Children's Home run by Pathway Care Solutions Ltd in Nottinghamshire

Unique reference number SC390190 Inspection date 01/11/2011 Inspector Pete Hylton Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 24/03/2011 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the Inspections of children’s homes – framework for inspection (March 2011) and the evaluation schedule for children's homes.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : a service that significantly exceeds minimum requirements Good : a service that exceeds minimum requirements Satisfactory : a service that only meets minimum requirements Inadequate : a service that does not meet minimum requirements

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Brief description of the service

This is a privately operated children's home. The home can accommodate up to three young people. The home is registered to accommodate children who may display emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be inadequate .

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness of this home has been significantly compromised by working outside of its Statement of Purpose and category of registration. The impact of an inappropriate admission has resulted in poor and unsafe practice in relation to behaviour management. A number of statutory requirements and recommendations have therefore been made.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people and staff, however, do have positive relationships with each other. Young people also have positive views about the home. A young person commented that, 'the house was great.' There are a good range of activities on offer, although the young people's access to these is affected by staffing numbers. Staffing of the home is not always sufficient. This has led to occasions where the home has been under resourced to meet the needs of young people.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) compile in relation to the children's home a written statement (in these Regulations referred to as "the statement of purpose") which shall consist of a statement as to the matters listed in Schedule 1. This specifically relates to points 4 and 5 of Schedule 1 (Regulation 4(1)) 12/12/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that subject to paragraph (7), the registered person shall ensure that the children’s home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its Statement of Purpose (Regulation 4(6)) 12/12/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that the children's home is conducted so as to promote and make proper provision for the welfare of children 12/12/2011 accommodated there (Regulation 11 (1) (a))

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that children accommodated in the home are provided at all reasonable times with access to the following facilities which they may use without reference to persons working in the home - a telephone on which to make and receive calls in private (Regulation 15(4)(a)) 12/12/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that subject to paragraph (3), the following shall not be used as a disciplinary measure on children accommodated in a children's home - any restriction, other than one imposed by a court in accordance with regulation 15, on a child's contact with parents, relatives or friends (Regulation 17 (2)(c)(i)) 12/12/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that subject to paragraph (3), the following shall not be used as disciplinary measures on children accommodated in a children's home - the imposition of any financial penalty, other than a requirement for the payment of a reasonable sum (which may by instalments) by way of reparation (Regulation 17(2)(g)) 30/11/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

17B (2001) ensure that within 24 hours of the use of any measure of control, discipline or restraint in a children's home, a written record is made in a volume kept for the purpose which shall include all matters listed in this regulation (Regulation 17B (3)(a)-(i)) 12/12/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) promote the educational achievement of children accommodated in the home, in particular by ensuring that the routine of the home is organised so as to further children's participation in education, including regular attendance at school and participation in school activities of children of compulsory school age (Regulation 18(1)(b)) 12/12/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that there is at all times a sufficient number of suitably qualified, competent and experienced persons working at the children's home with particular regards to meeting the needs of children and hours worked by staff (Regulation 25(1)) 30/11/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) demonstrate how you will ensure that all persons employed receive appropriate training and supervision with particular regards to meeting the needs of children accommodated (regulation 27 (4) (a)) 12/12/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that if in relation to a children's home, any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 takes place, the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table. (Regulation 30(1)) 12/12/2011

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure a system is developed for consultation with children accommodated in the home, their parents and placing authority. (regulation 34 (3)) 12/12/2011

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure that children have access to independent advice and support from adults who they can contact directly and in private about problems or concerns, which is appropriate to their age and understanding. Children know their rights to advocacy and how to access an advocate, and how to contact the Children's Rights Director (NMS 1.5)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are satisfactory .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make satisfactory educational progress at the home. A teacher commented: 'His attendance is good, his attitude is improving and he only misses school when he is genuinely ill.' All young people have a place at school and are fully encouraged to attend.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make steady progress in developing their independence. A parent commented that their child was, 'attempting to do minor things around cooking, making sandwiches. I am hoping that as he progresses he will gain some more independence.' Young people are encouraged to develop their independence through structured independent time and taking responsibility for helping with various household chores. This means that young people are developing a set of skills for later life.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are encouraged to develop a positive self-view and emotional resilience. The home has supported young people with understanding their backgrounds. For example, the home has facilitated letter contact with family members and also appropriately supported young people with difficult and emotional situations.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people benefit from contact with their family and this is supported by staff. However, the use of sanctions to limit contact is not in the best interests of children and is a breach of the regulations. Additionally, young people need to ask staff to use the telephone if they wish to make calls and this impacts on their ability to make calls in private. All young people have a mobile telephone provided by the home, although they are reliant on staff to provide top-up funds for this.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have largely made progress at the home. From their starting points, some young people have made good progress. A social worker commented that a young person had, 'made massive progress'. A young person also commented that, 'when I first came, I never used to last at a school. I never cooked for myself, always went out. I stay in more, I cook for myself now and am doing better at school.'

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is satisfactory .

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Quality of care

Staff care about the young people. Young people have positive relationships with each other, and a social worker said, 'lovely building, staff are brilliant. All nice and no worries about him being placed here.'

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Quality of care

There has been good progress with the majority of young people who attend educational provision regularly. Where young people do not regularly attend education, the home is not using the agreed methods of reward to support better attendance. For example, where care plans state to use reward systems for education attendance, these are not being followed. This impacts on the progress for young people as the identified needs in the care plan are not met. A young person said, 'we used to have school incentive; if we were good at school we got extra money. This has stopped, don’t know why.’

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Quality of care

Activity plans, devised with the young people, reflect both choice and variety. Young people enjoyed a recent holiday abroad. The home provides sufficient financial resources to enable young people to access activities. A good range of activities are on offer, including bike riding, football, and trips out with staff. However, staffing levels sometimes affect young people’s access to activities outside of the home. Where staffing levels mean only one member of staff is on duty at the home, young people cannot access supervised or planned activities in the local community with staff.

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from healthy and balanced meals. Staff ensure that foods are varied and that cultural dishes are available. A young person said that, 'we have vegetables and fruit in the house. Every meal, we have to have vegetables or salad with it.' Staff involve the young people in choosing meals and encourage healthy eating. A member of staff commented, 'we have a policy of not using processed foods.' Staff promote healthy lifestyles and young people benefit from eating regular and well-planned meals.

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Quality of care

The use of sanctions in the home is disproportionate. For example, young people are fined for various misdemeanours, although there is nothing to evidence how the money is used as reparation. The absence of a reward system means that it is not always clear how staff reward positive behaviour. However, a member of staff commented that, 'a lot of it is praise, verbal praise for when they do well.' Furthermore, young people do not see sanctions as being a problem.

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Quality of care

The complaints policy for the home is clear and accessible. All young people know how to complain. There have been no complaints from young people since the last inspection. Young people receive a detailed young people’s guide when they arrive at the home. The home's policies in relation to bullying and complaints, among others, are explained in an accessible format. This benefits young people as they are aware of who to speak to if they are concerned. Some contact details are out of date, however, and the contact details for the Children’s Rights Director are also missing. Young people have their views taken into account. For example, they are able to choose their activities with staff. However, opportunities to formally write down the views of young people are not always maximised. For example, young people do not always record their views or sign the record in key work sessions. This means that it

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Quality of care

is not clear what young people think or feel.

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Quality of care

Young people are largely cared for in line with their placement plans. All young people have the required information in their files and are treated in line with their individual needs. A member of staff commented, ‘all children are treated based on their individual needs, we make sure that we meet their potential.’ Relationships between staff and young people are appropriate.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is inadequate at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Although children say they feel safe living at this home, there are a number of concerns about practice which potentially impact on their safety and welfare. Behaviour management plans are not always carried out with regards to the health status and safety of young people. For example, where concerns about the use of restraint have been highlighted in risk assessments and care plans, restraints have still been carried out. This means that young people are at risk of harm when physical restraint is used.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Restraint recording is ineffective, as required information is missing from some records, for example, dates, duration and times of incidents. This means that the monitoring of incidents is not effective and the records do not meet the statutory requirements. Additionally, young people are not always offered the opportunity to access appropriate medical attention following incidents of restraint, which impacts on their safety and well-being.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff are appropriately vetted before employment. This ensures that staff are suitable to work with young people.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people benefit from satisfactory procedures when they go missing. The home has clear protocols in place to notify the relevant bodies and in some cases, the number of such incidents has reduced. A youth offending worker commented that, 'they have reduced the absconding.' Young people are able to take risks appropriate to their age and understanding. Independence is promoted and young people benefit from a safety-conscious staff team.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are inadequate .

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Leadership and management

There are significant shortfalls in the leadership and management of this home. The home is in breach of its conditions of registration. Furthermore, the home is not operating in accordance with its Statement of Purpose, as staffing levels do not always meet the needs of the young people living in the home. Where young people are identified as needing one-to-one support, the staffing levels do not always support the required level of care expected by the placing authority. A member of staff said that, 'lone working happens occasionally.' Another member of staff commented, 'when the kids know there is one member of staff the kids are usually quite good.' Although staffing rotas are planned in advance, the occasions where staff work alone mean the home does not comply with its Statement of Purpose, nor is it able to provide a safe environment for the young people. Furthermore, on these occasions, the home cannot comply with the risk assessments or care plans for the

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Leadership and management

young people. The Statement of Purpose does not contain all the required information, so does not give an accurate reflection of its services.

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Leadership and management

The requirement from the last inspection has been met. This related to training the staff team in safeguarding. Staff training in safeguarding has taken place since the last inspection.

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Leadership and management

There is irregular formal supervision at this home, which reduces the opportunities for professional development. Although staff report they feel supported, the lack of consistent one-to-one meetings prevents reflective discussion on practice. This ultimately impacts on the quality of care of provided by staff at this home.

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Leadership and management

Identified shortfalls in the recording of restraint mean not all records are clear and up to date. While the manager does monitor these records, it is not effective as shortfalls remain. Information about serious incidents is not always notified to Ofsted. This means the regulator is not able to risk assess how the provision has kept young people safe or know the outcome of such incidents.

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Leadership and management

Communication among the staff team is a strength. Regular staff meetings ensure that relevant information is shared and acted upon. Similarly, handovers between staff teams are well managed and recorded.

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Leadership and management

All staff are trained in restraint techniques, medication, safeguarding and health and safety. However, where young people present with complex needs, the staff team are not fully equipped to provide appropriate care. A member of staff commented in relation to learning difficulties: 'As a staff team we have not been trained in this.' This impacts on young people, as staff are not able to provide appropriate care and support.

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Leadership and management

There is a clear risk assessment in place for staff who may need alterations to their duties, although some staff work excessive working hours, in some cases 19-hour shifts. This means that young people are cared for by staff who may be tired and not fully alert.

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Leadership and management

Equality and diversity practice is satisfactory .

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