Children's home run by Platform Childcare Ltd

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2576423 1

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Platform Childcare Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home was registered on 27 April 2020. The home provides care and accommodation for up to five children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was conducted to explore the decision-making processes gone through before children move into the home alongside existing residents. The visit was also carried out to establish whether children are being cared for by staff who can meet their complex emotional and behavioural needs. This was because information received by Ofsted had identified that children had made complaints and that not all children were in formal education.

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This monitoring visit

Children have good relationships with each other. When it was identified that the home was not able to meet the needs of one child, the transition to another home was carried out in a planned way.

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This monitoring visit

Children are cared for by well-trained staff, who understand their needs and know how to intervene when situations have the potential to become unsafe. Furthermore, children are empowered because they are given strategies to keep themselves safe. Children are listened to and are helped to make sense of their emotions.

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This monitoring visit

Children are taught how to play and have fun. Children and staff enjoy doing activities together such as baking, reading, playing with toys and engaging in imaginative play. Children are helped to feel proud of who they are, and their needs relating to diversity are promoted by staff. For example, staff celebrated transgender day with pink lemonade, flags and cakes.

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This monitoring visit

Meaningful progress is recognised by staff. For example, they notice when children are growing in confidence or becoming calmer at bedtime. When children have not Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2576423 2 been in formal education, the registered manager has intervened and advocated for them.

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This monitoring visit

Children have made occasional complaints. However, the registered manager has responded to these well and taken appropriate action.

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This monitoring visit

Written plans for children do not describe all current known risks. In addition, the likelihood of future or reoccurring risk is not well evaluated. Although children’s plans are updated on a monthly basis they do not specify what intervention has led to an increase or decrease in a child’s risk-taking behaviours. Therefore, it is difficult to establish how well each child is progressing. There is some duplication in the recording of incident records.

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This monitoring visit

Although managers are actively trying to recruit a more diverse staff team, children are not currently given enough opportunities to build trusting, safe relationships with men.

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2576423 3

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Recommendations

 Risk assessments could be more evaluative in terms of identifying overall risk. There is some duplication in terms of how incidents are recorded. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  Whenever possible, staff in day-to-day contact with children should include staff from the different gender groups. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.22)

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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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 33 Anglesey Business Centre, Anglesey Road, Burton-On-Trent, Staffordshire DE14 3NT

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Inspector

Andi Lilley-Tams, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2576423 4 to 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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