Children's home run by Positive Pathways Limited in Birmingham

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged outstanding at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people at this home continue to benefit from a high level of care provided by a committed and skilled staff team. Young people continue to make good progress across all areas of their welfare and development. Staff develop positive and nurturing relationships with young people that are based on trust and positivity. Staff support young people to take responsibility for their own behaviour and actions. This helps young people to feel increasingly in control of their lives, and they are supported to make good progress in their ability to self-regulate, make positive choices and improve their self-esteem.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are highly positive about the home and the care that they receive from staff. One young person spoken to said, ‘Staff are great’, going on to acknowledge the significant impact that staff have made on his life. All young people report that they have positive relationships with staff, and that there is always someone to whom they can speak in the event that they have any concerns or are upset.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Visiting professionals and family members consistently comment on the warm and friendly welcome that they receive from staff. One social worker told the inspector, ’This is a home not a house. Its homeliness makes it stand above all other homes I visit.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Transitions into and out of the home are carefully managed. Since the last inspection, one young person has successfully moved into her own tenancy. Staff have remained in touch with the young person and are proud of the stability that she has achieved in her life. Another young person joined the home following the last inspection. However, the young person only made limited progress and, following concerns about the negative impact on other young people, a decision was made to secure an alternative provision.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people make positive progress in their education from their starting points. Young people who previously have been disengaged with education are now motivated to plan for their future and regularly attend school or college. For example, one young person has successfully transitioned to a mainstream college placement since the last inspection. Staff supported this move by helping the young person to access public transport and he is now travelling there independently. Staff communicate effectively with education colleagues to ensure that there is consistency of approach and learning opportunities are maximised. Young people show emotional resilience and are coping well with new challenges that promote their personal development.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people say that they feel safe and are confident that staff will respond appropriately to protect them. Staff model and promote acceptable behaviour. Risks are well understood and managed with the support of personalised risk management plans that are consistently updated by staff. Staff identify problems early and step in to prevent escalation. Since the last inspection, there have been a small number of physical interventions. These have been to prevent staff or young people from becoming injured and have been appropriate to the situation and well recorded. Since the last inspection, the manager has made sure that all debriefs with staff are comprehensively recorded so as to improve learning.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Incidents of young people going missing are rare. There has been one incident since the last inspection. This was well managed by staff in partnership with other agencies. For some young people, this is significant improvement from their starting point. Staff are vigilant to presenting risks and have clear strategies in place to address them.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been some significant changes to the staff team since the last inspection. The long-standing deputy manager has taken over responsibility for the day-to-day running of the home and the existing registered manager and some experienced staff members have focussed on opening a new home in a neighbouring property. This transition has been well managed, with minimum impact on the young people. Managers have worked hard to ensure that staffing levels have remained consistent. New staff have been recruited and are starting to make a positive contribution to the team. Young people report that, although they do miss their close bonds with the staff who have left them, they feel they are now benefitting from a younger and more gender-balanced team.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The deputy manager has now submitted her application to become the registered manager, and a new deputy manager and senior manager have been appointed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The acting manager has begun to evaluate the quality assurance processes. She undertakes monthly auditing which reviews young people’s files to ensure that they are current and contain appropriate information. Regular quality of care reviews are completed which review the progress achieved but do not identify areas for future progress. This limits the reviews’ effectiveness as a tool for continuous improvement in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Most of the staff team is qualified and those newly recruited, who are unqualified, are within regulatory timescales to obtain their qualification. The manager ensures that young people are protected by safe recruitment practices. New staff are vetted and assessed as suitable before any appointment is confirmed. Gaps in the employment history for one staff member have not been appropriately verified. This compromises the organisation’s recruitment procedures that promote the safety of the young people by preventing unsuitable adults from working with young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has ensured that staff actively support young people’s relationships with family members. The staff ensure that family members are regularly updated about their child’s progress. The manager and staff recognise the importance of young people maintaining relationships with family members in a safe and positive manner.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There was one shortfall identified at the last inspection this has been appropriately addressed.

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Information about this children's home

This privately owned children's home provides care and accommodation for up to three young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 16/08/2016 Full Outstanding 30/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 21/12/2015 Full Good 24/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person 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 must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. They must ensure that full and satisfactory information is available in respect of the individual in relation to the matters in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 2.This is with specific reference to gaps in employment history. (Regulation 32(1)(7)(b)) 19/09/2016

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

Ensure the quality of care review clearly identifies any actions required for the next six months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. The whole review process and resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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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 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 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 0300 123 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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