Children's home run by Platform Childcare Ltd in East Staffordshire

Inspection report children’s home: 1214266 1 Registered provider: Platform Childcare Limited

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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 run children’s home that can cater for up to four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 14 to 15 November 2018

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 17 January 2018

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1214266 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/01/2018 Full Outstanding 18/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/05/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1214266 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make exceptional progress. Staff are trained and are supported to implement an innovative model of care that is embedded into practice. Staff provide a nurturing and supportive environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s development is assessed and monitored at regular intervals. There is a strong team around the child approach. The whole staff team is involved in the initial and ongoing assessments and plans for children. A staff member said: ‘We work well as a team. We have debriefs. We have good communication and we also have monthly team meetings and supervisions.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home’s book club and music sessions are excellent examples of how children are helped to engage in positive interactions with each other and staff. All children engage in these weekly activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

There are positive and productive levels of communication with other agencies. Feedback from other agencies is exceptionally good, and all agencies commented on what excellent work the home has achieved. A social worker said: ‘I can’t fault them. They were wonderful. I would recommend them for another child.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are supported to engage in activities both inside and outside the home. Children have positive experiences and a sense of achievement, which develops their self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s involvement and participation are excellent. Children generally have long-term placements at this home, as staff work to stabilise placements. Children are involved in ‘keep safe’ meetings, ‘my plan’, weekly ‘kids’ meetings’ and book club. The registered manager is starting work with all the children to support them in understanding aspects of their life stories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children’s health needs are met and monitored. Health promotion is central to the home. Two children have benefited from managed weight loss. One child quickly made great progress in her physical health development from her starting point.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children’s attendance in education has improved significantly. A deputy headteacher said: ‘Staff work really well with us. We have a good relationship. [The child] is on target to achieve nine GCSEs and she is doing really well.’

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

Staff work tirelessly to ensure that children are safe. Highly effective planning regarding risk assessments and plans contributes to the reduction in risky behaviours.

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

Children’s risks are well known. Staff share and document these risks and they work Inspection report children’s home: 1214266 4 hard to respond effectively. Incidents of children going missing, incidents of self-harm and physical interventions reduce over time. An overview of the progress in reducing risk-taking behaviour is well documented and is fed back to other agencies through informative reports for looked-after child reviews.

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

Staff understand the importance of following appropriate missing from home processes. For most children, missing episodes reduce over time. A police sergeant said: ‘I can’t fault them. We hear a lot from the registered manager, and her information sharing is excellent. My staff speak highly of them.’

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

The manager has been proactively involved in the development of a multi-agency missing from care protocol. She has worked alongside the Leicestershire police force in developing this.

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

The manager and staff have a zero-tolerance approach to bullying. Children are well supported in understanding the risks associated with bullying. Any incidents at school or at the home are quickly dealt with.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is led by a strong, experienced manager. She has used her knowledge, skills and experience to promote positive outcomes for children in the home. She leads a positive staff team in delivering one shared ethos.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager, deputies and seniors are inspirational, confident and ambitious for the children in their care. The manager spoke passionately about using a secure base theoretical model to stabilise children and to support children’s transitions to foster placements, wherever it is possible and appropriate to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers know the strengths and weaknesses of the home and act quickly to address any shortfalls or areas for development. The monitoring and review of plans are exceptional, and the home is able to evidence change in children’s outcomes through behaviour management plans, monitoring and reviews.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Training, staff supervision and team meetings are structured, take place regularly and are well recorded. Staff feel able to share their experiences and they respect the registered manager. The manager excels in developing staff. Since the last inspection, two deputy managers have progressed to registered manager positions within the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Training is extensive on a number of topics related to practice. The manager recognises that staff training needs change, and she will source appropriate training when needed. For example, county lines training has recently been provided. Inspection report children’s home: 1214266 5

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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: 1214266 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Platform Childcare Limited

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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:

Bev Allison, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1214266 7 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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