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

Inspection report children’s home: SC378187 1 SC378187 Registered provider: Platinum Services For Children (Residential Care) Ltd

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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/or behavioural needs.

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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 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: 7 December 2017

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Good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC378187 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/12/2017 Full Good 22/08/2017 Full Inadequate 26/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/09/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC378187 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 of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(b)) 30/11/2018

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Recommendations

 Staff must help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or adult care, or to live independently. This includes supporting the child to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope without the home’s support and, where the child is moving to live independently, practical skills such as cooking, housework, budgeting and personal self-care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)  The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. The Statement of Purpose is an important document in the process of care planning

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Recommendations

as it sets out the needs of children the home is set up and equipped to care for. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  Records must be kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home (regulation 36 (schedule 3(14)). This information should be shared with the placing authority and, where appropriate, with the child’s parents. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.31)  All staff must have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care. As part of the performance management process, poor performance should be addressed by a

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Recommendations

timely plan to bring about improvement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5) Inspection report children’s home: SC378187 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people access a range of activities both in the home and the wider community. Staff support young people well to develop their interests and hobbies, for example gymnastics and horse riding. Young people are also encouraged to maintain contact with their families and so keep in touch with people who are important to them. Young people have good relationships with staff. A young person commented that, ‘[I can] talk to staff when I want to.’ The health needs of young people are appropriately met. Young people’s health plans are up to date, and all health appointments are attended where required. Furthermore, staff make good links with specialist services so that specialist advisers are on hand to support young people when necessary. Medication arrangements are good, and all staff are trained in the safe administration of medication. All young people are attending education and are supported by the staff team. Young

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

people are encouraged to make progress as staff take an active interest in their studies. For example, staff attend meetings with schools and support young people to pursue their academic and vocational goals. The home is well maintained and some communal areas are currently being redecorated. Young people are encouraged to share their views, wishes and feelings in regular individual and group meetings. Further to this, young people are actively involved in their placement planning. This ensures that young people are enabled to invest in, and be fully aware of, their care in the home. Not all young people make enough progress with their independence. For example, independence work focuses on what young people can do rather than what they could achieve with staff support.

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

Young people live in a safely maintained home. All required checks are in place. There have been no serious safeguarding incidents since the last inspection. Where concerns about young people’s safety do arise, they are appropriately responded to. There has been a marked reduction in young people going missing from the home. However, one incident of a young person going missing in July 2018 was not recorded correctly. There has been no demonstrable negative effect on young people because of this shortfall. Restraint has not been used since the last inspection, and behaviour support plans are appropriate. Sanctions are rarely used and are now better recorded. Staff use a range of other interventions, including simple verbal reprimands, to support young people in developing socially acceptable behaviours. Staff are alert to the potential for young people to self-harm, although there have been no such incidents. Similarly, staff are

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

Inspection report children’s home: SC378187 5 aware of how to spot, and respond to, bullying. Staff recruitment is thorough and safely conducted. Young people know how to complain and are encouraged to do so. There have been no complaints since the last inspection. Young people are not always admitted to the home in a fully planned manner. For example, admission paperwork was reviewed and completed, but not sent to the home. This has the potential to affect the safety and well-being of young people because staff may not be fully aware of young people’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home was last inspected in December 2017 and judged to be good. One requirement and two recommendations were made at this time. These related to reviewing disciplinary measures with staff and young people, assessing risk, and developing a workforce plan. All three of these actions have been positively addressed. Since the last inspection, a new manager has applied to register with Ofsted. However, the home’s current registered manager remains in day-to-day charge of the home. The registered manager has a range of development plans in place and is making improvements to the home. Partnership working is good, and this is recognised by stakeholders. A social worker commented that, ‘Staff have been really supportive.’ The home’s statement of purpose is up to date. However, this has not been sent to Ofsted as required. The young person’s guide is appropriate and contains all required information. Staff feel supported by the management team. Supervision takes place regularly and

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

these discussions enable staff to reflect on their skills, development and work with young people. Appraisals take place but lack detail and are basic. One staff appraisal did not take place within timescales. Staff training is good and has improved. Staff report that they are positive about their training. Staffing levels are sufficient and regular team meetings ensure that there is consistency in the home. Since the last inspection, there has been an increase in numbers of young people in the home. This has been managed well with additional staff integrating well into the home.

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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. Inspection report children’s home: SC378187 6 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

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Information about this inspection

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: SC378187 7

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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, Warwickshire 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: SC378187 8 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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