Children's Home run by Platinum Services for Children (Residential Care) Ltd in Stoke-on-Trent

Inspection report for children’s home: 1222089 1 Registered provider: Platinum Services for Children (Residential Care) Ltd Full inspection 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, which Ofsted registered in February 2016, cares for up to four children who may have challenges with their behaviour and are likely to have experienced trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has had the same registered manager since it opened. He is suitably experienced and qualified.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1222089 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 22/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/07/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1222089 3

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improvement to be good

The environment is homely, and personalised to the children with soft furnishings, colours of their choice and photos of the children displayed around the home. There are some areas which are in need of redecoration, for example the kitchen is part way through being remodelled, and one bathroom needs new tiles and grouting.

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improvement to be good

Two children live in the home. One child moved in since the last inspection. The manager did not properly plan for this child’s move into the home or seek information about their needs. This means that some of this child’s needs have not been sufficiently met.

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improvement to be good

Children’s educational progress and engagement are of mixed quality. One child has made positive progress and is now attending school full time. However, another child is not in education or employment and staff have not engaged the child creatively in order to help the child make progress in this area.

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improvement to be good

Children’s health needs are mostly met. One child has a complex health condition, which staff are trained to care for and have detailed plans about. Staff follow these well in order to help the child with this health condition. The social worker for this child informed the inspector that they have observed that the child’s health has improved. However, staff are not supporting the children sufficiently around healthy eating. Also, staff are not provided with clear methods for supporting one child who has a poor day and sleep routine.

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improvement to be good

The manager has not sufficiently challenged other professionals when there are gaps in children’s statutory documentation. This has contributed to there being drift in children’s progress.

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improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to spend time with staff and their views are sought via weekly meetings. One child stated that they feel supported in the home and feel that staff would listen to them if they were unhappy.

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improvement to be good

The children’s guide is age appropriate. However, it does not include information that would be helpful for children to know when they arrive. For example, information about daily routines in the home and information on advocacy for children are missing. The responsible individual now intends to redesign this guide as part of developments in the organisation.

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improvement to be good

The manager has worked hard to positively transform the service in recent months. Children have consequently benefited from more relationship-focused care. This has resulted in children no longer receiving sanctions. However, staff do not always use Inspection report for children’s home: 1222089 4 rewards and incentives effectively in order to help motivate children and boost their self-esteem.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, there have been very few significant incidents. There have not been any restraints or occasions were children harmed themselves.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not have well-developed strategies for keeping children safe online. One child is spending significant periods of time throughout the day and night using gaming and the internet without supervision. Staff carry out checks on their devices. However, recording is sometimes poor, and if the child doesn’t engage with this, there is no plan to help them keep themselves safe. The manager has missed this in their oversight, but changes were made by them during the inspection to help improve the safety planning for this child.

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improvement to be good

The manager completes investigations into staff practice and shares information with children’s local authorities when allegations are made. However, following one incident, the manager’s response was significantly delayed, and, on another occasion, the Local Authority Safeguarding Officer was not informed in line with statutory guidance. This did not result in a child being at risk of harm, but the manager’s oversight and communication with other agencies could be improved.

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improvement to be good

There been one occasion where a child went missing since the last inspection. Staff followed the child in order to keep the child safe. However, the managers review of this identified shortfalls in the staff response to the situation and in the methods they used to search for the child. Despite identifying this, the manager has not used this to inform risk management plans.

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improvement to be good

Leaders have not ensured that staff are safely recruited when they join the organisation. A new staff member had missing references and verification was not sought from a past employer when they worked with vulnerable people. This was identified by the registered manager after they started, and a verbal reference was sought, but some parts of this reference are still missing.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand and keep children safe from any risks within their social network. This helps children benefit from positive, but also safe, relationships with people who are important to them.

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good

The registered manager for the home is suitably qualified and has experience working with children who have experienced trauma.

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good

The registered manager has not been well supported or overseen by senior leaders in the organisation. The manager has only had one supervision since the last Inspection report for children’s home: 1222089 5 inspection from someone external to the organisation, and this has made support of his own development a challenge. The organisation has now employed a new responsible individual, who has commenced closer oversight and support in the last month.

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good

In spite of these challenges, the registered manager has oversight of significant incidents and records in the home, and has reflective discussions with staff. Sometimes, this oversight has missed gaps in staff recording and poor practice. The manager has not always shared information with the Local Authority Designated Officer and Ofsted when required. The manager recognises that this requires closer attention, and he has a plan to address the shortfall.

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good

Leaders’ and managers’ monitoring and reviewing systems are not fully effective. The manager recently identified that there were insufficient reviewing mechanisms in place to help him understand the quality of care on a regular basis. More recently, action has been taken to improve reviewing systems. For example, the new responsible individual has recently carried out a full training audit, and the manager has provided staff with development plans. The responsible individual has introduced a monthly audit for the manager, group supervisions with other managers, and a secondary audit of their own.

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good

The new responsible individual also identified shortfalls in the oversight of the independent visitor and in senior leaders’ use of their feedback to improve services. The responsible individual has employed a new independent visitor and intends to offer more scrutiny.

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good

The manager effectively uses the quality-of-care review to make plans for improvement. This has led to the recent appointment of a psychologist, who has commenced working with the staff team in order to develop their therapeutic care approach, and who will also offer direct therapeutic support to the children. This is a positive change. However, it is in its infancy, so the effectiveness of this cannot yet be evaluated.

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good

Staff have not all had training in areas of need for children. Improvements have been made to ensure that staff have had their mandatory training since the last inspection. However, staff have not had training to help children with their individual needs. One staff member is also out of timescales for achieving their level 3 qualification in line with regulations. The new responsible individual is aware of these shortfalls and has an action plan in place to address these in the coming months.

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good

Staff receive child-centred supervision and report that the manager helps them to consider better ways of caring for children. However, at times, these supervisions are not happening regularly in line with the home’s policy. Inspection report for children’s home: 1222089 6

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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

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that they consult with the Local Authority Designated Officer as per statutory guidance and that they seek up-to-date statutory meetings and documents for children to help children make progress. 7 September 2022

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon 7 September 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1222089 7 as possible; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(viii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager and staff ensuring that they support children who are not in education.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that staff support children to lead healthy lifestyles and to develop daily routines, and, where necessary, that health reviews are undertaken in a timely way with professionals. 7 September 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1222089 8 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; and

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Requirement Due date

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

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to staff supporting children to stay safe online, and to ensuring that risk assessments are updated when new information arises, and that safeguarding procedures are followed regarding allegations. 7 September 2022

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child and;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to the registered manager ensuring that all staff have had training to meet the needs of children 7 September 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1222089 9 in the home, and that there are clear systems in place to help managers quality assure and understand the care offered to children.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that sufficient information is gathered when children move in, to understand and plan how the home will meet the child’s needs. 21 September

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 31 August 2022

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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 7 September 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1222089 10 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, 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

(Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered person ensuring that staff gain their level 3 qualification within timescales, and that recruitment checks are done in line with Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development; and

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience.

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered person ensuring that staff have regular supervision. 21 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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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

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person 31 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1222089 11 working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring 31 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 1222089 12 that the independent visitor visits are used to good effect to support the home’s quality of care.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s guide helps children to understand: - what the day to day routines of the home are (‘what happens in the home’); - the Statement of Purpose of the home (the care they can expect to receive while living there); - how to make a complaint in line with the home’s complaints procedure; - how they can access advocacy support or independent advocacy if eligible; and - how to contact the Office of the Children’s Commissioner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22)

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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 for children’s home: 1222089 13

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Caroline Jackson

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Inspector

Fiona Roche, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1222089 14 regulates and inspects 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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