Children's Home run by Platform Childcare Ltd in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC479230 1 SC479230 Registered provider: Platform Childcare Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It is registered to care for up to three children who may have experienced trauma that has resulted in social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2021. She is suitably experienced and qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home, who were spoken to by the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 28 January 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC479230 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/01/2025 Full Good 16/01/2024 Full Good 16/01/2023 Full Good 08/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC479230 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have lived at the home for sustained periods, which has supported the development of strong and trusting relationships. They spoke positively about their experiences, saying they feel safe and happy. One child said, ‘They tell me they love me every day. I’ve never had this before, it makes me feel genuinely loved.’ These relationships contribute to children’s sense of security, stability and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a warm and welcoming home where they feel valued. They personalise their bedrooms and contribute to the decor, which reflects their individual identities. Photographs of children and staff are displayed throughout the home, helping to promote a strong sense of belonging and emotional security.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place a strong emphasis on children’s education and ensure that children attend school. Staff work closely with education professionals to provide consistent support. One professional said, ‘I cannot rate them highly enough, they are fantastic and exactly what [Name of child] needs. Nothing is too much for them. They go above and beyond for him always.’ This collaborative approach helps children to feel valued and supported, contributing to their educational engagement and success.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have individual care plans that are informed by therapeutic assessments. These are reviewed regularly by staff and the manager to ensure that care remains responsive to children’s evolving needs. This structured approach enables staff to provide consistent and nurturing care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are actively sought and captured through a range of methods. Their contributions inform care planning and the support they receive. Children are involved in everyday decisions about their lives and say they feel listened to. This helps children to feel valued and promotes a sense of ownership over their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop independence and essential self-care skills. One child has a personalised plan, which they helped to shape, ensuring that progress is made at a pace that suits them. The child said they feel well supported in preparing for adulthood and their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in a wide range of activities that support their emotional well-being and social development. These include music lessons, cadets, horse riding and swimming, which children say they enjoy. Access to these opportunities helps children to build confidence, develop new skills and form positive relationships in the community.

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

Staff understand children’s risks and vulnerabilities well. Children also have a good understanding of their risks due to the education that staff provide and support them in Inspection report for children’s home: SC479230 4 keeping themselves safe. This support enables children to learn about risks, which has meant that incidents in the home have significantly reduced.

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

Staff provide children with consistent rules and boundaries, which are clearly reflected in children’s support plans. This structured approach helps children to feel safe and secure. As a result, children respond well to the routines in place, and identified risks have reduced over time.

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

Physical intervention is used rarely and only when necessary. When it does occur, it is carried out in a proportionate and appropriate manner. Children receive good support following incidents and are given opportunities to reflect and discuss what happened with staff. This helps children to understand the situation and contribute to any learning. The manager maintains effective oversight of all incidents to ensure that interventions are in children’s best interests and that practice remains safe and accountable.

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

When children raise complaints and concerns, the manager responds swiftly and appropriately. On one occasion, a staff member’s practice and conduct had an impact on a child’s well-being and safety. However, the manager’s response was robust, with the child being involved throughout the process. In addition, outcomes and learning are shared openly with children and staff. Where practice issues are identified, appropriate action is taken to prevent recurrence. This transparent approach helps children to feel listened to and reassured that their concerns are taken seriously.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is committed to ensuring that children receive high-quality care from therapeutically informed staff. Their leadership promotes a culture of emotional warmth, consistency and reflective practice, which supports positive outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about working in the home and feel well supported by the manager. They say they can raise concerns openly and are confident that the manager will respond effectively. Staff receive regular supervision and attend team meetings, which support reflective practice and ensure that children receive consistent, therapeutic care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, the home has experienced some staffing challenges due to staff turnover and recruitment difficulties. As a result, existing staff, including the manager, have covered additional shifts to maintain continuity of care. Staff have been open about the pressures this has created but remain committed to ensuring that children continue to receive consistent and safe care. The impact on children has been minimal, and the manager is actively recruiting to strengthen the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff maintain strong and effective working relationships with families and professionals involved in the children’s care. One social worker said, ‘The home always provides consistent care. The manager goes above and beyond for the child and is always available. She is present, visible and has a great relationship with the child.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC479230 5 This collaborative approach supports continuity of care and strengthens the support network around each child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good oversight of the home, and effective monitoring systems are in place to ensure that children receive safe and consistent care. When areas for development are identified, swift action is taken to drive continuous improvement. The manager reviews all incidents involving children and ensures that learning is identified and shared with staff and children. However, auditing systems do not always provide clear oversight of all aspects of children’s care and staff support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff do not consistently complete the required qualification in residential childcare within the expected timescale. This is a repeated shortfall from the last inspection. For one staff member, there are mitigating circumstances, and the manager has implemented a robust plan to ensure that the qualification is completed promptly. This demonstrates the manager’s commitment to maintaining a skilled and qualified workforce. Inspection report for children’s home: SC479230 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, The 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 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; 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)(v)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that staff understand the importance of the home’s child protection polices, children’s care plans and ensure that children are protected and safeguarded at all times. 6 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma") or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)) 6 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC479230 7

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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: SC479230 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Platform Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: First Avenue, Centrum One Hundred, Burton-On-Trent DE14 2WE

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Inspector

Hayley Booth, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC479230 9 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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