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 operated by a private provider. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties or learning difficulties.

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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

A new manager has been appointed and has submitted their application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children's home

One child was living at the home at the time of this inspection. They spoke with the inspector about their experiences of living there.

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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 good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2833105 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/03/2026 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2833105 3

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Summary of findings

The child is making progress in all areas of their life. They enjoy living at the home and have positive relationships with staff. The new manager, who was appointed 2 months ago, has made positive changes to staff practice and has improved outcomes for the child.

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Summary of findings

Staff are providing a good standard of care to the child, and the child is kept safe and secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child said that they 'love' living at the home. They like the staff, and they are happy, safe and well cared for. The child is settled and has started to develop a sense of belonging. Relationships between staff and the child are positive. Staff are child centred and provide consistent and loving care that the child responds well to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child with their education and learning. The manager advocated for the child to find an appropriate education provision to meet their needs. The child, who had not attended school for some time before moving into the home, is now actively involved in learning and making progress. Staff also encourage informal learning in addition to the structured educational opportunities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the child's healthcare needs and support them to lead a healthy lifestyle. They use creative ways to help the child attend routine and specialist health appointments. Staff provide the child with healthy meals, which the child helps to plan and cook. Staff and the child routinely sit together to eat their home-cooked food.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the child to try new opportunities, and their interests are nurtured. The child regularly attends horse riding lessons as well as helping to care for horses at local stables. Staff help the child to care for a small pet animal at the home and to grow plants and vegetables, which the child thoroughly enjoys.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is supported to maintain relationships with people who are important to them. They routinely speak to and spend time with family members, who are also made welcome at the home when they visit the child. One family member said, 'The staff are lovely. It's a great place for [name of child].'

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child lives in a spacious and modern home. It is well maintained and is homely and welcoming. The child said that they like their bedroom, which is personalised to their tastes. Communal areas are comfortable, and staff maintain a calm and nurturing environment. Inspection report for children's home: 2833105 4

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

Staff understand the child's risks and vulnerabilities. Risk and behaviour management plans are personalised and updated regularly and provide clear information for staff. The child is helped to understand their care plan and the reasons why restrictions are currently in place.

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

The child's risks have significantly reduced since living in the home. There have been no incidents of alcohol misuse, and the frequency of incidents of self-harm and of the child going missing has dramatically decreased. When incidents do occur, staff take swift and appropriate action to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the child. Staff help the child to understand and manage their feelings and behaviours safely.

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

Positive behaviour is routinely promoted in the home. However, on one occasion, staff did not use an approach that met the needs of the child. This led to the child going missing from the home and needing to be held to keep them safe. The manager had identified this area of vulnerability before the inspection and has taken action to improve staff practice.

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

Clear routines, boundaries and expectations are in place, which the child said that they liked. The child works towards goals that they help to set, and their achievements are rewarded and celebrated.

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

Safer recruitment practices are in place to ensure that only adults who are safe to work with children are employed in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A new manager has been appointed since the last inspection. He is an experienced manager and is committed to developing the home and outcomes for the child. He is fully involved in the child's life and is a strong advocate for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working at the home. They work well together as a team to provide consistent and loving care. Staff feel valued and supported by their manager. One staff member described him as 'supportive' and 'thorough'.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular supervision sessions and regular team meetings that provide them with opportunities for reflection and learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staff are up to date with training and development. This includes specialist training to equip staff with the knowledge and skills to meet the child's current and emerging needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works proactively and effectively with other agencies and professionals for the benefit of the child. Inspection report for children's home: 2833105 5 The manager regularly monitors the quality of care provided to the child. He is highly organised and has systems in place to help track patterns and progress. This enables him to understand the home's strengths and areas for development. His comprehensive oversight of the home ensures that ongoing improvements are made. Inspection report for children's home: 2833105 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the relevant skills to be able to respond to a child's behaviour in a supportive manner that meets the needs of the child. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 39 paragraph 8.14)

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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: 2833105 7

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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: Phoenix Care & Education Limited, 22-24 Balfour Road, Bootle L20 4NZ

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Inspector

Zillah Brooks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2833105 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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