Children's Home run by The Place Young People’s Company in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2747107 1 Registered provider: The Place Young People's Company

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

A private company operates this home. The home is registered to provide care for up to 3 children who have experienced adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living in the home. They were all present and spoken with during the inspection. No children have moved into the home and 1 child moved out during this inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2023. He is suitably qualified and experienced.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children's home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 2747107 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/07/2025 Full Outstanding 01/05/2024 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 2747107 3

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Summary of findings

Children make exceptional progress and have positive experiences living in the home. Individualised care, strong relationships and high expectations help children develop their emotional well-being, confidence and independence. Children are exceptionally well prepared for adulthood through a well-developed independence programme. They make excellent progress in education, employment and personal development. Children feel safe, valued and listened to, and risks reduce because staff understand children well and provide effective support. Leaders and managers are aspirational, research-informed and committed to continuous improvement. Effective monitoring, staff development and reflective practice help ensure that children receive consistently high-quality care and achieve positive outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Exceptional progress has been made by children, who have positive experiences of living in the home. Staff provide individualised care that is personalised to each child's needs, helping children achieve sustained improvements in their emotional well-being, confidence and independence. Children readily identify the positive impact staff have had on their lives and speak warmly about the care they receive. One child said, 'I don't recognise the person that moved into the home compared to the person I am today.' Another child said, 'I consider the staff as my family, I was angry when I came, I am not like that anymore, they have softened my heart.' Children's comments reflect the strength of the relationships they have with staff and the significant progress they make while living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are exceptionally well prepared for moving on from the home. Staff have developed an individualised independence programme that supports children to develop practical skills, problem solving, while also preparing them emotionally for greater independence. Children receive homeware incentives for each module of the independence programme completed. Practical resources and ongoing guidance from staff equip them with the confidence and skills needed for adulthood. As a result, children leave the home with a strong understanding of how to manage the challenges associated with independent living.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff promote learning and children make excellent progress in education, training and employment. They have ambitious aspirations for their futures and receive consistent encouragement from staff to pursue these goals. Two children have recently achieved qualifications they had been working towards, while another child is succeeding in employment with a plan supported to develop their skills further through a qualification. These achievements reflect the high expectations staff have for children and their commitment to helping children reach their potential. Inspection report children's home: 2747107 4 Meaningful relationships with people who are important to them are supported by staff, and their wishes and feelings are carefully considered when decisions are made about information sharing and support arrangements. Children also enjoy positive relationships with one another and experience a strong sense of belonging within the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The health and well-being of children is promoted effectively. Staff support children to develop healthy routines and positive self-care habits. Children speak openly with staff about their feelings and seek comfort and reassurance when needed. They attend routine health appointments and receive support to understand important health matters, including vaccinations, substance misuse, healthy relationships and sexual health. As a result, children develop a greater understanding of how to maintain their physical and emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are highly committed to ensuring children enjoy enriching experiences. Children's interests and talents are understood and nurtured through a wide range of opportunities. Staff recognise the importance of shared activities in developing meaningful relationships and creating positive memories. Children can attend holidays and activities that broaden their experiences, and their views consistently influence how these opportunities are planned.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children benefit from living in a stable, nurturing and welcoming home. They report feeling safe and secure and have confidence in the adults who care for them. The home is well maintained, thoughtfully furnished and provides a comfortable environment where children feel valued. Children's bedrooms are personalised and reflect their individual identities and interests.

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

Staff understand children's risks and respond effectively to emerging concerns. Children's risks have reduced significantly, and where older children have increased independence, staff continue to provide effective support that enables them to remain safe while developing autonomy. Staff respond proportionately to behaviour associated with normal adolescent development and curiosity and use these opportunities to promote learning and reflection.

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

Children benefit from exceptionally strong and trusting relationships with staff. These relationships enable children to discuss difficult experiences, seek advice and accept guidance. Staff understand children well and use these relationships to help children recognise and manage risks. As a result, children develop safer decision-making skills and their progress is sustained.

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

When concerns arise, staff respond to children with compassion, consistency and professional curiosity. Children are treated with dignity and respect and benefit from nurturing relationships that encourage them to seek help when they need it. Staff respond effectively to concerns. Consequently, children become better able to manage their emotions and vulnerabilities. Inspection report children's home: 2747107 5 Children know who they can speak to if they are worried and are confident that their concerns will be taken seriously. When children raise concerns, managers respond promptly and provide meaningful feedback. Managers maintain effective partnerships with professionals and ensure that concerns are investigated thoroughly and transparently. This helps children feel listened to, respected and cared for. Risk assessments and behaviour support plans are detailed, regularly reviewed and informed by research and learning. This practice helps staff to understand children's risks and

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

implement effective individualised strategies that are used consistently and accepted by children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers demonstrate a strong commitment to continuous learning and improvement. Following an incident, they reviewed environmental risks and implemented changes to further strengthen safeguards for a child. They continue to evaluate the effectiveness of these measures, ensuring that practice evolves in response to children's needs, experiences and progress made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is aspirational for children and provides clear, child-centred leadership. They understand children's experiences and the progress they make and are ambitious for every child to succeed. Staff feel well supported and benefit from a culture that values emotional resilience and professional development. Research-informed practice is embedded throughout the home and is used creatively to enhance the quality of care. For example, the manager has used research relating to positive mental health to deliver learning opportunities for staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Effective monitoring and review systems enable managers and leaders to maintain a comprehensive understanding of the home's strengths and areas for development. They are reflective and continually seek ways to improve experiences and outcomes for children. Feedback from children, some parents and professionals is overwhelmingly positive. They recognise managers dedication, commitment and advocacy for children, particularly when barriers arise. Children's views, wishes and feelings are central to decision-making, and staff actively promote equality, diversity and inclusion. Consequently, children feel valued, respected and empowered to achieve their goals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff benefit from a comprehensive programme of training that equips them with the knowledge and skills required for their roles. In addition, managers ensure that staff receive specialist training that reflects the individual and evolving needs of children living in the home. Regular team meetings, reflective supervision and annual appraisals provide valuable opportunities for staff to evaluate their practice, share learning and consider the impact of their work on children's experiences and progress. This strong commitment to professional development helps staff provide consistently high-quality care and supports continuous improvement across the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations were made during this inspection. Inspection report children's home: 2747107 6

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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 children's home: 2747107 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: The Place Young People's Company

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 2 Lymevale Court, Lyme Drive, Parklands, Stoke-on- Trent ST4 6NW

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Inspector

Helen Dunn, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2747107 8 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, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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