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

Inspection report for children's home: 2833105 1 Registered provider: Phoenix Care & Education Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This home is owned and operated by a private provider. It provides care for one child who may have social and emotional difficulties or special educational needs.

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Information about this children's home

The home registered with Ofsted in August 2025.

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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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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

An assurance inspection took place on the 28 October 2025, where the inspector found significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home. Following the assurance inspection, 2 compliance notices were issued, under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. These related to Inspection report for children's home: 2833105 2 Regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and Regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit took place on the 17 November 2025 to monitor the action taken by the provider in relation to the compliance notices. Following this visit, a case review took place, where it was agreed that the provider had taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notice issued under Regulation 12, the protection of children standard. Sufficient action had not been taken to meet the compliance notice issued under Regulation 13. A compliance notice under Regulation 13, the leadership and management standard was restated under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home: 2833105 3

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improvement to be good

Care planning for children is not robust. One child experienced a move out of the home due to their needs being outside of the home’s conditions of registration, and another child has now moved in. Leaders and managers have not fully considered this child’s individual needs alongside the skills of the staff and the location of the home. Consequently, staff have not completed all training necessary to enable them to fully support the child.

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improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to spend time with people who are important to them, and time with family is promoted. However, the child’s plan does not accurately reflect the expectations of spending time with family members. Consequently, there is a lack of information and guidance for staff to follow.

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improvement to be good

Staff are not consistently supported to meet the child’s individual health needs. Information regarding a health diagnosis lacks detail within the child’s plan and does set out guidance for staff to take in the event of concerns. Leaders and managers have not contacted health professionals for further information regarding the diagnosis.

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improvement to be good

Conversations take place with children regularly. However, it is not always clear how the staff support children to reflect following incidents and manage their big emotions. Support for children is not always delivered in a meaningful way that meets their developmental needs and cognitive understanding.

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improvement to be good

Children make positive progress with their education, and communication between school and the team is good. The child who previously lived at the home continued to meet their educational targets before moving out. The child currently living at the home is being supported with home learning while a suitable provision is identified.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to enjoy experiences they may not otherwise have the opportunity to do, such as horse riding, days out and visits to the farm.

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improvement to be good

Restraint practice in the home is minimal. However, on the occasions when children have been held to keep them safe, records lack sufficient detail about the measures used. In addition, children are not consistently supported to speak with someone independent of the hold, which limits opportunities for them to share their views and reflect on the incident.

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improvement to be good

. Inspection report for children's home: 2833105 4 Staff do not always seek medical advice or attention following injuries to children. On one occasion, a child hurt their head, but staff did not seek medical advice or extend their monitoring of the child. The guidance in the child’s risks plan following a head injury is not clear. This does not support staff in keeping children safe.

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improvement to be good

It is not always clear why children are administered medication. For example, staff administered pain relief to one child, but the reason for giving the medication was not recorded. This lack of documentation means there is no transparency in practice and makes it difficult to ensure that medication is given safely and appropriately.

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improvement to be good

Children are cared for by staff who are familiar to them, and changes to the team are infrequent. When recruitment has been necessary, leaders and managers have ensured that only adults who are safe to do so support children.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have responded promptly when concerns about staff practice have arisen. Information has been shared appropriately with partner agencies, and the matter has been fully investigated, demonstrating a clear commitment to children’s safety and accountability within the staff team

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

An experienced manager leads the home. Staff, professionals and parents all spoke highly of the manager and her support for children.

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

Staff receive regular supervision and attend monthly team meetings. Team meetings and supervision sessions are an integral part of the support system for staff development and provide staff with time to reflect on their practice, discuss challenges and receive constructive feedback.

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

Staff have completed all mandatory training including managing self-injurious behaviour. However, they have not completed training specific to substance misuse or the deprivation of liberty order despite these being specific to the child. This does not ensure that all staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to support the child.

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

The manager has not completed the first review of the quality of care provided in the home as required by regulation. This is a missed opportunity to scrutinise the quality of care for children and inform improvements.

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

The manager makes effective use of external monitoring. However, the independent person does not regularly consult with children. Leaders and managers have not taken action to challenge this. Inspection report for children's home: 2833105 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child's behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child's relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child's behaviour, in accordance with the child's age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child's behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child's age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children are supported to reflect on incidents and are helped to develop the necessary skills to manage their feelings and emotions. 29 April 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2833105 6 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vi)

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff seek medical attention when children have sustained a head injury and that there is clear guidance in children's plans for staff to follow to keep children safe. 29 April 2026

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff have completed all training specific to children's individual risks and vulnerabilities. 29 April 2026

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home; and 29 April 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2833105 7 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) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that suitability assessments are detailed and robust, considering all risks and vulnerabilities for children prior to them moving in.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children's home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the reasons for administering medication are clearly recorded. 29 April 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children's home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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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 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(iv)(c)) 29 April 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2833105 8 Specifically, the registered person must ensure that a description of the measure used by staff is recorded and that children are spoken to by staff who have not been involved in the hold.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children's home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children are regularly spoken to by the independent person. 29 April 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (1) (3) (4)(a)) 29 April 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to respond to the health needs of children, that symptoms regarding health conditions are accurately recorded in children's health plans and that health professionals are consulted. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 34, paragraph 7.12)

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report for children's home: 2833105 9 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: 2833105 10

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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, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2833105 11 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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