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

Inspection report for children's home: 2651807 1 Registered provider: Phoenix Care & Education Ltd

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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 home is operated by a small private provider. It provides care for up to four children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in September 2021 and the manager registered in May 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, the home was providing care for three children.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 24 October 2023

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be 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

24/10/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/02/2023 Full Good 07/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2651807 3

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improvement to be good

Children’s experiences in the home are varied and have been impacted by the high number of staff changes. Three children have moved on from the home after they were served notice. The registered manager served notice on one child’s placement during the inspection as she identified that they were not able to consistently meet the child’s needs.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff have failed to identify the ligature risks in one child’s bedroom. The registered manager took action to remove these risks during the inspection. However, the home is generally well maintained and homely.

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improvement to be good

One child moved from the home following a serious incident involving another child at the home. Staff supported both children throughout this process and there is evidence of multi-agency working to safeguard both children. When children’s moves from the home are not planned, the registered manager takes steps to ensure that children experience as positive a transition as possible.

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improvement to be good

Staff promote education for children. The registered manager has worked closely with education providers to identify any barriers to learning. As a result, all children engage in education, albeit some children for a limited period of time. One child, who had not attended school for a considerable period prior to moving into the home, now has a tutor. Subsequently, the child has taken two GCSE’s.

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improvement to be good

Children are registered with local health services. When children refuse to attend health appointments, staff rearrange these and work with children to promote positive health. Staff use incentives to encourage the children to have a healthy lifestyle and they actively promote personal hygiene.

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improvement to be good

Staff encourage children to develop and maintain important relationships and support children’s time spent with their family and friends. Children can identify trusted adults within the home and understand how to complain.

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improvement to be good

Children have individualised risk assessments that identify all known behaviours and vulnerabilities. However, the registered manager has not ensured that staff are provided with clear actions to mitigate these risks which has led to inconsistency.

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improvement to be good

There has been a high number of incidents where children have been missing from the home. Despite the registered manager having developed a clear procedure, staff have not always followed agreed plans in response to such incidents. The registered manager Inspection report for children's home: 2651807 4 has identified this as a learning need for staff and has started to take steps to address this.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager challenged the local authority for one child when she did not agree with the care plan in place. However, she did not escalate her concerns effectively when staff were not able to consistently manage the child’s risks due to the restrictions imposed in the child’s care plan.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager has good oversight of the home, and most incidents are well managed. However, on one occasion, the regulator was not notified of a serious incident involving children which impacts the regulators oversight and monitoring of the home.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff praise children for positive behaviours and consequences are rarely used. Children are involved and consulted in identifying personalised and achievable targets through incentives which ensures that their achievements are celebrated. Staff involve children in restorative discussions to reflect on any negative behaviour and identify alternative responses.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home is led by a suitably qualified registered manager. The manager has made some positive changes, particularly regarding the quality of records. However, she accepts that there are shortfalls in staff practice and management oversight that need to be addressed to ensure that consistently good quality care is provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There have been considerable changes within the staff team since the last inspection. The manager has worked hard to ensure that all staff understand their roles and responsibilities. However, there are instances when staff’s practice is inconsistent. On one occasion, a child was able to spend time in the community which had not been agreed and this led to the child being missing from home for an extended period.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Safer recruitment practice is not sufficiently robust. Gaps in employment history for some new staff have not been fully explored. The manager has actively recruited new staff, including a deputy manager to ensure that there is a consistent and stable staff team to care for children. Newley appointed staff are due to commence their employment during the next month.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff receive good quality supervision. However, there are gaps in the frequency of supervision which does not align with the providers own policy. Due to the high number of staff changes, only one member of staff should have had an annual appraisal and this has not been completed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Team meetings take place and are well attended. Staff contribute well, and the manager values their views and feedback. These meetings are reflective and provide an opportunity for all staff to review plans for the home and discuss any new or emerging needs of children. Inspection report for children's home: 2651807 5 Staff say they feel well supported by the registered manager and that she has made positive changes at the home. Staff say that they feel they are continuing to develop as a team and that the manager models a child-focussed approach for them to follow. Inspection report for children's home: 2651807 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

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—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home's day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the children's individual risk management plans contain relevant information and clear actions for staff to follow to mitigate risk.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must also ensure that the home environment is safe. 14 September 2024

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children's home that— 14 September 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2651807 7 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, ensure—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority's or a relevant person's performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child's needs are met in accordance with the child's relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c)) 14 September 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children's home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure and demonstrate that gaps in employment history are explored. . 14 September 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2651807 8 The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all staff receive regular supervision. 14 September 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that Ofsted and other relevant persons are notified about all serious incidents. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10)  The registered person must ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. (‘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: 2651807 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Care & Education Ltd

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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

Carrie Mayes, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2651807 10 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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