Children's Home run by Platform Childcare Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC479230 1 SC479230 Registered provider: Platform Childcare Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for two young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 26 September 2017

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people have warm and trusting relationships with staff. One young person said that the staff are ‘awesome’. Young people have fun with staff and say that staff listen to them and one young person benefited from having an independent advocate. The home is comfortable and well maintained. Young people personalise their rooms and, since the last inspection, the new manager has improved the home with new decor and pictures.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people make good progress in their education and in other important areas, including personal hygiene, managing their emotions and behaviour and accepting boundaries and rules. One young person commented that staff spend time with him in Inspection report children’s home: SC479230 2 his education and that he is doing more now than he was before he came here. He is leaving the home shortly and has written to staff to say that he has thoroughly enjoyed his time here and thinks he ‘might have matured a bit’.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The new manager started in September 2017 and has worked hard to improve the home. She has applied to be the registered manager. Staff and other professionals acknowledge that she has made a number of positive changes, including improved risk assessments and increased support for staff. More structure in the home has raised staff morale and the staff team has become more stable. The new manager is organised and has reviewed and changed paperwork, to make it easier for staff to understand and complete. She is child-focused and advocates on behalf of young people in order to get the services that they need. Staff work with a wide range of professionals, including education and therapists, placing authorities and the police to ensure that young people’s needs are identified and met.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has responded positively to, and has met, all of the requirements from the last inspection. This has led to closer working relationships with other professionals, better managerial monitoring, more effective planning when young people are admitted to or leave the home and ensuring that staff provide young people with consistent care. Staff receive regular, reflective, supervision and increased training opportunities. Monthly team meetings are informative and support staff to focus on the needs of the young people. Staff are confident to voice their opinions to the manager and say that she listens to them.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Incidents involving young people have reduced since the last inspection. Staff keep young people safe and respond quickly and appropriately when they go missing. Staff work with social workers and the police to ensure that young people are found and returned safely. The social worker for one young person said, ‘Staff are brilliant; they have gone above and beyond for her, they have followed her when she went missing, and have kept me fully informed.’ Records of incidents are clear and detailed and staff only use physical intervention as a last resort. One area for improvement is that the registered manager did not notify Ofsted when a young person went missing in an area where she was known to have been subject to child sexual exploitation.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/09/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/01/2017 Full Requires improvement 02/06/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 15/12/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC479230 3

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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 notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation. (Regulation 40 (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular reference to a young person going missing in an area where they have previously been subject to child sexual exploitation. 31/03/2018

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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

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

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: SC479230 4

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Platform Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 32, Anglesey Business Centre, Anglesey Road, Burton-on-Trent DE14 3NT

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Inspector

Louise Whittle, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC479230 5 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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