Children's home run by Platform Childcare Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 1263773 1 Registered provider: Platform Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people who experience emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1263773 2

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Recommendations

 The importance of understanding who we are and where we come from is recognised in good social work practice, for example through undertaking life story work or other direct work. Staff in children’s homes should play a full role in work of this kind. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.14)  Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This is the home’s first full inspection. Children have been well supported through the process of moving into the home. Careful planning has contributed to positive transitions. Children are happy and relaxed around staff because staff focus on building positive relationships. A child said, ‘Staff look after me really well. They are very protective towards me.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made good progress in the short period of time that they have lived at the home. Staff work consistently as a team. Children are clear about boundaries and expectations from the very start of their placement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Progress is assessed at regular intervals. There is a strong team around the child approach. The whole staff team is involved in initial and ongoing assessments. Staff use these assessments well to create good-quality care plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Stakeholder feedback is positive. All agencies confirm that staff have helped children to make good progress. A social worker said, ‘Staff have been absolutely magnificent. They have given the child exactly what he needs in relation to boundaries and nurturing care. I would highly recommend them.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are engaged in education. For some children, their attendance is increasing. Young people are on track to achieve good educational outcomes. Staff ensure that good routines are in place that support attendance and achievement at school. Inspection report children’s home: 1263773 3 Staff support children well to see family members who matter to them. Children also take part in healthy and enjoyable activities. Children report how much they enjoy these opportunities. Because of this, children have now achieved a better balance between online activities and active, community-based experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Participation is a core objective of care plans. Children have several avenues through which they can express their fears, wishes and feelings. For example, staff make sure that children understand how to use the home’s complaint process, and the manager holds regular meetings with the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A child had been supported with some life story work prior to moving into the home. The staff were aware of this but had not yet had access to this work. The manager has not been proactive in seeking out this work to ensure that any life story work is understood and continues as soon as possible.

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

Children’s vulnerabilities, and any particular risks that they face, are well known and understood. Staff work with children to help them to reduce risk-taking behaviours. Episodes of going missing are rare.

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

Children are supported to stay safe. Behaviour management plans and risk assessments are robust and are fully adhered to by staff. Children benefit from experiencing secure, stable and consistent care.

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

There are very few physical interventions. When used, the interventions have been necessary and proportionate. However, records have not clearly set out the justifications for physical intervention.

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

Staff understand how to support young people to interact safely with each other. Any concerning interactions are addressed quickly and robustly. Bullying is not tolerated. Staff support children with direct work sessions on a number of important matters relating to their previous life experiences.

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

Staff understand the risks associated with social media and the internet. Clear systems are in place to reduce these risks. Staff help children to understand the risks associated with social media and help them to interact safely online.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has made a strong start in this new home. She ensures that the staff team members are clear about their roles and responsibilities, particularly in relation to safeguarding. The manager has high expectations of staff and supports them well. As a result, the staff team members are delivering good-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the strengths and weaknesses of the home and acts quickly to address any shortfalls or areas for development. The manager is ambitious for the Inspection report children’s home: 1263773 4 children in her care. Consequently, she monitors and reviews care plans robustly. Effective quality assurance systems mean that the manager and staff are able to demonstrate how they have improved the life chances of children at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training, staff supervision and team meetings are well organised and effective. Staff feel well supported as a result. A staff member said, ‘The manager is amazing. She is so supportive and makes herself always available to us.’ The manager has created a nurturing ethos. This ethos is shared by the staff, who demonstrate great warmth and affection in their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Working with other agencies is a strength of this home. This has improved outcomes for children. All relevant information is shared promptly with safeguarding agencies, schools and placing authorities. Effective information sharing is supported by good-quality recording systems. All files and records are very well organised and allow important information to be easily accessed.

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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: 1263773 5

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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(s)

Bev Allison: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1263773 6 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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