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

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2503915 1 Registered provider: Platinum Services for Children (Residential Care) Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is one of two homes owned by an independent provider. The home can care for up to three children who may have emotional needs and are likely to have experienced trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since 28 January 2022.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection that took place on 15 and 16 June 2022. Due to the concerns identified during the inspection, Ofsted issued a notice of restriction of accommodation and two compliance notices, under regulation 12 and regulation 13 of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to review the notice of restriction of accommodation and the progress made against the two compliance notices raised at the full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The notice of restriction has been adhered to and, at the time of the visit, one child was living in the home. The compliance notices have been met.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have made improvements to the home environment. There are now no locked rooms in the house. This allows the child to move around his home without any restrictions. Improvements have also been made to the outside area, which means that the child can access the garden and play football with the staff.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, there have been no incidents of self-harm and no missing- from-care episodes. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2503915 2 The child’s risk assessment and behavioural support plans have been updated. The new plans provide staff with guidance and strategies to support children to keep safe. During the inspection, staff were able to demonstrate their understanding of the child’s risks and the action needed to be taken to keep him safe. As a result of this, staff are now equipped to take action to reduce the risk of harm to the child.

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This monitoring visit

Safeguarding procedures are in place to ensure that children are protected when an allegation of abuse occurs. Managers have provided staff with clear guidance and training about reporting, recording and responding to safeguarding concerns. This means that staff have a greater understanding of their role and responsibilities for safeguarding children.

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This monitoring visit

A review of the staff’s experience and skills has been undertaken and this has highlighted areas for staff development. The quality assurance manager has created an individual training schedule for all staff to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to meet the child’s needs. The schedule is monitored by the managers, which ensures that the required training is completed.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have completed a full audit of the home. Actions from the audit are reviewed weekly, which ensures that managers have a clearer oversight of the home. The introduction of a new monthly review system will support the managers to address shortfalls within the home. However, the managers’ monitoring system is in its infancy and therefore its effectiveness has not yet been tested.

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This monitoring visit

An independent visitor has carried out external monitoring of the home every month. Although the visits are completed in the correct time frame, the independent visitor does not fully focus on the improvements required in the home. As a result, the external monitoring systems do not help to improve the quality of care for the child.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements raised at the full inspection that were not subject to compliance notices were not considered as part of this inspection and have been restated. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2503915 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/06/2022 Full Inadequate 11/05/2021 Full Good 05/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2503915 4

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff —

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority s or a relevant person s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that information is shared with professionals about children’s risks and that professionals are challenged if there are gaps in the progression of children’s plans. 5 September 2022

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the 5 September 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2503915 5 registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children; and

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ix)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that staff understand children’s behaviours linked to their past trauma and that they use this understanding when managing their behaviour and that where children’s behaviour is impacting on each other, the staff have the skills to help de- escalate situations.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that children are appropriately matched to other children and to the staff’s skills in the home before they move in, and that any risks identified in the matching process are properly considered and plans put in place to manage these. 5 September 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2503915 6 Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child).

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that a child’s liberties are not restricted and that restraint is not used unless absolutely necessary and any rationale for such is clearly recorded. 5 September 2022

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that areas of the children’s home are not locked off for children without just cause. 5 September 2022

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b)) 5 September 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2503915 7 This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that any recommendations made in fire risk assessments by qualified professionals to ensure the home is protected as far as possible from fire are actioned in a timely way to ensure the environment is safe.

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

the person is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children—

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Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children; and

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Requirement Due date

the person is physically and mentally fit to manage the home; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the person in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b)(i), a person has the appropriate experience and qualification if the person has—

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Requirement Due date

within the last 5 years, worked for at least 2 years in a position relevant to the residential care of children; and

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Requirement Due date

worked for at least one year in a role requiring the supervision and management of staff working in a care role. (Regulation 28 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(c) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that any manager appointed to manage the children’s home has worked for at least two years in a position relevant to residential children’s care. 5 September 2022

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Requirement Due date

An individual may only carry on a children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (5).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2; 5 September 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2503915 8 the individual is mentally and physically fit to carry on the home; and

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Requirement Due date

the individual is financially fit to carry on the home.

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Requirement Due date

satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c);

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Requirement Due date

and have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (1) (2) (5)(a)(b)(c)(d) (7)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered provider ensuring that any appointed responsible individual in the organisation has the skills and capacity to properly oversee the manager’s practice.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may permit an individual to start work at the home despite the fact that the requirement in paragraph (3)(d) has not been met if— 5 September 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2503915 9 the registered person has taken all reasonable steps to obtain full information about each of the matters in Schedule 2 in respect of the individual, but the enquiries in relation to any of the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6of Schedule 2 are incomplete;

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information in respect of the individual has been obtained in relation to the matters in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 2;

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the circumstances are exceptional;

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Requirement Due date

and the registered person ensures that the individual is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties, pending receipt of any outstanding information on the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2, which is then considered satisfactory by the registered person.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must take reasonable steps to ensure that any individual who is working at the home and who does not fall within paragraph (2)(a) and (b) is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d) (7)(a)(b)(c)(d) (8))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that verification is sought in references where staff have previously worked with children or vulnerable people and that no member of staff commences employment at the home without at least the checks required under schedule 2 in paragraphs 1 and 2 as per regulation.

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; 5 September 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2503915 10 the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the procedure must provide that no person who is the subject of a complaint takes any part in its consideration or investigation, except at the informal resolution stage if the registered person considers it appropriate.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that no child is subject to any reprisal for making a complaint or representation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI’s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding twelve months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. (Regulation 39 (1) (2) (3) (4) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that records of complaints, actions and investigations are all recorded and that children are supported to complain whenever they wish to do so. 5 September 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2503915 11 The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1) (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the independent person’s report must provide actions that the registered person may take to improve the quality of care received by children in the home. 5 September 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality-of-care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality-of-care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed;

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Requirement Due date

and make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5)) 5 September 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2503915 12 This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that regulation 45 review consults with children living in the home and relevant professionals, and suitably evaluates and reviews the quality of care given to children over the past six months.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that hazards which are in close proximity to the home that may pose a risk to children are considered in the manager’s location risk assessment and those past risks identified in the area to previous children are used to inform this area risk assessment to help protect future children in the home. 5 September 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the 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. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2503915 13

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Platinum Services for Children (Residential Care) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Union House, 111 New Union Street, Coventry, West Midlands CV1 2NT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Leonard Pattinson

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Inspector

Lydia Isaac, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2503915 14 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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