Children's Home run by Positive Pathways Limited in Birmingham

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 are emotionally secure in the home due to strong relationships with staff. They make good progress and have positive experiences. Emotional health is a priority in the home and young people grow in emotional resilience and are able to address significant behavioural challenges. Young people live in a well maintained and homely environment. They recognise that their current long-term placement is the longest in their residential care history and place great value on their trusting relationships with staff. Consultation is a key strength and young people feel listened to and their views valued. They understand the home’s complaints process and feel very confident in the manager’s ability to deal with their concerns. Strong leadership means young people’s concerns about staff conduct are listened to. As a result, staff are

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

supported with focused supervision to improve the quality of their performance and their relationships with young people. The registered manager shows strong leadership skills and commitment to the well-being and safety of young people. Leaders and managers take clear and measured action, including liaison with social workers and the local authority designated officer when required. Young people and staff feel more reassured and comfortable as a result of such actions. Staff show good insight into the needs and dynamics of young people. Staffing levels and effective supervision ensure that young people are safe from bullying in the home. Staff are proactive and work with young people to quickly resolve conflicts and develop their abilities to manage positive relationships with their peers and staff. Safeguarding is robust due to in-depth risk assessment. Risk management and behaviour plans give staff excellent detail in how to manage risks. Child-centred

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

strategies focus on the inclusion of young people and positive reinforcement of behaviours. Young people appreciate and invest in their plans because staff work collaboratively with them. Activities, free time arrangements and behaviour management plans are bespoke to, and agreed with, each individual young person. Staff are skilled in supporting young people with their emotional welfare. They constantly review their approach in light of emerging safeguarding concerns and potential risky behaviour. Well-trained and experienced staff provide in-depth support with young people’s mental health and self-injurious behaviours. Staff keep a close eye on young people’s vulnerabilities and provide practical and realistic support to monitor the possibility of child sexual exploitation. Young people experience long periods of emotional stability due the expertise of the staff. Key working records show excellent attention to detail and link effectively to risk

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

management plans. For example, staff and young people discuss and explore complex issues such as bereavement, safeguarding boundaries, self-injury and sexual relationships. This focused work, alongside therapeutic input and interagency support, enable young people to build emotional resilience and positively manage their mental health. Young people make good educational progress. Some successfully addressed a history of non-attendance at school and now enjoy school and do well. Another young person enjoys college life, makes friends and has aspirations of becoming a paramedic. Staff also support young people’s learning with ‘independence skills programmes’ at the home. Young people are pleased with their efforts and the support they get from staff, which prepares them for independent living and young adulthood. All statutory requirements and the recommendation from the last inspection have been rectified. For example, the registered manager has improved her six-monthly

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

monitoring to include feedback from young people, social workers, schools and, whenever possible, family members. This activity reinforces the positive outcomes for young people. For example, a social worker states that the home is run with, ‘An investment in young people, with staff that really want to be there and a proactive manager that has the best outcomes for young people.’ The manager also ensures that staff training is kept up to date, with on-line arrangements for staff training in health and safety. The registered manager embraces feedback and effectively responds to independent monitoring visits to ensure that the home continues to improve. There are no shortfalls identified at this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to three young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities. The home is operated by a private provider.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

21/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

09/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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 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 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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