Children's Home run by Platform Childcare Ltd in Staffordshire

inspection

The home was inspected in September 2015 and judged inadequate. This was the first inspection since registration. 25 requirements were made. A monitoring visit was completed on 10 November 2015. 16 of the previous requirements were met. A compliance notice was issued for ongoing shortfalls. The compliance notice was monitored as part of this inspection and met.

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Requires improvement

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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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Staff do not ensure that young people have suitable independent living skills programmes in place to support their transition to adulthood. This reduces the success of their resettlement.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Young people are subject to unnecessary monitoring and surveillance in the home that is not reflective of any safeguarding needs. This detracts for the homely and welcoming nature of the environment.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Managers and staff do not ensure that records of restraints or sanctions include all necessary information. Young people are not consistently encouraged to comment of the use of measures of control.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Staff do not ensure that young people‘s case files include all necessary documentation and information. This impacts on the young people‘s progress because their case files are not an accurate reflection of their circumstances.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Internal and external monitoring systems are poor and ineffectual. They fail to accurately evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the service or identify actions to secure improvement.

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The children's home strengths

 Young people are positive about the care they receive. Staff work in partnership with other agencies to ensure that young people have access to the support services they need.

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The children's home strengths

 The home provides young people with a warm, welcoming and ‗homely‘ environment. Young people are involved in decision about the decoration of the home.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, 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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

6. The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard the registered person must ensure that staff— (2)(b)

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Requirement Due date

(vi) help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. 29/02/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children; and the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child‘s need for privacy. (Regulation 24(1)(a)(d)) 29/02/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes all of the information required by the regulations. (Regulation 35(a)(i – viii) 29/02/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (―case records‖) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36(1)(a)) 29/02/2016

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (―the independent person‘s report‖) which sets out, in particular, the independent person‘s opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children‘s well-being. (Regulation 44(4)(a)(b)) 29/02/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided for children; the feedback and opinions of children about the children‘s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive 29/02/2016 in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45(2)(a)(b)(c))

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Information about this children's home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to 2 children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is owned and operated by a private provider.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 15/09/2015 CH - Full Inadequate

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requires improvement

Young people have generally positive relationships with staff. They say they feel that some staff ‗understand what it‘s like to be young‘. Improvements to internal care planning processes ensure that young people are involved in decisions about their care. They are able to reflect on their behaviours and celebrate their achievements. This means that young people have re-engaged with staff and this positively impacts on their progress and development. Nevertheless, staff fail to ensure that young people‘s case files include all necessary information and documentation. For example, young people do not have statutory pathway plans included in their care files.

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requires improvement

Staff continue to encourage young people to attend their education or work placements but their efforts have failed to motivate them to re-engage with formal learning programmes. As a response to this shortfall, staff have completed accredited training. This enables them to deliver short ‗in-house‘ education courses to support young people to recognise the value and importance of continuing their education.

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requires improvement

Young people are able to maintain regular contact with their families and friends. Staff provide practical and emotional support to ensure that this is a positive experience for young people. This means that young people are not isolated from their families and this supports their development.

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requires improvement

Staff work with external agencies to meet young people‘s physical health needs. They access primary health care services, such as dentist and general practitioners in the local community. When necessary, staff work with placing authorities to access mental health services for young people. Staff emphasise the importance of young people maintaining a healthy life-style, encouraging them to follow a healthy diet and take regular exercise.

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requires improvement

Young people says they enjoy activities with staff and are encouraged to spend time in the local community. This means that young people are able to expand their social circles. However, independent living skills programmes are weak. They do not adequately assess young people‘s abilities and do not support them to learn the practical and emotional skills they need for their transition to adulthood. This significantly reduces the likelihood of young people experiencing a successful transition to adulthood. Judgement grade

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requires improvement

Since the last inspection, improvements have been made to risk assessment documents. These have been amended to ensure that staff are able to identify and record young people‘s risky taking behaviours, and define strategies to reduce these risks. This means that young people‘s safety is better promoted because risk assessments are more comprehensive. In addition, risk assessments are support by discussions with young people that help them to understand how to keep themselves safe.

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requires improvement

The acting manager has reviewed and revised missing from home protocols. These now detail young people‘s specific vulnerabilities, actions to be taken by staff and strategies to reduce risks. These are supported by the introduction of child sexual exploitation screening tools in partnership with community policing team. Although this new approach to promoting young people‘s safety remains in its infancy, there have been no missing from home events since the last inspection.

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requires improvement

Since the last inspection, there has been a reduction in incidents of unacceptable behaviours. Staff use one to one sessions to encourage young people to take responsibility for their behaviour and to consider the possible consequences of their actions. Young people develop strategies to resolve conflicts during one to one sessions. For example, they identify how better to manage their emotions and frustrations. This promotes young people‘s progress and development.

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requires improvement

Staff are trained in physical restraint although the use of this measure of control is rare. Verbal prompts and de-escalation techniques are used to encourage young people to manage their own behaviours. Nevertheless, records of restraint and sanctions are not completed in detail. They do not include all necessary information, such as young people‘s comments or a review of the effectiveness of any sanctions given. This compromises young people‘s safety because records lack transparency.

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requires improvement

Young people understand how to make a complaint and say these are quickly addressed. Records of complaints are detailed and specify the actions taken. There have been no complaints since the last inspection.

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requires improvement

There is a location risk assessment in place that highlights risk factors in the surrounding area and indicates how these will be managed. Staff complete regular fire and health and safety checks in the home and young people confirm they understand how to respond in the event of a fire. However, the unnecessary use of bedroom door alarms to monitor young people‘s movements detracts from the welcoming atmosphere of the home. This restrictive measure does not promote young people‘s safety and is not risk assessed for individual young people.

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requires improvement

The home was registered in April 2015. Since that time the registered manager has resigned and left the service. In September 2015 the deputy manager was promoted to the post of manager. She is in the process of applying to Ofsted for registration and her submitted application indicates that she holds suitable qualifications for this role.

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requires improvement

A monitoring visit took place in November 2015. The service had adequately addressed a number of previous shortfalls, although eight requirements remained outstanding. This included the failure to ensure staff files contained all necessary employee information and safety checks. A compliance notice was issued. Since that time, the acting manager has taken suitable action to meet this notice. All staff recruitment files now include a full employment history and suitability checks. This ensures that staff are appropriately vetted to work with young people.

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requires improvement

The acting manager has addressed the majority of requirements outstanding from the monitoring visit in November 2015. This includes the updating of the home‘s statement of purpose; staff training; internal recording systems, operational policies and care planning documents, including risk assessments all been reviewed and revised.

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requires improvement

Some requirements have not been addressed. Reports by independent visitors are weak and do not accurately reflect the quality of care provided by the home or evaluate young people‘s safety. Internal monitoring and review systems remain ineffectual and do not adequately record the strengths and weakness of the home. Although the acting manager is aware of what these areas are, failure to record these means that the development of the service can not be appropriately monitored.

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requires improvement

Staff continue to receive formal supervision and say they find this to be effective and relevant to their role. Training is regularly refreshed and reflective of young people‘s needs. As a result, staff have the skills and knowledge they need to support young people to move forward with their lives.

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requires improvement

The acting manager works in partnership with other professionals, including placing authorities, external agencies and local police representatives. These have improved since the last inspection. For example, there is now a protocol with police defining when assistance may be required in the home. This means that young people are not unnecessarily criminalised and strengthens the multi-agency approach to keeping young people safe.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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