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

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC378187 1 SC378187

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Platinum Services for Children (Residential Care) Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is one of four homes owned by an independent provider. The home cares for up to two children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has a registered manager who holds a level 5 diploma in leadership for health and social care. He manages both this home and a neighbouring home within the organisation.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit took place on 8 January 2021 in response to a serious event which involved a child who was living at this home and another who was living at the neighbouring home. Shortfalls in how staff safeguard children when they are at risk of physical, sexual or emotional harm were identified, and a compliance notice was issued.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place following further serious events which involved a child who was living at this home. The monitoring visit considered how staff provide care to reduce risks and keep children safe. The inspector conducted the monitoring visit remotely, in line with national COVID-19 (coronavirus) guidance, to reduce the risk of virus transmission.

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This monitoring visit

Since the first monitoring visit, one child has moved from this home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not successfully provide alternative activities to engage children and encourage them to stay at home. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, children from this and the neighbouring home in the organisation have continued to meet in the community. This increases their risk of catching the virus and engaging in anti-social behaviour. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC378187 2 Despite following children when they leave home to go out together, staff are not effective in locating children or encouraging them to return in order to stay safe. A child from this home, while out in the community, displayed physically aggressive behaviour towards a child from the neighbouring home.

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This monitoring visit

One child went missing after refusing to return from spending time with their family. Although staff completed extensive searches and contacted relevant people, they were unable to locate him. The following day, the child agreed to meet with staff. Staff failed to engage sufficiently with the child, who then went missing for a further period.

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This monitoring visit

There have been two occasions when children living in this home have assaulted staff following a discussion about their experiences. Staff lack the skills to work together to anticipate the escalation of children’s distress. Staff do not divert these situations in order to protect children and each other.

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This monitoring visit

Some progress has been made in how staff manage the way that children interact with each other. There have been no further incidents of physical harm or sexual harm to children living in this home. Also, there have been no further incidents where children from this home have directed intimidating behaviour and comments towards a child living in the neighbouring children’s home. The registered manager has implemented new strategies which discourage children from entering each other’s homes. This reduces the potential for children to have contact with each other and therefore helps to keep them safe.

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This monitoring visit

Although risk assessments include all recent incidents, the registered manager does not record the steps staff should take to reduce risk. As a result, staff do not know the action they need to take to ensure that children are safe.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager models good care practice by working alongside his staff. The registered manager is working with children’s social workers and his senior managers to address concerns about the suitability of the home in meeting one child’s needs.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector will review the compliance notice at the next monitoring visit.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 26/11/2019 Full Good 02/10/2018 Full Good 07/12/2017 Full Good 22/08/2017 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC378187 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)) 28 February 2021

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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.

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iv)) 14 February 2021

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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.

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; 28 February 2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC378187 4 understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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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.

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b)(c)) 28 February 2021

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(f)) 28 February 2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC378187 5 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(d)(i)(e)) 28 February 2021

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Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should support staff to be familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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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: Platinum Services for Children (Residential Care) Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Apex, 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 for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC378187 6 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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