three 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 social and emotional needs due to trauma that they may have experienced.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in September 2021. The registered manager post is vacant.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Inspection date: 26 March 2024

Date of last inspection: 24 October 2023

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Inspection date: 26 March 2024

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 26 March 2024

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. 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: 2651807 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 manager plans well for new children moving into the home. Children are supported to visit the home before moving in and staff do all that they can to welcome children sensitively. This helps to ease any anxieties children may have and provides them with a positive experience.

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Findings from the inspection

When children move on from the home in an unplanned way, the manager completes a reflective review of the placement. This helps them to identify any learning that can be used to develop staff’s practice.

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Findings from the inspection

The home environment is warm and welcoming. Children have the freedom to personalise their bedrooms to their individual tastes. This helps children to develop a sense of belonging.

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Findings from the inspection

There are clear health plans in place and children are registered with local health services. Staff advocate on behalf of children and all health appointments are up to date.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager and staff know and understand children’s risks. Together, they identify and appropriately assess new risks. The manager ensures that risk management plans are individualised and up to date, and that they are clear and directive.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been occasions when children have gone missing from the home. When children have gone missing, staff do all they can to try to locate them. When children cannot be found, staff report them missing and continue to look for them.

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Findings from the inspection

When children are at risk in the community, the manager and staff respond appropriately. Staff complete regular direct work with children to help them to understand how to keep themselves safe and they encourage them to engage with external services. This means that children who are at risk receive a multi- agency response.

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Findings from the inspection

Physically holding a child to keep them safe is used as a last resort in conjunction with the home’s policies and procedures. Following the use of physical intervention, the manager ensures that children are provided with an opportunity to reflect on and discuss the incident. All records of physical intervention are reviewed by the manager; however, the effectiveness of the measure used is not fully considered.

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Findings from the inspection

The interim manager has been in post since October 2023. She has a positive impact on the running of the home and the progress and experiences of the Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2651807 3 children. She knows the children well, and is ambitious, child-focused and dedicated.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager, with support from the responsible individual, has successfully implemented new internal audit tools. As a result of this, the management oversight in the home has significantly improved.

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Findings from the inspection

All staff are up to date with their training. Half of the staff team are experienced and qualified. When new staff start, their training, development and induction activities are effective. This means that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to ensure that they can meet the specific needs of children.

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Findings from the inspection

Most staff receive regular supervision in line with the home’s statement of purpose. However, some staff have not received regular supervision. This limits the opportunities for staff to reflect on their practice and development and on the children’s needs. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2651807 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/10/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/02/2023 Full Good 07/03/2022 Full Good Assurance 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, 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 effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vi)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that incidents of restraint are evaluated with scrutiny, taking into consideration any possible learning outcomes that can be implemented within children’s risk management plans and to support the development of staff. 19 April 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff receive regular supervision of their practice that allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2651807 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Care & 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

Kimmy Feeley, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2651807 7 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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