Children's Home run by Phoenix Children’s Homes Limited in South Gloucestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2843333 1 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Registered provider: Phoenix Children’s Homes Limited

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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 owned by a private provider. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. Both children were involved with the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted when the home opened in June 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

Staff in the home are referred to as adults. This is reflected in the report.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2843333 2 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This is the first inspection of a new home. The members of the team are keen to support the children and to learn about what they want and need. Children were seen to approach adults to share concerns and for affection during the inspection. Adults regularly talk to children about their feelings and emotions. Building relationships with the children has been a clear aim for team. However, this has been difficult because of multiple changes to team and management.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

It is difficult to establish how well adults are meeting children’s general health needs overall. For example, it is not always clear whether children have attended routine appointments in respect of the dentist. However, adults are in close communication with external professionals to support children’s specific health needs such as with their mental health and dietary needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported with healthy eating well. Information is shared with other professionals where necessary about children’s diets and how to improve them. The team encourages the children to eat a wide variety of foods. Adults have supported children to try other foods by providing buffet style meals. Children are also encouraged to cook their own meals in line with their ages.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child smokes and vapes. The team’s focus has been on supporting this child’s emotional needs. However, there is no clear guidance provided for the team on how to address smoking and vaping. Adults are clear that smoking and vaping are not condoned, but guidance on how to reduce the child’s use of these harmful products is lacking.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children are attending school and college full time. Adults work hard to support children to attend. Close relationships with one school help to support one child with their day.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children get to do lots of fun activities. Memory books for the children capture these activities well. Adults have made these books personal to each child. These are not always kept up to date, which could mean some details are lost.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is beautifully presented and homely. Things that are important to children are on display, which shows these children live here. Support for one child to keep their room safe and hygienic is limited. This does not provide a safe and therapeutic environment for the child.

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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2843333 3 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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

Both children said that they feel safe and could each identify an adult who they can talk with when they are worried. When asked what the team do well, one child said: ‘How they support me.’ Adults understand the vulnerabilities of the children. They know the basics of how to keep the children safe. Information about children is recorded in different places and sometimes it is duplicated. Guidance provided for the team is not always up to date, which can be confusing for the adults.

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

The risks to the children change frequently. There are close working relationships with health, social care and the child and adolescence mental health service (CAMHS) to ensure that risks are understood and shared. Adults work hard with the children to support them to manage their own risks.

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

There have been two occasions when children have been missing from the home. Adults searched for children, followed the processes in place and children returned or were located quickly. Return to home interviews took place on both occasions.

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

Adults take a sensitive approach to self-harm. All incidents are taken seriously, and children are nurtured. Children are supported to gain appropriate medical care and seek advice themselves, in line with their ages. Good multi-agency working arrangements are in place to support the children. In attempts to reduce the potential risks presented to children who self-harm, adults have removed items like knives or plugs from easy access to the children. However, adults recognise that this does not resolve the issue. Lots of supportive conversations take place with the children. The members of the team are working hard to build trusted relationships with children.

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

Investigations into concerns about adults’ practice are conducted thoroughly. Learning from the investigations is highlighted, but actions are not clearly specified. This means that adults are not being given clear messages about how to improve practice when there are shortfalls.

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

A registered manager is in place, and she is suitably qualified. When the manager was unexpectedly on leave, senior leaders were quick to put other managers in place. However, overwhelmingly feedback from the children, professionals and family members is that this period was very confusing and it was unclear who to contact. Adults lacked direction and children found this difficult. In recent weeks, this has improved with channels of communication being clearer.

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

Structures and routines were not in place. Records were not always completed or reviewed by managers. It is difficult to see how patterns of children’s complex needs are being understood. There have been lots of different managers reviewing practice. Adults have been supervised by different managers. This means that different people have had oversight of the children’s care and trends and themes cannot be drawn out. Adults say that they have lacked guidance at times. This limits their capacity to promote best outcomes for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2843333 4 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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

Children’s records are inconsistent. Adults are recording information in different places and sometimes not recording at all. Training has taken place, in particular for one child’s health needs. However, adults have not received training in respect of important areas for these children. For example, gender identity is an issue for both children. This has not been identified as an area of training for the team. Adults are do not consistently know how to support children with their identity needs.

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

Supervisions and team meetings take place. Again, because of the changes to the team and manager, these lack consistency. Records reviewed showed actions in supervision being clear and all adults spoken to said they feel supported. However, adults have reported at times lacking clear guidance and direction.

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

Professionals expressed a mixture of experiences regarding communication, but in recent weeks, this has significantly improved. Regular meetings with professionals for both children are now happening routinely. Inspection report for children’s home: 2843333 5 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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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 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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that systems are in place to review the care provided. If shortfalls are identified, then learning should be shared across the team and actions to improve practice should be identified. Leaders and managers should have systems in place to record relevant information about children, and all adults should know where to record this information so that duplication is avoided. 30 January 2026

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to— 30 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2843333 6 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this means that all areas of the home are welcoming and nurturing for children. Children’s bedrooms should provide a safe, warm and nurturing environment for them. In addition, the registered person should ensure that guidance and plans regarding the children should provide clear steps for the adults to follow in respect of how to care for each child.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that— the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff help each child to—

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Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this means that leaders and managers should provide clear guidance to the team on how to support children to reduce harmful behaviours such as smoking and vaping. 30 January 2026

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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 Inspection report for children’s home: 2843333 7 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Information about this inspection

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: 2843333 8 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Children’s Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Support Hub, Unit 5, Chinon Court, Lower Moor Way, Tiverton, Devon EX16 6SS

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Inspector

Nickie Doney, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2843333 9 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Inspector

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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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