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 LTD

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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 there has been no registered manager in place since September 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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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

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

Since the full inspection, there have been changes to the management arrangements. The previous registered manager left shortly after the last inspection. An experienced manager has been recruited for the role, and she has submitted her application to register.

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Findings from the inspection

The new manager has implemented clear and effective monitoring systems. The management team has good oversight of the home. There is a stable core staff team in place, and unfamiliar staff rarely support children.

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Findings from the inspection

The children spoke positively of living in the home and their relationships with the staff team. Staff encourage the children to take part in activities they enjoy. Staff support children to spend time with their families safely. Children trust the staff and know who to speak to if they wish to make a complaint.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff build good relationships with the children. Staff are knowledgeable about the children and speak warmly about them. They are positive about children’s aspirations and support them with their identities.

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Findings from the inspection

There has been an increase in incidents of one child going missing from home. The child’s risk assessments provide clear and detailed guidance for staff to follow when the child goes missing. However, staff do not always follow the strategies within these. On one occasion, staff did not continue to look for the child when they did not return home. This was identified by the current manager, and the staff involved have discussed strategies within the risk assessment to improve staff practice in this area.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff use effective de-escalation strategies to promote positive behaviour. However, there have been occasions when staff have used physical intervention to manage behaviour. Most of these incidents are recorded well and evaluated by managers. There was an incident when physical intervention was not necessary and proportionate. The previous manager of the home had not completed an effective evaluation, and therefore, follow-up work had not been completed with the staff or child involved. However, since the new manager has been in post, she has evaluated all incidents of physical intervention.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff work hard to ensure that children’s health needs are met. They support the children to attend school and provide educational activities to those who do not attend. This includes a tutor. The manager advocates for children to promote their education outcomes. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2651807 3 The core staff team has the skills and knowledge to keep children safe. Incident reports are clear and include relevant management oversight. Staff speak with children following incidents, and direct-work sessions are identified and completed with children. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2651807 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/07/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 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 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

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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that all staff are aware of the missing-from-home procedures and that relevant strategies are followed during incidents of children going missing. 1 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (2)) 1 May 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2651807 6

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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: 22-24 Balfour Road, Bootle L20 4NZ

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Inspector

Rose Maddocks, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2651807 7 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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