Children's Home run by Platinum Services for Children (Residential Care) Ltd in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report children’s home: 1222089 1 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

Up to four children can live in this home. It is one of four homes owned by an independent organisation, caring for children who display challenging behaviours and supporting their emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has extensive experience in children’s residential care. He has level 4 and 5 qualifications in leadership and management.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1222089 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 12/07/2018 Full Good 30/08/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: 1222089 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 staff— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and 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)(a)(i)(iv)(vi)(b)) 19/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(b)) 19/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records“) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)(c)) 19/08/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40(4)(c)) 19/08/2019

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improvement to be good

One child has made a serious allegation against another child living in the home. Prior to this, staff did not always adequately supervise children. This incident has had a negative impact on children’s experiences. Following the allegation, managers increased the levels of staff supervision at some key times when children are in the home. Children report that they feel safer now. Inspection report children’s home: 1222089 4 All children have trusting relationships with staff, who they enjoy spending time with. Children talk to staff when they have concerns or feel unsafe at home, school or when in the community. Staff listen to what children say about living together, and act to help them feel safe and improve their experiences.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy taking part in a range of activities, including Guides, swimming and piano lessons. The inspector spoke with a child before she went to Army Cadets. The child was proud to say that she had taken part in a Remembrance Sunday parade and was keen to show the inspector her uniform. By encouraging group membership and new experiences, staff promote children’s social skills, emotional well-being and learning.

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improvement to be good

Children have good educational experiences. One child is moving to high school and staff have supported her to attend her prom and the leavers’ assembly. The registered manager and other professionals carefully coordinate children’s introductions to high school. Children can receive extra support at the home from an independent tutor who helps them to catch up with work or prepare for important exams. Children’s teachers praise this additional support (which the registered manager has instigated) and highlight the positive impact that this has on children’s progress.

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improvement to be good

Relationships with family and friends are important to the children and staff help them to develop these. Staff supervise visits when required. They are organising a camping experience for one child and his family as part of a plan for the child to possibly return to live with his family.

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improvement to be good

Other professionals speak highly of the experiences that staff provide. The independent tutor described the home as ‘a brilliant children’s home’, adding, ‘the staff genuinely care’. A social worker praised the home for giving stability to her child, which in turn has allowed the child to access therapeutic support.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and staff do not always anticipate potential risk. They have not ensured adequate supervision to manage relationships between children effectively. Supervision levels when children are in the home have improved at some times of the day. However, measures implemented following an allegation were not all clearly risk-assessed or recorded and the rationale why some measures have been deemed as not necessary is not clear.

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improvement to be good

Arrangements for the supervision of children are still not always clear. This is particularly true when children are outside of the home. For example, staff are not consistent about the rules when children are playing in the local neighbourhood and how children should be supervised at these times. Staff act to reduce harm immediately following an incident, rather than having ongoing arrangements to accurately assess risk.

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improvement to be good

When incidents occur, staff work collaboratively with other professionals and share Inspection report children’s home: 1222089 5 information well. Managers implement some guidance for staff to reduce risk. One child told the inspector that things were better now because staff supervise more at bedtime and walk with him through areas in the community where he feels anxious.

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improvement to be good

Staff provide children with emotional support and opportunities for learning following incidents. This is done through key-working sessions and house meetings, which also discuss topics including road safety, what to do if you feel unsafe, radicalisation and terrorist attack. One child has successfully implemented strategies taught to him by staff, when he felt scared in the community.

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improvement to be good

Children are healthy and access a range of physical and mental health services. However, on one occasion, staff did not seek medical advice following a significant incident when a child was unwell. As a result, a qualified medical professional did not assess the child or provide guidance to staff about how they should respond.

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improvement to be good

A nutritionist advises staff about how to promote healthy eating. The home has also established links with an independent clinical psychologist who provides direct therapeutic support to children and advises staff on strategies to help children manage their emotions. This benefits children.

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improvement to be good

Staff reward positive behaviour and are consistent and clear in their response to any negative behaviour. Children respond well to this approach and their behaviour generally improves. There have been no physical restraints since the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders have not ensured that supervision levels protect children from potential harm. Nor have they ensured that written guidance for staff is clear about their expectations or exactly what ‘supervision’ means. Consequently, this can be interpreted differently by staff. Team leaders do update risk assessments with some new information. However, strategies are not always clear and the dates on the documents are not always changed when they are reviewed, which can lead to confusion.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager ensures that a range of professionals are notified of significant events. However, when allegations against staff are made and are then retracted, the registered manager does not notify Ofsted (despite referring to the designated officer in the local authority). This prevents the regulator from having oversight of these incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers provide staff with good supervision. Sessions include opportunities for personal and professional reflection. New staff report that their induction and training help to prepare them for the role. A training officer coordinates courses, which staff access both internally and externally. This helps to meet their developmental needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager has built excellent relationships with all professionals working with the children. Teachers appreciate that he attends all school meetings. Social workers report that the registered manager is child-focused and wants the best possible outcomes. The registered manager challenges decisions or delays which he does not feel Inspection report children’s home: 1222089 6 are in the child’s best interests and escalates his concerns when necessary.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager has ambition for the home. He is exploring evidence-based practice, which he plans to cascade to staff and is increasingly aware of the areas that require improvement in the service.

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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: 1222089 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

Joanna Warburton, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1222089 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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