Children's Home run by Pathways Care Group Limited in Essex

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:

 Young people and staff benefit from a safe, spacious, homely and comfortable environment.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Good quality individualised care is provided by an established and experienced staff team. Young people‟s social workers and families have absolute confidence that their child‟s individual needs are well met by caring and nurturing staff.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Risk management is robust. Close partnership working with other agencies ensures appropriate measures are in place to protect young people. Effective supervision and partnership arrangements with young people mean that young people are safer as a result of living at the home.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The young people are generally very positive about their experience of living at the home. They establish strong relationships with staff which they value highly. The support offered by staff helps them mature, develop their confidence and self-esteem and improve their overall resilience.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The vast majority of young people make significant and sustained progress from their starting points. As a result their overall potential life outcomes are enhanced.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff provide young people with high levels of structure, routine and consistency, alongside high levels of praise and encouragement. As a result levels of anti-social behaviour have reduced and any conflict is well managed.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 This inspection identifies some shortfalls and areas for improvement. These are in relation to improving systems for staff recruitment, training and the review of physical restraint. The manager has also been asked to update the statement of purpose to include all required information. These matters are not currently having an impact on the safety and well-being 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 (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 compile in relation to the children‟s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. In particular; ensure the statement of purpose is accurate and sufficiently detailed including all points listed in schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1)) 28/03/2016

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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

 As set out in regulations 31-33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. In particular; ensure that all potential gaps in employment are identified and explored for each applicant, and ensure that written references are verified. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 61 paragraph 13.1)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair. In particular; ensure suitable overview of any restraint by a person independent of the incident. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 46 paragraph 9.36)

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all their staff have been adequately trained in the principles of restraint and any restraint techniques appropriate to the needs of the children the home is set up to care for as defined in the home‟s Statement of Purpose. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 49 paragraph 9.57)

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Information about this children's home

This children's home is run by a private company. The home is registered to provide a service for up to six children or young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The company operates two other children‟s homes.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

06/08/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

28/10/2014 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

The young people benefit from a stable secure and happy environment where they are nurtured. Staff support young people to grow and develop. As a result most make good progress from their starting points. They grow in confidence, independence and maturity which contributes to their increased self-esteem. The young people have complex needs and are often considered to be placing themselves at risk. They experience positive parenting as a result their ability to keep them self safe, behave in a positive manner, engage in education and manage their health needs, all improve under the guidance of staff. Placements are well planned and the home is clear about the types of support it is able to provide and the potential impact on the dynamics of the group of any new placement. If any young person needs specialist services or aids and adaptations required these are assessed and provided prior to placement. This meticulous

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Good

matching of placements means that placement breakdown is rare. Staff are effectively guided on how to support young people through the regularly reviewed and comprehensive, care plans and risk assessments. The young people are fully involved in the development of these plans and are able to express their goals and aspirations. The atmosphere within the home is very warm and calm and social interaction is friendly and fun within clear boundaries. This provides an environment where young people are helped to understand the needs of others and develop empathy. Two young people described enjoying being involved in normal domestic activities, for example, enjoying making sponge cakes with staff. They also say that special occasions, such as, Christmas and birthdays are celebrated and they are made to feel special. The young people say all the staff are nice and grade the home as good rating it between seven and nine out of ten.

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Good

Staff consult the young people on all aspects of their lives and provide highly child focused care and support. As a result they are confident to raise any concerns. Staff assist them understand their personal histories, and how this affects them. Equality and diversity is threaded through the service, for example, one young person of dual heritage was offered lessons to better understand their heritage and parent‟s first language. Where specific health services are required, the manager ensures young people have access to these privately if unavailable through regular channels. For example, psychology and therapy services are available for direct work in addition to case discussion. Staff receive good effective training in key issues which affect children‟s well-being. Such as, self-harm, mental health adolescence, sexual health and drug and alcohol awareness. This means that staff are equipped to deliver

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Good

informed and targeted support when needed. Placing authorities refer to an „excellent service‟ and being „really impressed with staff‟. They report that they feel staff understand the way to support and challenge young people and are very well qualified to meet the emotional and mental health well-being of young people. The young people have had varying success in education. Not all of them, despite the guidance given by staff, are continuing in education training or employment after completing school. Others have high aspirations and have excelled. One young person is on pathway for university and successfully competed against 400 others to gain a place on a prestigious access to law course. The virtual head said: „There is a positive working relationship to enable young people to succeed and most young people have made significant improvement‟. Young people also have the opportunity to focus on their personal development through their involvement

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Good

in national citizenship schemes and fundraising for local charities, such as, leukaemia research. Strong partnership working enables families to remain absolutely positive about how their child is cared for. This is despite the sometimes significant distance to travel and often complex supervision arrangements for contact. Parents say their child is „very happy at the home‟ and „it's a very good home that looks after her well‟. The building is spacious and homely providing a suitable environment which meets their needs.

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Good

The young people say they feel safe and they are safe, secure and well cared for. There is someone for them to talk to about anything which is worrying them and they know how to raise any issues of concern. One of the young people said: „All of the staff are supportive and kind‟. Partner professionals say that young people are safer as a result of being at the home. One commented that: „Staff are excellent at keeping young people safe there is consistency of approach and her risk factors have significantly reduced‟. Another that there had been: „Excellent improvement and she is much safer as a result of this placement‟. Levels of absence from the home and missing from care are low. Particularly given the identified high risks for many young people at the time of placement. This presents a significant improvement in young people‟s safety which is directly attributable to the effective support and guidance of staff.

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Good

Staff are clear on their safeguarding responsibilities and implement missing from care and safeguarding protocols effectively. Effective joint working with partner professional ensures that risk factors are swiftly identified and addressed. Comprehensive risk assessments and management plans guide staff effectively in managing risk. The levels of supervision required to keep young people safe. The risk assessments are live documents which are kept under constant review and young people are integral to their development. Journey plans for unsupervised time are developed in partnership with young people. These require them to consider potential risky situations and how they can best manage these. Whilst some young people find this frustrating, it is clear that this has helped the majority develop better awareness of and responsibility for their personal safety. Young people develop strong relationships with staff who provide consistently clear

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Good

boundaries whilst maintaining a calm and relaxed atmosphere. When conflicts do arise staff intervene appropriately to keep young people safe and use a variety of de-escalation techniques. Regular house meetings provide an opportunity for everyone to air their views and resolve any conflict. As a result young people say there are no issues regarding bullying and they get on well together. Parents say they feel their child is safe here and have no worries about their welfare. One said: „They manage the challenges very well. They do everything they can to keep her safe. It's a good home.‟ Praise for achievements and a restorative approach creates an expectation of positive behaviour. Sanctions when used are proportionate and relevant to the concerning behaviour. As a result physical restraint has been used only once in the past five months. The review of restraint on this occasion was completed by a person involved in the restraint. This undermines the principle of independent

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Good

scrutiny which is essential to ensure a robust management of restraint. Whilst the manager has some plans to ensure all staff are suitably trained, a significant number of staff have yet to undertake training in recognised physical restraint techniques. Staff who are not suitably trained present a potential risk to themselves and the young person if undertaking restraint. The potential impact of this is reduced as restraint is rarely used and no untrained staff have undertaken restraint. However, all staff should be provided with suitable training to effectively respond to emergency situations where restraint may be required. Whilst generally robust, staff vetting procedures on occasion fall below that which the manager aspires to and are best practice. For example, the manager ensures that no staff are employed until checks on their identity and suitability are verified. However, one member of staff‟s application was not fully scrutinised to identify and

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Good

explore employment gaps. Furthermore written references are not always recorded as having been explored and verified with the referee. This means that information which potentially impacts on suitability may not be identified.

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Good

The manager ensures good systems are in place to ensure the safety and security of the building. Fire precautionary arrangements in the home ensure young people and staff are safeguarded from fire in line with current good practice.

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Good

The suitably qualified and experienced registered manager has been in post since the home was registered. She provides consistent good-quality leadership to staff, communicating high expectations. The manager is well supported by an effective senior staff team. Staffing changes are few and staffing levels are high. This allows staff to spend valuable time supporting each of the young people developing a comprehensive knowledge of their individual needs and aspirations. Staff deliver child focussed individualised care. Young people benefit from a home where they are continually consulted and their needs are consistently prioritised. The manager and staff develop positive relationships with partner agencies which support staff to deliver high quality care. Placing authorities are kept up to date on all aspects of care. The manager confidently challenges local authorities who fail to undertake their duties or share information responsibly. Parents, social workers

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Good

and teachers all commented on the high-calibre and caring nature of staff employed.

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Good

The manager ensures that the organisational training programme is enhanced with training relevant to current topics and the needs of the service. For example, the manager has arranged training in; common mental health difficulties, female genital mutilation, child trafficking and preventing radicalisation. Where e-Learning is used, this is supported by further discussion and available resources, promoting staff professional development, skills and competence. Staff benefit from effective regular team meetings and individual supervision. Staff feel well supported and as a result are enthusiastic and dynamic. One member of staff commented how they had been drawn from the local authority to work at the home, specifically because they were so impressed with the commitment of the staff towards the young people. The home is well resourced to ensure that the service meets the aims and objectives and individual needs of young people. The statement of purpose is a

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Good

recently updated engaging and accessible document. However, some information required by regulation has not been included. Whilst it is important for clarity that all information is provided, this does not have any direct or potential impact for young people as a suitable children‟s guide is available. Quality assurance mechanisms within the home are strong and the manager provides good quality notifications of all significant events to the relevant authorities. One placing social worker commented this is „an excellent service‟ where „staff are doing a marvellous job‟. Another said: „Staff are very knowledgeable about children and care practice. They are highly committed and are really looking out for the young people‟. The manager has ensured that the one requirement set at the previous inspection has been met. The manager and deputy share a clear vision for the service and are committed to continual service 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

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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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