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:

 Young people make very good progress in their education and in securing employment. In addition, their health, especially their emotional well-being, is improving significantly.  Young people who have a chaotic placement history feel settled and cared for in this home.  There continues to be a substantial reduction in risk-taking behaviour, such as self-harm, going missing and associated risks of exploitation. Young people identify the progress that they make in these areas.  Staff work well as a team, supported by the manager and their colleagues and they feel positive about their roles.  The manager is well respected and has a wealth of experience. Partnership working with other agencies is good, with robust action taken when others do not provide a suitable service.  One requirement is made in respect of ensuring that there are sufficient numbers of trained and experienced staff working in the home, in order to

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The children's home provision is good because:

manage incidents and safeguarding concerns. Six recommendations reflect the concerns in relation to staffing levels, movement of staff and shortfalls in recording.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered provider must ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

(iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; and

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Requirement Due date

(v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. 01/11/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

 Where positive relationships exist between children and staff, this should be respected and maintained as far as possible when making any decisions to alter staffing arrangements. The registered person should respond to children's views about changes to staff and be aware of the potential impact that this may have for the child's stability and emotional well-being. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.12)

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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 whom the home is set up to care for, as defined in the home's statement of purpose. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.57)  Sufficient staff means that a home has enough suitably trained staff (including someone in a management role) on duty to meet the assessed needs of all the children in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 51, paragraph 10.1)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan. This plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should plan staffing levels to ensure that they meet the needs of children and can respond flexibly to unexpected events or opportunities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.15)

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. This relates to the standard of recording in incident records and ensuring that complaints and allegations are recorded swiftly and not retrospectively. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this children's home

This home is operated by a private provider and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children and young people who have 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

14/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

13/01/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Good

Young people make very good progress in many areas of their lives, especially in relation to their education, employment and emotional health and well-being. Those still of school age do exceptionally well in their school attendance levels, with one having recently obtained 100% attendance, partly due to positive engagement between staff and education providers. Others, who had previously refused education, have successfully completed school and obtained employment. For one young person, this has resulted in being nominated by their placing authority for an award. Employment also offers young people a range of training opportunities, such as first aid, administration of medication and budgeting. This helps young people to reach their potential. Young people work with a therapist to address their anxieties and concerns and to explore their emotional health and well-being. As a result, they improve their self-

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Good

esteem, and risk-taking behaviours, such as self-harm, significantly diminish. Medication practice is sound. Staff are trained in the administration and recording of medication, and some young people self-medicate, showing responsibility for, and understanding of, their own medical needs. Young people enjoy a range of age-appropriate activities and leisure pursuits, such as going to the cinema, attending cubs, pamper nights, go-karts and football. Young people have made friends locally on the estate and forged close bonds with those in other children’s homes nearby. Positive relationships exist with the local community, supported by young people taking part in community activities and hosting fundraising events for local charities. This fundraising extends to national and international projects, with young people raising money to help a host of charitable organisations. The home offers a warm and welcoming environment, with space for young people

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Good

to be together and to be alone. Their bedrooms are highly personalised, expressing their individual tastes. Regular house meetings offer opportunities for young people to share their views and express their opinions. At times, young people prefer not to be together so staff ensure that each is spoken to in order to ascertain their views. Young people know how to complain and how to contact a range of independent agencies for support. Care planning is good. New admissions, including those who move to the home in emergency situations, are carefully considered. This helps to make the move to this home as smooth as possible. Care plans provide staff with information on goals for the placements and how best to care for the young people. As a result, young people who have a chaotic history of placement breakdowns experience a very settled placement. Those young people moving on receive a comprehensive independence

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Good

programme, supporting them to develop a range of practical skills, such as cooking, budgeting, and laundry, as well as social skills required when living independently. Staff work hard to promote young people’s confidence in independence and to balance the responsibilities the young people have outside the home with the fact that they currently remain in care. Some young people report that, while they feel that their independence programme is beneficial, the actual transition and practicalities, such as viewing accommodation, is not sufficiently supported. In particular, they say that their key-work staff are not always available to support them. Indeed, there have been occasions when senior staff have been unavailable in this home. This is because they support another small home nearby that is also managed by this registered manager. This disrupts the building of good relationships in the home.

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Requires improvement

Staff’s and managers’ handling of serious incidents is inconsistent. One recent incident has been handled very well: staff responded robustly, ensuring that all relevant agencies were contacted and that there was robust recording of information. This has ensured the safety of young people. The management of other incidents has been less robust. Two recent incidents highlight shortfalls in staffing levels and the lack of experience and training of some staff in relation to the individual needs of the young people. At the time of the two incidents, the senior member of staff in charge, despite having experience in other care settings and historical experience in this home, lacked the knowledge of the individual young people concerned and was in need of updated training. In addition, another member of staff was new to the role and had not yet completed the relevant training. The recording of these incidents lacks clarity, and it is difficult to identify

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Requires improvement

the chronology of events. Some reports, such as the complaint log, have been completed retrospectively. Both incidents have now been taken forward appropriately, with robust procedures and safety plans, keeping young people protected. All staff have now received appropriate training, including safeguarding and restraint practice. In addition, staff have received training in understanding sexual exploitation and radicalisation. However, the staffing arrangements at the time of the incidents were not sufficient and, as a result, the protection of young people may have been compromised. Young people seem to care genuinely about each other, especially concerning any bullying issues, although at other times their relationships appear quite fragile. Staff support young people at these times. Staff work hard to foster positive relationships with young people. However, this is disrupted when staff are moved

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Requires improvement

to work in other homes. The use of physical intervention is rare. When it is used, debriefs with staff and young people provide effective learning. The registered manager evaluates and reviews incidents, although when he is involved in the intervention it may be beneficial for an independent review to be carried out. This has been discussed at the inspection, and alternative mechanisms have been identified. Missing from home and absence incidents have substantially reduced. Young people who have prolific histories of being absent and are at risk of sexual exploitation learn how to keep themselves safe and work hard with staff, balancing their safety with increasing independence and maturity. There has only been one incident since the last inspection. This has been recorded in good detail, providing a clear account of the incident. A return interview performed by the local authority provides staff with an understanding of the triggers for this incident, thus helping

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Requires improvement

them to prevent future occurrence. Self-harm incidents have also significantly decreased. One young person proudly told the inspector of the reduction in her harming, saying, ‘I am so proud of what I have achieved.’ This young person provided training for staff in helping them to understand self-harm. This promoted their learning and provided a boost to the young person’s self-esteem and confidence. Regular maintenance and health and safety checks ensure that the home is safe. Regular fire drills help young people to know what to do in the event of a fire. They have also undertaken fire safety training, some with support from staff and some through their employer. Robust recruitment processes ensure that staff are safely recruited, further protecting young people.

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Good

The registered manager is well qualified and extremely experienced. He is ably supported by an equally well-qualified assistant manager. The manager is also in day-to-day charge of another, smaller home close by. Other professionals express their respect for the manager, describing him as, ‘100% committed to the young people and a very nurturing man’. The registered manager and staff work well in partnership with others, tenaciously following up any concerns they have with the service provided by others. They often take the lead in arranging multi-agency meetings, convened to review placements and to keep young people safe. Monitoring is good. Regular visits by the independent person provide a detailed account of the progress that young people make and any areas to address. Shortfalls are rectified swiftly. An excellent evaluative review by the manager identifies progress and the impact of the home on young people’s development.

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Good

An excellent improvement plan identifies numerous targets for the development of the home. Monthly review, supported by evidence, identifies the enormous progress that the staff, young people and leaders make. The statement of purpose provides a good overview of the service, its ethos and practice. The young people’s guide is in brochure format, providing them with a clear understanding of how the home operates. Staff are enthusiastic and motivated, providing good care for young people and helping them to make progress. They work well as a team and identify when colleagues work particularly well, nominating them for ‘employee of the month’. This promotes good working relationships and boosts morale. Regular supervision supports staff and identifies future learning opportunities. New staff may benefit from having a consistent supervisor rather than several seniors acting in the supervisory role. They do, however, have one mentor for support.

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Good

Team meetings provide a forum for discussing and evaluating incidents and sharing good practice. Staff are either qualified to the appropriate level, or are on the relevant course, ensuring that all staff are appropriately qualified in the required timescales. A range of training provides staff with a good breadth of knowledge. The recording of some staff training, particularly those staff moving from house to house, is somewhat erratic, and does not provide a clear picture of the range of skills and experiences of staff. Staffing levels are generally sufficient, although sometimes staff are used to support other local homes in the organisation. This means that the organisation does not have to rely on using agency staff but does mean inconsistency for young people who say that they do not like staff moving around the different homes.

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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 children looked after 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 that 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 that 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 whom 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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