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

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:

 Children and young people present as very happy and settled. The progress they make and the experiences they have are good.  Children and young people have very positive relationships with very caring staff who know them extremely well. Staff are experienced, skilled and insightful in respect of the complex needs each young person has.  The home’s child-centred approach ensures that vulnerable children and young people who have significant learning and communication difficulties are able to express their views and make choices in respect of all aspects of their care.  The range of experiences and activities, which children and young people engage in, enhance the quality of their lives. They have fun. They develop confidence and enjoy improved self-esteem.  Staff implement comprehensive risk management and behaviour management plans that help to ensure children and young people’s safety.  For those children and young people who have shared care arrangements,

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The children's home provision is good because:

good partnership working between staff and parents result in positive outcomes.  The registered manager provides good and enthusiastic leadership. She is very child focused and has high aspirations for children and young people. The management team and the staff collectively and continuously strive to improve the quality of their lives.  This inspection identifies some shortfalls and areas for improvement. These are in relation to the recording of physical interventions, some documentary issues and in relation to transition planning for young people moving into adult service. These matters are not currently having an impact on the safety and well-being of children and 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 (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

In order to meet the care planning standard the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

2(b)(iii) plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with the arrangements agreed with the child's placing authority. 23/12/2015

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure within 48 hours of the use of any measure of control, they, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ('the authorised person') have spoken to the user about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(b)(i)) 23/12/2015

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ('case records’) for each child which will include all information and documentation listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child, with particular reference to the result of any review of the placing authority's plan for the care of the child being on file. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)) 23/12/2015

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Information about this children's home

The home is privately owned and is registered to care for four young people with learning disabilities.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

25/02/2015 Interim Improved Effectiveness

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Good

Progress made by children and young people is good and they enjoy very positive experiences. A parent said: ‘Our son absolutely loves it. He is so much calmer and happier and it has made a massive difference to his behaviour. The placement has totally changed his and our lives.’ Children and young people thrive and the quality of their lives is enhanced.

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Good

Children and young people enjoy very positive and trusting relationships with staff who know them and understand their needs very well. Observations of staff demonstrate that they provide children and young people with high levels of praise, encouragement and emotional warmth. A young person said: ‘I like living here. The staff are really good and help me.’ A parent commented: ‘The staff are lovely people who understand my son so well. They are really caring and want the very best for him.’ The positive relationships children and young people have with an experienced team of committed staff helps to provide a secure emotional base from where they can develop.

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Good

From their starting points, children and young people’s educational progress is good. For some, they have progressed from engaging in very little education to attending full-time college courses. For those whose needs dictate that they cannot cope within a formal school setting, the managers and staff work in close partnership with specialist education providers to create bespoke programmes of education which are challenging, but also reflect individual talents and learning styles. A parent said: ‘My son has made so much more progress in this placement than his previous one. Since moving here, he has learnt to write. I am delighted.’ Acquiring such skills provide children and young people with a sense of achievement. It will also provide them with increased opportunities in adult life.

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Good

Despite children and young people having communication difficulties, staff continually ensure that their views remain central to all aspects of their care. Staff are skilled and creative and use a range of communication methods that reflect children’s and young people’s different communication styles and level of understanding. For non-verbal children and young people, Makaton, pictures, photographs, I-pads, ‘hand over hand’ writing, and observations enable staff to ascertain individual choices and preferences in relation to their day-to-day care. One professional said: ‘Because the young person is so settled and he is being cared for by people who understand him and who are able to communicate with him creatively; a whole new world of communication has opened up to him. This will open doors for him in the adult world.’ Good levels of communication are empowering for children and young people. Being understood and listened to helps

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Good

relieve frustration and it helps children and young people feel respected and valued. Consequently, their self-esteem and confidence is enhanced.

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Good

Children and young people engage in a range of activities tailored around their individual choices and preferences. A parent said: ‘I am so pleased; staff take my son to do lots of things such as swimming, bowling, to the fair and to a bonfire.’ Children and young people enjoy holidays within this country and abroad. They are also encouraged to get involved with community and charitable events. For example, children and young people recently participated in a barbeque hosted by the home to raise money for the ‘help for the heroes’ charity. The participation in leisure and community activities enables children and young people to become part of their local community. It also provides them with an opportunity to have fun and socialise.

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Good

The outcomes for those children and young people who have shared care arrangements are good. Partnership working is good. A parent commented: ‘Staff keep us fully informed of everything that is happening and send us photographs of everything that our son has been doing. We now get a break and we are refreshed. Our son is calmer and family relationships have improved so much as a result.’ Strong and positive family relationships enhance children’s and young people’s emotional development and help promote an improved quality of life in the longer term.

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Good

Staff actively encourage children and young people to develop independence skills while living in the home. Progress in this area is evident. A parent said: ‘My son has developed life skills. He can now make his own bed, he cleans up and he can cook.’ A social worker commented: ‘Staff are allowing this young person to be a teenager. She can now do so much more for herself.’ Since the last inspection, some older young people have successfully transitioned into adult placements. However, for one older young person who is due to transition into an adult placement within the next few months, plans remain unclear. The young person does not have an up to date pathway plan in his case file and there is a lack of evidence to demonstrate how he is going to be helped and supported towards his imminent move. The manager in the process of addressing this shortfall.

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Good

High levels of staff supervision, consistent routines and the trusting relationships children and young people have with staff help to promote children’s and young people’s sense of safety. There are no instances of bullying in the home. Careful placement matching and a clear focus on supporting young people to develop empathy and respect for one another is effective. For example, key work undertaken with a young person who demonstrated racist behaviours towards a member of staff, enhanced their understanding of the impact of racism and eradicated further incidents.

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Good

Staff have a good understanding of the home’s safeguarding policies. They have all received training in this area. They are particularly mindful of the fact that the children and young people they are caring for are extremely vulnerable due to their disabilities, significant care needs and reliance on staff. The management team also has a good understanding of safeguarding practices. Following a recent allegation made by a young person about staff, in consultation with the local authority designated officer (LADO), managers took prompt action to ensure children and young people were safeguarded during an investigation process. The LADO commented: ‘The managers in this home are on the ball and child-focused. The actions taken in response to the recent allegation were spot on.’ This reduces the risk of potential harm to children and young people.

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Good

Staff knowing children and young people well, high staffing ratios and the consistent implementation of risk management plans provides a good level of protection. Children and young people are also helped and protected by the multi- agency packages of support they receive. Positive working relationships between staff, education providers, specialist health workers and parents ensure that approaches to help and support are consistently delivered to a good standard.

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Good

There have not been any incidents of children or young people going missing from this home. Staff knowledge and up to date individualised missing from care procedures ensure that should a child or young person go missing in the future, staff understand what actions to take to safeguard them.

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Good

Staff manage complex and challenging behaviours well. Positive relationships, high levels of praise, staff insight and consistent approaches are effective in reducing incidents of challenging behaviour. A social worker said: ‘The level of structure and routine provided has had a really positive impact on the young person behaviourally. There have been significant improvements and his emotional well- being is greatly enhanced as he is so much less stressed than previously.’

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Good

Physical interventions are used appropriately and proportionately in order to safeguard children and young people. Life space interviews take place following each intervention with children and young people. However, records do not evidence that staff are routinely debriefed. This is a regulatory shortfall. Incomplete records and a lack of reflection with staff following every incident hinders the managers effective monitoring of restraints. This has the potential to limit the capacity to improve practice in this area. Judgement grade

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Good

The home has seen changes in management structure since the last inspection. A newly registered manager has been in post since June 2015. She is suitably experienced and qualified.

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Good

The new manager is enthusiastic, committed and has high aspirations for children and young people. She is held in high regard by her staff team, parents and professionals. A social worker said: ‘The management of the home is strong. The new manager has had a positive impact on the home. She is very approachable and child-focused.’ Staff report high satisfaction in their work and speak positively about the new management team and a recent restructure to reduce one large staff team covering two children’s homes into two smaller staff teams. A member of staff said: ‘It is so much better. Young people have fewer changes in staff and we get to spend more quality time with them. It feels more stable and staff morale is good.’ A cohesive and motivated staff team ensures that children and young people’s needs are met to a consistently good standard.

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Good

Staff receive regular formal supervision. Well-recorded sessions demonstrate how staff are given the opportunity to reflect on their practice. Regular, good quality supervision as well as regular and productive staff meetings, where practice issues are discussed, ensure that practice is continually monitored. It also provides scope for further improvements in the delivery of care.

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Good

Staff undertake a programme of training that covers mandatory and more specialist areas in relation to the needs of the children and young people living in the home. As a result, they benefit from care provided to them by skilled staff who are equipped to meet their complex individual needs. In addition to this, managers have sourced training in relation to potential emerging risks and issues that could affect children and young people who move into the home in the future. For example, staff are scheduled to undertake training in child sexual exploitation, radicalisation and female genital mutilation. This will further enhance their knowledge and insight into some of the broader issues that can affect children and young people living in residential care.

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Good

The home’s statement of purpose is up to date. It provides parents and placing authorities with clear and accurate information about how children and young people will be helped and supported while living in the home. Two different versions of the young people’s guide, tailored to different styles of communication and levels of understanding provide children and young people with clear information about what they can expect when they come to live in the home. Children and young people’s case files include comprehensive placement plans that provide a coherent picture of the care provided to young people. They also demonstrate some excellent key work undertaken with children and young people in relation to areas of specific need. However, some case files do not contain a record of results of reviews of placements and are therefore incomplete. Not having all relevant information prevents care and interventions being informed by

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Good

each child’s or young person’s up-to-date relevant local authority plan. This does not have an impact on the safety and well-being of children and young people and does not detract from the good standard of care that is being provided.

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Good

Managers and leaders effectively monitor the progress children and young people make. Weekly and monthly progress reports enable social workers and parents to see what children and young people have achieved over time in all aspects of their development. Reports produced for statutory reviews also demonstrate the progress children and young people are making. Additionally, staff monitor progress through the collection of photographs of experiences and achievements. These are then entered into a timeline document. This provides children and young people themselves with a record of their progress and experiences from their starting points in the home, something they can treasure and be proud of in the future.

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Good

Quality assurance monitoring, both internally and externally, is effective in identifying strengths in the home as well as minor shortfalls. This and the homes improvement plan demonstrate that this is a service committed to continual improvement.

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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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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