Children's home run by Pathfinders (childcare) Limited in Rochdale

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness . Young people live in a caring home, where they receive consistent care from a dedicated staff team, which is making a difference to their lives. The manager and staff are committed to providing individualised care to secure positive outcomes for each young person living there. A social worker commented, ‘Staff have done a brilliant job in meeting young people’s specific needs and supporting their development.’ There have been two admissions and one discharge since the last inspection. The registered manager ensures that young people’s admission to the home is a positive experience. She ensures that all appropriate paperwork is in place and that staff are able to meet the young person’s needs. The home is well presented and welcoming, and staff ensure that the young person’s room is ready for their arrival.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

When young people move on, the registered manager and staff support them to understand why change is necessary to keep them safe. They keep in contact with young people who have left the home, and this provides a sense of security for them. Staff are building positive relationships with young people and their families. They promote and facilitate contact for all young people and ensure that robust plans are in place for young people whose families live at a distance from the home. They effectively assist in devising plans with placing social workers and young people to ensure that consistent care is provided, which is safe and enjoyable. They support young people’s families in managing their child’s challenging behaviour, by involving them in using strategies that are known to be effective. This means that young people continue to receive a consistent response from the people who are involved in their care. A family member said, ‘Staff go out of their

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

way to help and mentor [Name]. Staff are child friendly and very professional.’ Staff value young people’s education and have high expectations for them to attend and achieve. Since admission, young people have excellent attendance at school and are making good progress. Staff ensure that young people have the opportunity to experience activities in the community and in the home, for example horse riding, attending a valentines disco and having chill-out nights with staff. A young person said, ‘I love it here. We have family time.’ There has been one incident when a young person went missing from the home. Staff acted appropriately, searching the local area and notifying the police and placing authority. There have been no incidents of physical intervention. In this home, physical intervention is rarely used and is only used as a last resort to ensure that young people and staff are safe. Staff support young people to engage

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

in activities created to dissuade them from negative influences in their lives. They take a multi-agency approach, working with the police, the placing authority and the home’s authority to ensure that young people are safe from harm. The registered manager provides strong leadership and ensures that young people’s care plans are implemented. When she considers young people to be at risk of harm from being persistently missing, she is robust in her challenges to placing authorities, ensuring that plans are reviewed so that the young person can be safeguarded. The registered manager strives to gain the best care for young people. She sources information in relation to young people’s specific health needs, collaborating with medical professionals and child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). This proactive approach has enabled staff to provide highly individualised care and has ensured that young people have optimum life chances. A social worker said, ‘I

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

am impressed with the work that staff are doing with [Name]. The level of understanding of her complex needs is very good.’ The registered manager ensures that notifications of serious incidents are sent to HMCI within the required timescales. These reports lack information as to which agencies the home has informed and the actions taken by the home to ensure that these incidents are reduced. This information will assist the inspector in monitoring and reviewing these notifications.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 13/09/2016 Full Good 10/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 27/10/2015 Full Good 29/01/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  The home’s record of the event of an incident must include a description of the action taken and the outcome of any resulting investigation. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14:14)

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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 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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