Children's Home run by Phoenix Care & Education Limited in Wirral

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2833105 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

This home is owned and run by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for one child who may have social and emotional difficulties or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in August 2025 and has not previously been inspected.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Inspection date: 28 October 2025

Date of last inspection: Not previously inspected

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Inspection date: 28 October 2025

Judgement at last inspection: Not previously inspected

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Inspection date: 28 October 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: Not applicable

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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: 2833105 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

A child was admitted to the home despite their needs being outside of the home’s conditions of registration. In addition, the home’s ethos was not considered in relation to the statement of purpose. Consequently, staff do not have the relevant skills, experience or training to meet the child’s needs. This has led to significant shortfalls in the care provided to the child.

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Findings from the inspection

The assessments completed prior to the child moving into the home were of poor quality and did not adequately consider the individual needs of the child, the suitability of the environment or how the child would be appropriately supported by the staff team. The manager failed to ensure that staff received the relevant training to meet the child’s specific needs, including training in safeguarding disabled children, supporting children with physical disabilities and infection control and personal care. This is a missed opportunity to ensure robust safeguarding practices and to ensure that staff are equipped to safely and effectively care for the child.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not have written, signed, delegated authority from the child’s placing authority. As a result, they do not have the appropriate documentation to confirm that their decision-making is in line with their agreed responsibilities. Furthermore, the child’s plans contain conflicting information regarding their learning disability, which leaders and managers are unaware of.

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Findings from the inspection

There are significant shortfalls in personal care practices. Managers have not ensured that support plans provide clear guidance for the staff to follow on how to provide personal care or develop the child’s independence and self-care skills. Leaders and managers have also failed to ensure that accurate and comprehensive records of personal care practices are maintained to safeguard both the child and staff.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support family time well and the child is able to spend time with people who are important to them. Staff are sensitive to the needs of the child and recognise the importance of maintaining relationships. Family time is well planned and provides opportunities for the child to create new memories.

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Findings from the inspection

The child is developing positive relationships with the staff. The child has been supported to enjoy a variety of days out, including watching planes, bowling and trampolining.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been occasions when staff have needed to hold the child to keep them safe. Records show that staff took appropriate de-escalation steps before using physical intervention and that holds were proportionate. However, leaders and managers have not ensured that staff have received training specific to supporting children with physical disabilities or the use of adaptive holds. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2833105 3 There are significant shortfalls in fire safety practice. Leaders and managers have not reviewed policies, procedures or fire risk assessments to ensure that the risks for children with limited mobility are identified and mitigated. The personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) currently in place is vague and does not provide clear guidance for staff on how to safely evacuate the child in the event of a fire.

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Findings from the inspection

The child continues to attend the same school as before moving into the home. This has helped to minimise disruption for the child and has provided a level of consistency. The child is meeting their educational targets and there is good communication between the staff and the school. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2833105 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, 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

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

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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the child’s plans detail clear steps for staff to follow when completing personal care and that the child’s PEEP includes clear details of the fire evacuation steps for staff to take in the event of an emergency. 16 November Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2833105 5 The registered person must ensure that the child is supported to engage in fire drills and evacuate the home from the upstairs of the property. They must ensure that the fire service attends the home and completes a thorough review of the premises and evacuation procedures.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the policies and procedures and the fire risk assessment include an assessment of risk specific to children with physical disabilities.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all staff complete training specific to the individual needs of the child in their care.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that there is a clear, consistent record of all personal care delivered to the child. 16 November

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 5 December 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2833105 6 receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that only children whose needs can be safely met move into the home.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that staff have the relevant skills, experience and knowledge to meet the needs of the children living at the home.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background; 5 December 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2833105 7 make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s plans accurately detail their individual needs to enable staff to support children and provide them with the level of care required in line with their age, understanding and stage of development.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that there is an up-to-date delegated authority agreement signed by a representative of the local authority. 5 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the statement of purpose clearly sets out the needs of the children the home is set up and equipped to care for. 16 November Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2833105 8 *These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2833105 9

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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

Kelly McCurdy, Regulatory Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2833105 10 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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