Children's Home run by Platinum Services for Children (Residential Care) Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report children‟s home: SC378181 1 SC378181

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Registered provider: Platinum Services for Children (Residential Care) Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children‟s home for up to two young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 13 to 14 September 2017

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 16 February 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC378181 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people live in a caring and supportive home that over time is making a positive impact on their lives.  Young people are positive about living at the home.  Staff listen to young people and have regular meetings with them.  Staff promote a healthy lifestyle and support young people‟s well-being.  Staff encourage young people to attend school on a regular basis and this helps young people with their learning.  Young people enjoy different leisure activities.  Staff take an educational approach to helping young people to understand the risks that they may face. This enables each young person to understand their own behaviour and make better choices.  Because of the support they receive, young people go missing less often.  Young people receive care from staff who show a real interest in their lives.  Managers support staff through regular supervision.  Social workers say that the staff communicate well with them and they are

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Key findings from this inspection

pleased with the care given to young people.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children‟s home‟s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Ensure that all young people have up-to-date care plans, and that written plans include information about contact arrangements.  Improve staff awareness of the appropriate use of sanctions and ensure that staff complete records accurately and consistently.  Update training records to reflect the training that staff have completed and use this information to inform staff development.  Ensure that the manager notifies Ofsted of all significant events.  Improve monitoring to ensure that records are accurate and contain all of the necessary information.  Strengthen recruitment checks so that managers verify, as far as is practical, the reasons why staff have left previous employment where they worked with children and vulnerable adults. Inspection report children‟s home: SC378181 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/12/2016 Full Good 15/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 12/11/2015 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC378181 4

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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, 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 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— the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)— has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate and 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(3)(a)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)). Specifically, this is in relation to staff recording sanctions and restraints. 31/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children‟s home (Regulation 14(1)(a)). Specifically, that each young person has an up-to-date care plan. Furthermore, that young people‟s placement plans reflect their day-to-day needs, including contact arrangements. Ensure that staff consult with young people to help them to understand the information contained in these plans. 31/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that the registered person notifies HMCI and each other relevant person without delay of all events outlined within this regulation. (Regulation 40(4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 31/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children‟s safety. The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in schedule 2 (Regulation 31(3)(d) schedule 2(4)). Specifically, if a person has previously worked in a position involving work with children or vulnerable adults, verification so far as reasonably practicable of the reason why the employment 31/10/2017 Inspection report children‟s home: SC378181 5 or position ended. The registered person must ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. Regulation 13(2)(c)(h)) 31/10/2017

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff successfully create a caring and supportive environment that enables young people to feel safe, valued and respected. Staff work hard to forge trusting relationships with each young person. They use these positive relationships to help young people come to terms with the reasons why they need to live at this home. A social worker said, „Staff have developed very positive relationships; he seems to respect them and they manage him well.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people enjoy positive recreational and social experiences. Staff make every effort to source activities that are based on each young person‟s interests. One young person stated, „Staff offer me loads of stuff to do; I prefer to use my money on horse riding, that‟s my real interest and the staff help me to do it, plus I help out there as well.‟ Young people gain confidence, learn new skills and have fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote young people‟s contact with family members. They understand the complexities of these relationships and support contact in a way that meets young people‟s needs. One social worker highlighted the work that the staff have done to make a young person aware of the possibility that they will stay at the home rather than return to live with their family. The social worker said, „This is a major leap forwards for them and something they have never accepted [before].‟ One young person‟s written plan does not contain clear information about contact arrangements and this has been identified as an area for improvement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff monitor young people‟s health and provide them with the necessary support to ensure that routine checks are up to date. When necessary, they make referrals to specialist healthcare agencies. For example, staff request support from mental health services regarding historical incidents. This means that staff promote young people‟s physical and emotional health needs and ensure that they get the help that they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff recognise the importance of education and do their best to promote this on a daily basis. The manager has been proactive in her efforts to involve education professionals and work with them to identify suitable placements. When necessary, she has challenged partner agencies to ensure that finding a placement remains high on the placing authority‟s agenda. For those in full attendance, staff communicate with school on a daily basis, sharing information and noting young people‟s Inspection report children‟s home: SC378181 6 achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is pleasant and well maintained, with an interesting 1970s theme in the communal areas. Young people have been involved in using online auction sites and buying furnishings that fit this theme. Photographs on display reflect the fun times that staff and young people have had together. Staff encourage young people to make it their home and this is evident through young people‟s personalised bedrooms.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have placement plans that include areas for their development. The young people are not fully aware of the information contained in these plans. One young person did not have an up-to-date care plan, which means that staff are not fully informed about her care needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are many opportunities for young people to have their say through house meetings, key-work sessions and everyday discussions. Staff consult with young people and the young people influence day-to-day decisions about their care. Young people know how to make complaints if they are unhappy. Staff understand the need to record full information about complaints. Improved recording systems enable them to do this.

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

Safeguarding arrangements are effective. Staff are trained in child protection and demonstrate a good awareness of their role in keeping young people safe. Staff respond to emerging concerns appropriately and this helps to protect young people. For example, when young people presented some anti-social behaviour in the community, the staff took effective action. The young people benefit from one-to-one staffing, which means that staff are consistently available to provide them with individual support on a daily basis.

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

Staff complete health and safety checks regularly. As a result, young people live in a safe environment.

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

Managers and staff review risk assessments and take account of new information. For example, they have updated the local area risk assessment. This now includes locations within the local community where young people congregate. The local area risk assessment helps to guide staff in the event that young people go missing.

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

Young people‟s risk management plans clearly set out known risks and vulnerabilities, and provide guidance for staff. Staff understand the processes that they need to follow when young people go missing. This ensures that they provide a coordinated response. One young person was proud of the fact that they had not had any missing incidents for a significant period, and stated, „Staff have spoken to me about the dangers of going missing; it has helped me to realise that I‟m better off with staff knowing where I am.‟ Staff respond well when young people return to the home after being missing. This positive approach helps to reduce missing incidents. Inspection report children‟s home: SC378181 7 Staff use a range of rewards and consequences to encourage young people‟s positive behaviour. However, staff do not record sanctions appropriately. For example, staff do not understand that deducting pocket money is a sanction, and needs to be recorded in

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

Staff promptly deal with any issues of bullying. They speak to the victim and the perpetrator, and complete bridge-building sessions. This helps young people to understand that bullying is not acceptable, and prevents reoccurrences.

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

Recruitment procedures include a range of checks to make sure that staff are safe to work with young people. However, some staff have previously worked with children or vulnerable adults, but there has been no verification as to the reason for them leaving this job. This could affect young people‟s safety.

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

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced.

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

The manager does not maintain good training records. As a result, she is unclear about when staff need to update their mandatory courses. This does not support staff development. Furthermore, it does not ensure that staff refresh the skills and knowledge that are required to meet young people‟s needs. All staff are yet to receive training in radicalisation. This leaves staff unaware of how to respond to concerns regarding young people who are in danger of being radicalised.

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

The manager has failed to notify Ofsted of significant events that occur in the home. Consequently, she does not keep all relevant people informed and this does not promote young people‟s welfare.

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

A development plan supports the advancement of the home and the staff team. The manager does not involve young people in this plan to enable them to show how they would like improvements to be made.

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

Monthly monitoring is conducted by an independent person and includes discussions with the young people and with professionals. This helps the independent visitor to assess progress and evaluate the quality of care provided in the home. When the visitor highlights areas for development, the manager responds to these quickly. This shows a commitment to improving the service. Monitoring is not wholly effective given the shortfalls identified in this inspection, particularly with regard to case records.

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

Relationships with professionals who are involved with the care of the young people are positive. A social worker said, „Communication is great, they send a lot of information. Staff attend all professionals‟ meetings and let me know what is going on. They are always prepared.‟

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

The manager and staff have high aspirations and work hard to create a strong, child- Inspection report children‟s home: SC378181 8 centred ethos and approach. Staff know young people well and have a good understanding of how to meet their individual needs. They talk enthusiastically about caring for young people, and are proud of the contribution they are making to each young person‟s successes and achievements.

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

Men and women of different ages and with different experiences make up the staff team. As a result, the staff team caring for young people is suitably diverse. Staff are good role models for young people.

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

All staff are either qualified or on course to complete a relevant qualification. The manager ensures that new staff receive a good induction and have their competency assessed throughout their probationary periods. Staff receive regular supervision and the vast majority have had an annual appraisal. One member of staff has not had their appraisal yet, but this is scheduled to take place soon. Supervision and appraisals allow staff to reflect on their performance and practice.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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 children‟s home: SC378181 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Platinum Services for Children (Residential Care) Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2 Sheriffs Orchard, Coventry, West Midlands CV1 3PP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Leonard Pattinson

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Inspector

Andrew Hewston, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC378181 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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