Children's home run by Platform Childcare Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 1263837 1 Registered provider: Platform Childcare Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of state, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 22 October 2019

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1263837 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/10/2019 Full Good 12/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 07/08/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: 1263837 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have meaningful relationships with staff. Yet, some children comment that they do not like changes to the staff team when some staff leave. Some children find this unsettling. They are less inclined to trust staff because, as one child said, ‘They [staff] don’t always stick around’.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress with their education or their training. They remain on track to achieve GCSE’s or college qualifications. This is a significant achievement, given some children have experienced considerable disruption to their education. They have also lacked confidence in their ability to learn, and this is being reversed. Some children are actively seeking part-time work. Staff are supporting them to achieve this.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although children are not involved in structured extra-curricular activities, children’s talents and interests are encouraged and are promoted by staff. For example, one child who enjoys reading is being taken to Harry Potter world. Staff support children to be creative and to explore their individual identity through drawing, fashion and music.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

During the COVID-19 pandemic, children were supported to eat well, stay fit and be healthy. For example, one child started running as a hobby. Children attend health appointments, and their health needs are met by staff.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager ensures enough flexibility for children and for staff, to undertake daily activities. When the weather is good, staff motivate children to spend some time outdoors. Children are encouraged to cook, to shop and to have a good routine at home. For example, staff motivate children to make their own beds, to draw their curtains and to bring dishes down from their rooms. Children are supported to dress more in line with their age and developmental stage. This is done in a way that children feel comfortable with.

p.3

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

Children are settled, and they have good relationships with each other. During this inspection, one child moved from the home. This was because their safety needs were too great for the staff to manage. The transition for this child was well managed. The staff were able to support the child during an uncertain and difficult time.

p.3

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

Staff manage incidents of challenging and difficult behaviour well. At times, staff have had to use physical intervention as a last resort to safeguard children. The staff team knows the children well. Staff can recognise when children are feeling anxious. Children say, ‘There is always someone to talk to’. The staff monitor the children, and the staff remain vigilant. When the children become upset, the staff try to help Inspection report children’s home: 1263837 4 the children become calmer. The staff support the children to learn about the risks with social media and when using the internet. Children know they can turn to staff for any help and guidance they may need.

p.3

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

Children know how to complain if they are upset or have a grievance. Complaints from children are responded to by letter in the first instance. The manager and the staff fully involve the child in the process. As a result, complaints are resolved to the satisfaction of the child. This means children are listened to. The manager is reflective about any concerns raised and seeks to learn lessons. Additionally, the manager ensures all complaints are recorded well and in detail.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has worked at the home for many years and has developed good relationship with the children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular individual supervision sessions. Team meetings and staff appraisals take place. Staff describe the registered manager as ‘supportive’ and ‘dependable’.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New staff coming to work at the home are provided with good inductions that are well managed. Induction processes require new staff to complete mandatory training before working with children. This means that new staff are equipped with the knowledge, the skills and the confidence to work with children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have high expectations of children, in relation to what they believe children can achieve. Staff are strong advocates for children. For example, when children have been out of education. The staff and the manager pursue the right educational placement without delay. One social worker commented, ‘The registered manager has been a strong advocate for a child and getting them into therapy.’

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff work well with involved professionals. This helps to coordinate services so that children receive the help they need without delay. The manager’s oversight of services and support to children is very good. This keeps children on track to make progress.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff retention is a concern. The registered manager is working hard to resolve this. Some members of staff are regularly working extra hours so that children receive consistent care.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s documents are, generally, of a good standard. However, more care could be taken to ensure that these documents reflect more acutely each child’s plan. Additionally, when children do not want to discuss their plan, staff do not always record the attempts that are made. Children’s consultation forms appear more appropriate for younger children, so these do not provide a good medium to elicit children’s views. Children’s meetings take place regularly, but these are repetitive in format and children are not always enthusiastic about attending these meetings. Inspection report children’s home: 1263837 5

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person should monitor and review the patterns and trends of turnover of staff, whether agency or directly employed, and be able to understand and, where possible, to address any negative trends. This specifically relates to the registered manager recruiting enough staff to meet the care needs of the children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.19)  The registered person should ensure that children are encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ and are supported by staff to view and to contribute to the record in a way that reflects children’s voice on a regular basis. This specifically relates to the consultation documents being adapted in line with each child’s age and individual needs. Where children do not wish to review their plans, it is necessary for staff to note this and record attempts that are

p.5

Recommendations

made. When significant events happen for children, documents should be updated to reflect current information. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

p.5

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: 1263837 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Platform Childcare Ltd

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 33 Anglesey Business Centre, Anglesey Road, Burton-On-Trent, Staffordshire DE14 3NT

p.6

Inspector

Andi Lilley-Tams, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1263837 7 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 looked after children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7