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

Good

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

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The resilience and enthusiasm of staff promotes placement stability. All children and young people, including those who have experienced multiple placement breakdown prior to admission, have lived in the home for more than a year and remain settled.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 High quality support is provided to young people as they approach adulthood and prepare to move on from the home. Each young person receives tailored support and guidance to develop the practical and emotional skills required to lead successful adult lives.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 All young people make strong educational progress, particularly in comparison to their starting points at admission.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Children and young people become healthier. Staff are skilled at helping children and young people to lead healthy lifestyles and manage lifelong health conditions.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff are highly skilled in the protection of young people from child sexual exploitation and other forms of abuse. Children and young people become considerably safer when they are admitted to the home.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Behaviour management strategies are very effective. Children and young people learn to manage their own behaviours and develop significantly improved social skills.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 There is strong leadership. The Registered Manager is dedicated and very effective. He sets high expectations of the conduct and performance of staff so that they deliver consistently good quality care.

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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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that any medicine is administered as prescribed. (Regulation 23 (2) (b)) 03/08/2015

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Information about this children's home

This is a privately operated children's home. The home is registered to accommodate up to three children or young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

13/01/2015 CH - Interim Improved effectiveness

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good

Children and young people enjoy a stable and nurturing home environment. They have all been in placement for more than a year. This is a strong achievement because some young people are admitted to the home with an established pattern of placement breakdown. They say that they like their home and the staff who care for them. One young person says that ‘this is a brilliant place, I love it here’. Children and young people make very good progress in all aspects of their life. The Registered Manager reflects that ‘the progress they have made is amazing, I am proud of them all’. Children and young people make a very positive contribution to their home. Because staff promote family style care, children and young people are encouraged to help with tasks such as cooking and shopping. Children and young people are very supportive of staff and keen to make a good impression. For example, they welcome visitors warmly and offer refreshments without prompting.

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good

Older residents are well supported to gain practical life skills such as budgeting and household management. They work through their own ‘preparation for independence’ programmes. These are tailored to reflect their abilities, vulnerabilities, and future plans. Staff take great care to recognise achievement and record the progress of young people through their independence programmes. This enables decision makers to assess the readiness of young people to move into independent living arrangements and identify future support needs. Where staff do not consider that young people are ready to move on from the home, they share their concerns promptly. They also work sensitively but assertively with young people to help them understand the challenges associated with independent living. This ensures that young people are given sufficient time and support to develop the practical and emotional skills that they will need in adulthood. Children and

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good

young people are also well supported to make a positive contribution to their community. Some undertake regular voluntary work that both prepares them for employment and gives them great confidence for the future. A young person says that, ‘it is brilliant to have a job’.

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good

A young person describes their day-to-day experience as ‘very normal’. They value the fact that their home does not have an institutional feel. Their living environment is homely and welcoming. Children and young people have well established bedtime and breakfast routines that provide them with stability and security. Consistent routines also support young people to achieve high levels of attendance at school. A school teacher reports that a young person ‘has maintained an exemplary attendance record for teaching sessions, despite times of considerable difficulty in her personal circumstances’. Educational attainment is also significantly improved following admission to the home. Young people begin to enjoy learning and become confident in classroom settings. Barriers to achievement that stem from complex health conditions and behavioural difficulties are addressed and overcome. This ensures that young people are well prepared for

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good

exams and are likely to gain qualifications that enable them to progress into further education.

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good

Care planning is of a consistently high standard. Staff have a comprehensive understanding of each child and young person’s needs. They also know how to meet these needs. They work well with a range of agencies to ensure that care plan objectives are fully addressed. The Registered Manager and staff maintain good working relationships with social workers, schools, and safeguarding agencies. This enables the prompt sharing of information so that care plans reflect the changing needs of children and young people. Children and young people are very well supported to attend statutory reviews. Staff ensure that their views, wishes and aspirations are reflected in all decision made about them. Care plans fully reflect the broad range of needs that stem from the race, religion, culture, and sexuality of children and young people. Consequently, the home is good at celebrating diversity.

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good

Children and young people receive good health care. Because the home commissions the services of qualified therapists, it ensures that the complex emotional and mental health needs of each resident are fully addressed. Primary health care needs are also met because young people attend all routine dental and optical appointments. Staff are skilled in supporting young people with epilepsy to develop a good understanding of their condition and take responsibility for managing their treatment regimes. Additional training and guidance is provided to staff to ensure that they respond well in the event of seizures. The home has sophisticated medication procedures including the requirement that the administration of medicine is witnessed and counter-signed. However, there are occasions when these procedures are not followed. This contributed to an isolated incident where medication was not administered as prescribed. Although no harm

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good

was caused by this error, failure to adhere fully to medication procedures has the capacity to impact negatively on young people.

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outstanding

The risks and vulnerabilities associated with each child and young person are clearly understood by all staff. Children and young people whose circumstances have made them vulnerable to sexual exploitation are exceptionally well protected. The home’s stated objective is to become a ‘centre of excellence’ in working with young people at risk of child sexual exploitation. This objective is being achieved. Very effective working relationships with police and other safeguarding agencies ensure that unsuitable adults who attempt to contact children or young people are quickly identified. The determined actions of staff help children and young people to recognise that they are highly valued. This helps them to build trusting relationships with staff so that they grow in self-esteem. As they grow in self- esteem, they become less vulnerable to exploitation. Although some children and young people have a concerning history of running away from home or care prior

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outstanding

to admission, no child or young person has gone missing for over six months.

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outstanding

The way that managers respond to allegations or disclosures of potential abuse is a further strength of the home. The organisation’s safeguarding officer has very strong links with a range of specialist agencies. He shares information accurately and promptly so that informed decisions can be made. All staff receive a range of high quality safeguarding training. Consequently, they know what to do if they are worried a child may be at risk of abuse or exploitation and act confidently to keep young people safe. Because some children and young people occasionally require the staff to apply restraint techniques in order to keep them safe, all staff are trained in safe handling. All incidents of restraint are reviewed carefully by managers and independent visitors. This open and transparent safeguarding culture significantly reduces the possibility of abuse in the home or community.

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outstanding

Behaviour management is extremely strong. Consequently, children and young people learn to manage their own behaviour and develop considerably improved social skills during the course of their placement. Sanctions are used infrequently. Managers carefully monitor the use of sanctions to ensure that they are suitable and appropriate. Individually tailored reward and incentives programmes are used very well to promote good behaviour in the home and at school. A teacher says that a young person’s ‘willingness to attend her teaching sessions in such a positive manner can largely be attributed to the firm but good-humoured encouragement of [the Registered Manager] and his team.’ Staff adapt their approach to reflect the different age and level of understanding of each resident. They learn from experience and know how best to motivate each child and young person to behave well. Children and young people are encouraged to nominate each other for

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outstanding

rewards. This further encourages them to interact in a kind and considerate manner and contributes to the fact that there is no bullying in the home. As they learn to interact well in social situations, the confidence of children and young people improves markedly. They develop greatly improved emotional resilience because they learn to form appropriate friendships with their peers and build stable relationships with staff. Judgement grade

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good

The experienced Registered Manager has been in post since 2013. He is suitably qualified, having achieved the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management For Residential Childcare this year. His leadership skills are very strong. This is evidenced by the significant and continuing improvement of the home since he took charge. He sets high expectations of staff conduct and practice. Where staff do not reach the high standards expected he uses performance management, supervision, and appraisal effectively to drive improvement. This ensures that children and young people benefit from consistently high quality care. The Registered Manager and his staff team are able to provide clear evidence that every child is making progress during their time at the home.

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good

The home’s Statement of Purpose is a comprehensive document that clearly reflects the objectives and ethos of the home. It provides parents, carers and stakeholders with good information so that they understand the purpose of the home and the services it provides. The young person’s guide provides detailed information to young people so that they know about their rights and responsibilities in the home. Young people say that the guide was helpful to them when they were admitted to home.

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good

Staff value the fact that the Registered Manager is accessible and approachable. Team meetings are used positively to ensure that staff are kept updated on regulatory, legislative and other developments. These meetings also provide an opportunity for staff to develop strategies to improve the quality of care provided in the home. Staff are further supported by a high quality programme of training. This includes specialist training that equips them with the knowledge and skills needed to meet the complex health needs of particular children and young people.

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good

Although there has been some turnover of staff, and sickness absence levels are higher than usual, young people continue to receive consistent, good quality care. This is because the registered manager is extremely flexible and works additional hours to cover periods of staff absence. Senior managers are increasingly pro- active in supporting the manager. For example, having recognised that he may not be able to sustain his current commitment to the home, they have appointed a full- time, experienced, and enthusiastic deputy manager. This significantly improves management capacity and ensures that the Registered Manager is provided with sufficient time to carry out his duties to a very high standard.

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good

Monitoring of the home, carried out by the Registered Manager and the home’s independent visitor, is effective in identifying shortfalls and recognising areas of potential improvement. The opinions of residents, their parents, and other stakeholders are sought and acted upon. For example, children and young people report that new outside decking and garden furniture significantly improves their experience of the home. In addition, their greater involvement in risk assessment reviews has helped them to understand why restrictions are placed on their time in the community. The Registered Manager ensures that the physical environment is maintained to a high standard. A recent refurbishment ensures that young people continue to benefit from a modern and well-decorated home.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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