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

Inspection report children’s home: SC378181 1 SC378181 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 three young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home has an appropriately qualified registered manager in place. The manager has been in post since the home opened in February 2018 and holds a level 5 diploma in leadership, health and social care.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 13 to 14 November 2018

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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: 13 September 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: SC378181 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/09/2017 Full Good 16/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/12/2016 Full Good 15/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC378181 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to night-time fire drills being undertaken. 30/11/2018

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Recommendations

 Where the placing authority or another relevant person does not provide the input and services needed to meet a child’s needs during their time in the home or in preparation for leaving the home, the home must challenge them to meet the child’s needs (see regulations 5(c)). Staff should act as champions for their children, expecting nothing less than a good parent would. The registered person should consider the use of an independent advocate (see paragraph 4.16) if the child’s needs are not being met. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.8)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people benefit from warm and trusting relationships with the staff. The staff team is small and stable, and this maintains consistent care for young people. Staff have a good understanding of young people’s needs. This is demonstrated in the young people’s detailed individual care plans. Young people make progress from their starting points because of the warmth and care that they receive from the team. For example, staff have supported one young person to better manage his emotions, which has resulted in fewer angry outbursts. A young person told the inspector, ‘The staff are sound.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC378181 4 Young people live in a well-maintained home. It is decorated with modern furnishings and has a homely feel. There are photographs of young people throughout, including young people who have previously lived at the home. Young people can decorate their bedrooms as they wish, and they are provided with new items such as towels and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

bedding when they arrive. This helps them to settle in and provides a warm welcome.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that young people’s views are kept at the heart of their practice. Young people attend regular meetings to discuss their day-to-day care. This includes activities, menus and incentives for good behaviour.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff work hard to promote contact between children and their families. Staff keep parents and carers updated on their child’s progress. Families and carers feel welcome in the home and speak positively about staff. A parent told the inspector, ‘They are absolutely fantastic, and the care is excellent.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage young people’s educational attendance and ensure that young people attend meetings about their education. This helps young people to understand the importance of education and assists them in improving their confidence. Staff support young people to access alternative education when this is necessary to meet their needs. The registered manager and staff team have advocated on behalf of young people to ensure that the provision they attend is suitable. Staff have developed strong links with young people’s schools and colleges to ensure positive communication and a joined-up approach. Because of this, young people’s attendance and engagement in education improve.

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

Staff support young people to understand risk and address behaviours that may be harmful to others. For example, young people’s meetings focus on the impact of bullying to ensure that young people treat each other with respect. Staff appropriately challenge young people and promote positive behaviour. Young people are provided with clear and consistent boundaries which assist them to feel safe. Young people say that they are safe.

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

There have been no incidents of physical restraint since January 2016. This is because staff have open and trusting relationships with young people. In addition, staff are experienced in using distraction techniques and talking approaches to ensure that situations do not escalate to aggression.

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

The registered manager and staff ensure that the physical environment is safe for young people. However, a night-time fire drill has not been undertaken since January 2017. This means that young people are not prepared should a fire occur in the home during the night. This places young people at increased risk.

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

There have been no safeguarding concerns since the last inspection. However, managers ensure that staff understand safeguarding processes. During this inspection, staff Inspection report children’s home: SC378181 5 members shared their knowledge about dealing with safeguarding concerns promptly and professionally. This enables staff to prioritise the safety of young people.

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

Incidents of young people going missing from the home are rare, but when they do occur they are managed competently. Staff follow procedures, by looking for young people and liaising with the police. Staff also make sure that they complete regular safe and well checks when young people have stays with friends. The registered manager makes sure that return home interviews are completed. Staff have strong links within the local community and stay in touch with young people when they leave the home. This helps them to ensure that young people return home promptly. This activity promotes young people’s safety and demonstrates that staff care about them and want them to return home safely.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and suitably qualified. She demonstrates a high level of ambition and commitment to her role. An experienced and enthusiastic deputy, who is currently undertaking his level 5 leadership and management award, supports her and has made an application to become the registered manager. If he is successful, the current registered manager will undertake a new role as group manager with the aim of improving and developing the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a high level of commitment to developing and improving the service, and the registered manager is keen to listen to suggestions and advice. Staff take an active role in developing the service. Expectations of staff are high, and the registered manager communicates this clearly to the staff team. The registered manager leads by example and is a positive role model to her staff and to young people living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff report that they feel supported in their roles. They say that managers are approachable and freely give advice and guidance, and that communication with the wider organisation is good. As a result of this, there is a stable staff team which provides consistent care to young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The majority of staff are suitably qualified for their role, with others working towards gaining these qualifications. As a team, staff are skilled and knowledgeable, with a number of years’ experience of working with young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager challenged a placing authority when a young person needed a passport. Despite this initial challenge the managers did not pursue this to a satisfactory outcome for the young person and the young person was unable to enjoy a holiday abroad. Managers did not escalate this matter sufficiently and failed to consider the use of an advocate. Because of this, the young person did not receive the support and service that she was entitled to. Inspection report children’s home: SC378181 6

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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 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

Annemarie Parker, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC378181 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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