Children's Home run by Phoenix Adolescent Care Limited in Manchester

Inspection report for children’s home: 2711712 1 Registered provider: Phoenix Adolescent Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in May 2023 and is operated by a private provider. It offers care for up to 2 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2026.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected, or their welfare is not promoted.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 21 January 2026

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2711712 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/01/2026 Full Good 19/08/2024 Full Good 14/11/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2711712 3

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Summary of findings

There are serious shortfalls in safeguarding practice that compromise children’s safety and welfare. Risks to children are not consistently understood or managed effectively by staff, and management oversight has not addressed these weaknesses.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Planning for children’s moves into and out of the home is poor. When children move into the home at short notice, leaders and managers do not obtain all relevant information to ensure that their needs can be met in the home. As a result, staff were unable to manage interactions between children, and one child had to move out.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The home is not maintained to a good standard. There is damage to several areas of the home, including paintwork and door frames. Although managers have identified the work required, there have been delays in completing it, and essential issues, such as a broken smoke alarm, have not been rectified. This detracts from the safe, homely environment that the child should experience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Despite the identified shortfalls in safeguarding practice, staff support the child living in the home to access education and learning opportunities. Where formal education arrangements are not in place, staff actively pursue suitable alternative provisions. Staff recognise the importance of education in promoting positive outcomes and work with the child to help them develop essential life skills that will support their future independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff support the child to attend routine health appointments and understand the importance of maintaining their health and wellbeing. They encourage the child to make healthy choices. When additional support is needed to meet the child’s emotional wellbeing needs, staff make appropriate referrals to, and work alongside, relevant specialist services. However, staff do not ensure that the child has access to timely specialist support during periods of emotional crisis or following significant incidents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child enjoys a range of activities and experiences with staff, including go karting, inflatable climbing centres, swimming and water parks. These provide opportunities for the child to develop positive relationships with staff and enjoy experiences outside the home.

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

There are serious weaknesses in the assessment and management of risks for the child. Clear and up-to-date protocols are not in place to provide staff with sufficient guidance on how to support and manage the child’s risks in relation to self-harm. Staff do not have a full understanding of the child’s level of risk or the actions they should take in the event of an emergency. Consequently, the child is not consistently protected from harm. Inspection report for children’s home: 2711712 4 Staff lack the skills to manage children’s conflicting needs and risks when living together. On occasion, staff have relied on police intervention to manage incidents between children. Staff do not maintain appropriate boundaries to promote positive behaviour between children, and strategies to address bullying in the home are not effective. Following a serious incident in the home, one child was moved from the home without

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

When the child goes missing from home, staff take action to locate them. Staff follow the child and search areas they may go. Staff share relevant information with other agencies, including the police, to support the child’s safe return. The child is offered an independent return home interview, which provides an opportunity to gather information that may help to reduce future risks. However, one child was moved from the home while they were missing. This is likely to have resulted in the child experiencing a traumatic ending to their time living at the home.

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

Physical intervention is used as a last resort. However, staff lack a detailed understanding of the child’s risks, which has affected their ability to respond consistently to emerging risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have not ensured that staff have the skills, knowledge and guidance required to consistently support children and keep them safe. The registered manager is new in post and leads a team of staff who are also new to their roles. Serious shortfalls remain in safeguarding practice. The registered manager and responsible individual recognise the weaknesses identified and have started to take action to address them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management monitoring systems are in place but are not effective. Oversight of staff learning is poor and does not ensure that learning is embedded into practice or that risks to the child are consistently identified and addressed. This limits leaders’ and managers’ ability to identify weaknesses and make timely improvements to children’s care and safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The child’s records are not always clear, complete or written in appropriate language. Some of the language used by staff when recording or discussing the child is unprofessional and does not reflect the respectful approach that the child should experience. Management monitoring and oversight have failed to identify and address these shortfalls. Consequently, records do not consistently provide an accurate and respectful account of the child’s experiences and the care they receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff receive regular supervision. Sessions provide opportunities to discuss the child’s progress and staff practice. Staff report feeling supported by the registered manager and say they can raise concerns with them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager works with other professionals, including social workers and education staff. When professionals raise concerns, including those relating to information-sharing, Inspection report for children’s home: 2711712 5 the registered manager is receptive to this feedback and takes appropriate action to address the issues. Inspection report for children’s home: 2711712 6

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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

that the home’s day-today care is arranged and delivered so as to keep child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff take action to safeguard children at all times, that risk assessments are up to date, accurate and clearly identify all known risks, and that staff understand the actions required to manage the child’s risks of self-harm. 30 September 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 home that—

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 30 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2711712 7 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that there is effective oversight of all care provided in the home, that shortfalls in staff practice are identified and addressed, and that staff have the skills, knowledge and experience to meet the child’s needs and safeguard them effectively.

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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

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) required the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the home is maintained to a safe and suitable standard and is free from hazards at all times. 30 September 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. 30 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2711712 8 in particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff can meet the child’s needs and safeguard them effectively at all times.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2711712 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Adolescent Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Flat 110, Victoria Mill, Houldsworth Street, Reddish, Stockport SK5 6AX

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Inspectors

Saira Rafiq, Social Care Inspector Jamie Richardson, Regional Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home: 2711712 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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