Children's home run by Pathways Care Group Limited in Runnymede

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has Improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection three requirements and ten recommendations were set. The manager has ensured that all requirements and the majority of recommendations have been met. Since the last inspection the manager has provided the most recent copy of the statement of purpose enabling Ofsted as the regulator to have current information as to the services provided. The level of support to the manager has begun to improve, and they have received their first formal supervision since the last inspection. The quality of leadership has improved since the last inspection and the manager is effective in monitoring the quality of care. The manager continues to demonstrate high aspirations for the young people and works very well with the staff team to deliver effective individualised support to young people. Staff enjoy working at the home and feel well supported and part of an effective team. The manager has undertaken safer recruitment training and since the last

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

inspection staff vetting procedures have improved. The manager now ensures that all suitability checks including establishment of work history are undertaken prior to employment. This ensures that young people are effectively safeguarded from unsuitable people gaining employment within the home. Work is continuing on the development of the location risk assessment with further research of the key challenges protective factors in the area, however, this is not yet completed. There are strong and effective partnerships with parents, school, and social workers. The manager has built on these improving their awareness of how the role of the virtual head can help improve young people’s educational outcomes. Young people have made in the main great progress in their learning. Successfully re-engaging in education or starting a work placement. However, despite the manager’s request for funding, there continues to be a lack of computer available

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

to young people. This undermines their ability to access any useful web based learning materials to assist their GCSE studies. It has also significantly impacted the ability of staff to effectively support a young person who for some months was without a school placement. Staff utilise local resources, such as, the limited opening hours of the small local library. However, they were unable to access the variety of popular web-based learning resources which would have greatly enhanced their ability to provide an effective interim package. There have been are no complaints about, or significant incidents within the home. Young people say they value the consistency and clarity of boundaries. One placing social worker described how a young person’s anti-social behaviour and consistent negativity has ‘completely changed’ since placement. Where conflict does occur staff support young people in working through this and re-establishing friendships.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

A variety of staff training is provided in areas, such as, medication, safeguarding, and food hygiene. However, staff do not receive training in key areas which affect young people. Such as, alcohol and drug awareness or self harm, and a number have not undertaken training in physical intervention and medication. Untrained staff applying physical intervention presents potential safeguarding hazards for young people. The impact of this is reduced as no physical restraint has been used in the past seven months. The majority of training is basic e-learning packages which do not challenge and stimulate staff sufficiently to fully equipping them to effectively meet the needs of young people. Staff professional awareness and competence has the potential to be undermined where key training of suitable quality has not been undertaken. The manager has begun to build upon the e-learning safeguarding training by

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

exploring with staff through discussion and work books. Where staff have undertaken e-learning in practical areas, such as, medication there is no system to establish their competence prior to undertaking the activity. The individual support plans and risk assessments developed by the home reflect the individual character of each young person and are very positive about the strengths and support needs. However, key risks are identified in referral information, such as, self-harm, offending, drugs and missing from care are not always transferred to the homes risk assessments and support plans. A lack of key historical information has the potential to impact on staff dynamic risk assessment and practice when dealing with tricky situations and mean appropriate actions to respond and protect are not implemented. Staff and young people have strong relationships with mutual trust and understanding and there is a calm relaxed atmosphere within the home. Young

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

people said: ‘Staff are really kind.’ There’s always someone to talk to here. Staff are relaxed and always available to listen’. On occasion staff neglect to maintain basic security. For example, staff car keys were observed left unsupervised and in full view of young people. This allows young people should they be so inclined, to potentially able to access and drive away a vehicle.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Good relationships and safeguarding arrangements mean young people are much safer as a result of been placed. Placing authorities describe how staff’s consistency and commitment to young people has been ‘unshakable’, enhancing young people’s self-esteem. Comments included: ‘They go above and beyond.’ Another said: ‘They threw everything at the staff in the first few months but the staff showed an absolute commitment to them which they really valued.’ This enables young people to develop close bonds with staff. One social worker commented a young person with very high risks, such as, missing from care, offending and self harm had shown none of these since placement. Another commented how the exceptionally high risks presented by their young person ‘have all been removed’. They reflected how they are doing extremely well and has developed really strong attachments to all of the staff. One young person described their pride in how they have settled and the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

exceptional progress they have made within a short time. They spoke about how the relationships they have with staff have helped them feel safe, commenting: ‘I want to stay here till 18, I’ve good relationships with the people here. I don’t go missing as I like it here. I’m much calmer and happier living here’. Case file recording has improved since the last few months and there is now clear guidance on who is authorised to provide consent for medication, first aid and medical treatment. Recording of the regular fire drills has improved the manager’s ability to ensure that all staff and young people have sufficient knowledge to safely evacuate in the event of a fire. The home is a spacious detached house with large individually decorated bedrooms and generous living space. However, staff who are required to sleep on site at night are expected to sleep on a fold up bed in the communal ‘den’ area rather

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

than being provided with appropriate accommodation. Locks are fitted on every door including the lounge, kitchen and den contrary to the ethos of the home and without risk assessment or clear reason. Whilst young people and staff highlight these locks are not currently used, the organisation has prior to this inspection on occasion locked certain doors. The potential to lock rooms gives a somewhat institutional feel to the building and has the potential to inappropriately impact on young people’s freedom of movement within the home. The manager and staff have worked hard to meet all of the requirements since the last inspection and most of the recommendations within a relatively short period of time. One new recommendation has been set, however, young people continue to thrive. Young people when asked what could be better said: ‘Nothing really, I love it here. It’s really lovely place.’ Placing authorities’ say the support young people

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

receive is ‘absolutely fantastic’. They say staff are: ‘Proactive, really know the young person and anticipate their needs.’ Another commented: ‘The placement has been amazing for this child and really turned it around.’

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Information about this children's home

The home is one of three operated by a private company. The home is registered to care for up to three children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

17/03/2015 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s): Decisions to limit a child's access to any area of the home must only be made where this is intended to safeguard the child's welfare. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual child's needs, be properly recorded and be kept under regular review. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 15 paragraph 3.10)

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Recommendations

Provide staff that sleep in the home overnight with appropriate accommodation and facilities to do so.(The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 17 paragraph 3.2)

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Recommendations

Assist children to have access to a computer and the internet to support their education and learning. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 29 paragraph 5.19)

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Recommendations

Make suitable arrangements to manage, administer and dispose of any medication. In particular; ensure that all staff receive suitable training in medication and only administer medication when their competency to do so has been assessed. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 35 paragraph 7.15)

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Recommendations

Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. In particular; ensure key risks identified in referral information are transferred to the homes risk assessments and support plans and appropriate security arrangements are maintained at all times. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 42 paragraph 9.5) Ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. In particular; provide all staff with training in alcohol and drug awareness, self-harm and physical intervention and ensure the training provided suitably equips staff to effectively meet the needs of young people. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 53 paragraph 10.8) Review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks

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Recommendations

and opportunities presented by the home's location and strategies for managing these. Providers should refer to the non-statutory advice about the location assessment process. (The Guide, page 64 paragraph 15.1)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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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