Children's Home run by Platform Childcare Ltd in Staffordshire

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered person’s response to the six requirements made at the last inspection is generally good. The journey of improvement is clear. Further improvement is still required in the area of managerial monitoring and review, and two requirements are made. Despite this, the service has made significant strides and for the one young person currently in residence, outcomes are excellent. There is a new manager, registered this year. The responsible individual has a more active presence in the home and provides good-quality supervision to the registered manager, with a safeguarding and child focus. Placement success is largely due to better-planned and better-managed care by an increasingly well- trained and well-resourced staff team under the new manager. The last review of the quality of care, supported by an active plan for development, is likely to lead to continuing improvements. The progress and experiences of young people since the last inspection is

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

extremely positive. Since the last inspection, one young person moved into a preferred planned placement after a difficult time at the home. The current young person moved in an emergency after a time of extreme crisis in his life. The registered person has not made any further admissions, clear that the match for the current young person must be right. This demonstrates responsible, child- focused management. The young person said, ‘It gives me time to think about my mistakes.’ Staff do now ensure that young people learn suitable independent living skills to support their transition to adulthood. This improves the likely success of their next move. Staff do now ensure that young people’s case files include all necessary documentation and information, such as local authority pathway and care planning documentation. Case files are now an accurate reflection of their circumstances. Young people are no longer subject to unnecessary monitoring and surveillance in

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

the home. Bedroom door alarms are no longer used. External door alarms are in place only in the same way that a burglar alarm would be switched on at night in an ordinary family home. This supports a homely and welcoming environment. Social workers and young people are clear and consent to this. Managers and staff do now ensure that records of sanctions include all necessary information, such as the effectiveness of the measure used. Records of physical intervention in the log book do not always show that the manager has documented her view of this, although this information is implicit in her recording elsewhere in records. Young people are now consistently encouraged to comment on the use of measures of control. The formal review of the quality of care for the first quarter of the year now meets with regulation. Other systems for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the subsequent quality of care require improvement. They currently do not formally

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

identify actions to improve following serious incidents in the home, for example whether staff have followed the organisation’s policy and procedure for managing allegations and complaints. Internal monitoring systems are not yet consistently evident in any formal review after significant events, for example, there is no manager’s post-incident review of the implementation of the provider’s policy and procedures. Review systems do not show whether the registered person has identified lessons to be learned or implemented actions to improve. Additionally, the manager did not share information about a recent event with the external monthly visitor, because it was not yet concluded. This meant that the visitor did not have critical information on which to base their assessment of how well the home safeguards children and promotes their welfare. In other aspects, the registered provider has strengthened the quality of the external visitor’s

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

scrutiny. While there has been no harm, and action to improve has been taken in practice, formal, recorded internal and external systems for review are not yet fully effective. The young person has made really significant progress in all areas of his emotional, educational, and physical wellbeing. He is working confidently towards a planned return home to his family. Previously out of education for a whole year, he is now attending full-time alternative provision and succeeding academically, and is developing his enjoyment of learning, with plans to attend mainstream education at the start of the next academic year. His attendance is 100%. He is enjoying good health; has stopped smoking; is eating a healthy diet; is cooking a wide range of meals from scratch; and is growing vegetables in the garden. He has become drug-free, and has dramatically reduced incidents of going missing. He has not got involved in criminal behaviour, and has successfully worked with youth

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

justice to complete a court order. He is building positive adult relationships. ‘The staff are amazing here and are very understanding and supportive.’ He feels safe, listened to, respected and consulted about how to improve his care and that of future young people. He has revamped the children’s guide to the home, giving advice to any new young people and describing how he felt when he started to trust staff and open up: ‘It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.’ He benefits from really constructive relationships with staff, who teach him cooking, encourage his community involvement, and talk to him about the important things in his life in frequent, well-planned direct work sessions. Staff are all either qualified as required at level 3, or are enrolled on a programme to achieve this. The young person said, ‘The staff are amazing here and are very understanding and supportive.’ They actively support his education through a

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

programme of private tuition and ‘Asdan’ learning. Consequently, he has changed his view of his future and feels he has changed paths. ‘I’d be dead or in jail if I’d kept on.’ Staff protect young people. The young person said: ‘I know staff are always there if I feel uncomfortable’ and ‘Staff are very protective and I feel very safe when I am with them.’ Staff help young people when they are at risk of going missing from care. They manage behaviour well, and without escalating incidents unnecessarily or reliance on the police. Staff have helped the young person cope with occasional setbacks. They have worked well with young people to help them gain control of their emotions and angry feelings without needing to restrain. They help to mend family conflicts and work well with parents and placing authorities to heal the rifts that led to young people coming into care. Partnership working with others since the last inspection, to support and improve

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

the experiences of young people is highly effective. The child-focused manager is ambitious for young people’s rights and achievements. She has championed young people’s right to education and successfully challenged a school’s refusal of a place, resulting in an offer of mainstream education. This commitment means a lot to the young person, who described this approach as that they ‘make a positive out of a negative’.

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides care for two young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is one of three private children’s homes operated by the provider in the region.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

15 December 2015 Full Requires improvement

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) 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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

13. In order to meet the leadership and management standard with particular reference to formal review systems after significant incidents, the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 30 June 2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must help the independent person to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. Specifically, share records relating to safeguarding and complaints (Regulation 44(2)(b)). 30 June 2016

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection’.

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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 that 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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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, work- based 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

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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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