Children's home run by Platform Childcare Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 1263505 1 Registered provider: Platform Childcare 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

The home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children who have been diagnosed with learning disabilities.

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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: 4 February 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1263505 2

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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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(i)) 18/11/2019

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)  For most looked-after children, many planning duties fall to the placing authority. The registered person should ensure that they and their staff engage proactively with the placing authority to contribute fully to the relevant plans for the child’s care on an ongoing basis. Homes should consider during the course of this engagement, seeking appropriate permissions for the person conducting independent visits to access the relevant parts of the child’s records, as agreed with the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.3)

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Recommendations

 It is good practice for a note of the content and/or outcomes of supervision Inspection report children’s home: 1263505 3 sessions to be kept and to ensure that both the person giving the supervision and staff member have a copy of the record. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make gradual but significant progress. One young person who has now left the home said, ‘I miss them. Staff helped me to return home and I am very happy about this.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people develop trusting relationships with staff. Staff understand young people’s needs and histories well. Staff members’ commitment to young people is good. Young people who have experienced several placement moves before coming to this home are supported to achieve stability. Staff are steadfast in sticking by young people and working through periods of unsettled behaviour with young people. This helps young people to feel valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people engage well in education despite having previously experienced frequent education placement breakdowns. Staff work creatively to encourage positive educational outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support to young people who are moving on from the home has been excellent. One young person returned home with extensive outreach support from staff. This led to a successful transition for this young person. Sharing of key information with other agencies is a strength of this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of young people’s relationships with family and close friends. Where appropriate to do so, this is supported and promoted. A young person’s sister said, ‘Staff have helped me to see my sister and they support this. We work well together.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are familiar with internal care plans and behavioural support plans. However, they are not as familiar with local authority health plans and pathway plans.

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

Staff understand safeguarding processes and procedures. A young person has had a challenging period of missing-from-care episodes. Relevant procedures were followed, and appropriate contact made with other agencies. Managers review the home’s procedures, learn lessons and then take actions that effect change. This helps to reduce young people’s risk-taking behaviours.

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

Young people are supported to take age-appropriate, managed risks. For example, risk management strategies do not prevent young people from having positive community- Inspection report children’s home: 1263505 4 based experiences. This helps young people to develop their independence skills so that they can lead fulfilling lives.

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

Young people’s risks are well understood. One young person has been supported to manage her own behaviours and emotional responses better. As a result, she is calmer and happier. She now requires less supervision and less intensive staff support. This enables staff to explore a wider range of options when planning for her future.

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

Any allegations or complaints are reported appropriately and taken seriously. There are good working relationships with other safeguarding agencies. Staff fully understand their own safeguarding responsibilities and the role of other agencies.

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

Whistleblowing processes are understood and whistleblower concerns are taken seriously and responded to in full. This promotes the safety of young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is a good role model for staff. He is passionate about achieving positive outcomes for young people in his care. The manager is accessible and available to young people and staff. Staff feel well supported. There are good working relationships within the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When the home goes through busy and challenging periods, leaders and managers respond appropriately. Extra resources are made available to support the team and staff are given the opportunity to share their concerns and ideas. Supervision records reflect this. However, supervision records could be strengthened to ensure clear recording of decisions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager advocates very well for young people. He places young people at the heart of the home. Two young people were supported to stay in education during holiday periods. This was in line with their specific need for consistency. This was creative, unusual and very child centred. A parent said, ‘My daughter and I have been really supported and I am very happy.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager continues to develop models of practice that meet the specific needs of young people. This has progressed in some areas. For example, the implementation of sensory modulation plans for one young person has been successful. The home could further develop the range of training available for staff. This would support them in meeting the individual needs of the young people in their care.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: 1263505 5 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: 1263505 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Platform Childcare Ltd

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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: 1263505 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 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)

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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