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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2503915 1 Registered provider: Platinum Services For Children (Residential Care) Ltd

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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 provides care for up to three children with emotional needs, who may have challenges with their behaviour, and are likely to have experienced trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, the manager has registered with Ofsted. The manager is experienced and suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2503915 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, the manager and responsible individual have worked hard to meet the requirements and recommendations made at the previous inspection. As a result, oversight of the home has improved, and children have benefited from stable and consistent management.

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Findings from the inspection

There were two children living at the home at the time of the inspection. Staff are enthusiastic in building and sustaining relationships with children. As a result, children have trusted relationships with staff and enjoy spending time with them. Children are relaxed in the company of staff, and they say that they can talk with staff about any concerns they have.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers admitted a child when they did not have a sufficient understanding of the child’s behaviours and could not keep them safe. Managers said that full information had not been shared about the child before they moved in to the home, compromising how staff could meet their needs. As a result, the child moved on after two months. The manager did not escalate concerns appropriately and failed to challenge the local authority.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager is an effective advocate for children. For example, when children do not have a school or college place, the manager works with social workers and the virtual school. They escalate concerns effectively. As a result, both children now have a school or college place that meets their needs.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff consult with children and review their progress in planned meetings and day- to-day discussions. As a result, children are making progress and developing their independence skills in a planned way that helps them to manage their individual risks. For example, they travel independently and go out with friends.

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Findings from the inspection

Improvements have been made to the decoration of the home in consultation with children. The home is warm and welcoming, and is furnished and maintained to a good standard. However, although children’s bedrooms are personalised, children do not have a place to securely store personal items. Additionally, the garden is overgrown with brambles. This compromises children’s enjoyment of the home and their sense of pride in it.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers’ monitoring of incidents remains weak. Managers have failed to identify shortfalls in the recording of incidents and to be professionally curious about staff practice. This means that managers cannot evaluate staff practice effectively and implement improvements to children’s care. Additionally, managers do not have effective oversight of risk management plans. As a result, staff do not always have clear guidance to enable them to keep children safe effectively. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2503915 3 Measures are in place to ensure that children are kept safe online. Additionally, staff talk with children about online risks, and they educate children using resources such as videos. This positive work enhances the child’s knowledge of risk and allows them to keep themselves increasingly safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Regular health and safety checks and fire checks ensure that the home is a safe place for children to live. Additionally, vetting procedures are good, supporting the safe recruitment of staff.

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Findings from the inspection

The responsible individual monitors staff training effectively. Clinical services are in place and staff now receive training and guidance to meet the individual needs of children. Additionally, the children and staff team have access to a therapist.

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Findings from the inspection

There is now a stable staff team, and managers keep an accurate record of staff working in the home. The home has sufficient staff for the number of children, and any shortfalls are covered by familiar staff from the provider’s other local home.

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Findings from the inspection

A new independent person has been appointed. They submit thorough and detailed reports, which include consultation with children. Reports clearly state whether children are safeguarded effectively and whether the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers have met most requirements from the last inspection. At this inspection, a new requirement under regulation 5 has been made and a requirement under regulation 13(h) has been reissued. Additionally, three recommendations have been issued. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2503915 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/06/2022 Full Inadequate 11/05/2021 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2503915 5

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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 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that they critically evaluate the recording of incidents and are professionally curious about staff practice. Additionally, that managers challenge poor recording practice and maintain critical oversight of risk managements plans. 18 February 2024

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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

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. (Regulation 5 (c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that there is effective challenge to the local authority regarding withholding information, ensuring that children are spoken to following an allegation, and escalating concerns relating to children’s education. 18 February 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2503915 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meet the needs of their children. They will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek, as far as possible, to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 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. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are provided with appropriate furniture, such as a lockable cabinet or drawers, to securely store personal items, including any personal information. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 16, paragraph 3.19) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2503915 7

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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

Karen Gillingwater, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2503915 8 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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