Children's home run by Pathway Care Solutions Ltd in Bolton

Inspection report children’s home: SC462149 1 SC462149 Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions II Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to care for one young person who has emotional and behavioural difficulties. It is owned and managed by a private organisation.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 9 December 2016

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children’s home: SC462149 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 The young person is making good progress in many areas, especially in education.  The young person’s relationships with staff have improved as he has begun to understand and respect boundaries. Staff have developed a better understanding of his needs.  Incidents in the community have substantially decreased and in the home are declining. Improved behaviour is an area of sustained progress.  Staff have been tenacious and resilient, coping with extremely challenging situations, but have remained committed to improving the young person’s life chances.  New staff have added new skills and experiences to an already diverse and strong team.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development

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Key findings from this inspection

 One allegation has not been handled swiftly or appropriately, with delays in the involvement of the designated officer.  This allegation was not forwarded to HMCI as required.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/12/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 28/06/2016 Full Requires improvement 14/12/2015 Interim Not judged 18/11/2015 Interim Not judged Inspection report children’s home: SC462149 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular, provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located. (Regulation 34(2)(b)).

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring prompt referral of safeguarding concerns and allegations to the designated officer. 31/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40(4)(c)) 31/07/2017

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One young person lives in this home. He has of late made some good progress in a number of areas, especially education and moving towards independence. This progress is still in its infancy but is quite significant, given his starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

He has recently started with a new education provider, where he is showing a good attitude to the work, and is enthusiastic about attending the project. One progress report from the provider says that they have seen, ‘a huge change in his attitude’. Until recently, most of his education has been based around doing activities, but the recent introduction of more academic work has not discouraged his interest in education. Good communication between education staff and the home ensures that learning in the home, particularly in relation to life skills and independence, is linked to the schoolwork and that this will ultimately result in qualifications for the young person.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person has begun his semi-independence programme, learning skills such as cooking, shopping, budgeting, and laundry. This is in preparation for his forthcoming Inspection report children’s home: SC462149 4 move to semi-independent living in a new placement. Again, this is early days, but he is learning to cook basic meals and becoming more attentive to his personal hygiene and presentation. He attended a leaving care seminar with staff, meeting a variety of support agencies and was able to gain an understanding of the breadth of services available to him when he moves on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff try to encourage the young person to socialise more with his peer group to help build a social network for when he moves on from the home. They also encourage healthy activities, such as football. This proves difficult as he leads quite a sedentary lifestyle, preferring the company of staff and playing on his computer games. There has, however, been some recent improvement in this area, and the young person is attending functions in other children’s homes, playing football and going on a trampoline. Contact with family is supported by staff, and he has recently visited family in London, establishing new links.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Good-quality care plans provide clarity regarding the objectives of the young person’s placement. Regular review of these objectives identifies progress and areas where further work is required. Key work is effective, providing opportunities to discuss topics, including healthy eating, activities and the move to supported accommodation. Some work on sexual health and relationships, undertaken in conjunction with the youth offending team, has proved successful. This helps to build the young person’s social skills and confidence and to ensure his good health in this area.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person utilises various forums to express his views. In addition to key work sessions, he attends regular house meetings, has access to an advocate and understands how to make a complaint. He attends meetings about his care, ensuring that his opinions are heard.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The biggest, sustained improvement has been in the young person’s behaviour, especially in the community and in the home. This is because staff more fully understand his needs and behaviours and he, in turn, understands staff, appropriate behaviour and boundaries. This means that he is safer in the community and is learning more appropriate responses to others, and that there has been a substantial reduction in criminal activity. He now accesses the community by himself, which is a significant achievement since the last inspection. Improved behaviour in the home is helping the young person forge stronger relationships with staff. This is a very stable placement, which is recognised by the placing authority and other professionals. The young person also recognises his progress, stating that the best thing that staff have done for him is to help him to improve his behaviour.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Positive behaviour is rewarded with activities, such as a trip to the fairground. Sanctions are imposed for negative behaviour. The effectiveness of these is monitored by the manager, and the young person often discusses these in his key work sessions, where there are indications that he is learning from his actions. Physical intervention is not Inspection report children’s home: SC462149 5 used in this home. Recording of all forms of incidents has improved. Records provide clarity about the triggers to an incident, and there is good review and reflection by staff and the manager, identifying learning for individual staff and the team as a whole.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Incidents of absence and being missing from the home have substantially decreased. Staff record any incidents and follow correct processes, ensuring as swift a return as possible. Staff appropriately chase the local authority to carry out return interviews, in order to understand the reasons for any absence and to prevent future occurrences.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Detailed assessments identify a range of risks, potential triggers and the most appropriate strategies for staff to use to reduce risk. This includes assessment of risk of radicalisation. Strategies used clearly link to training undertaken by staff. This helps to keep him safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Monthly fire drills are carried out, and the young person mostly complies. On the rare occasions when he does not evacuate, this is discussed in key work sessions, ensuring that he understands the importance of leaving the premises in the event of a fire.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff undertake safeguarding training, and the process for forwarding concerns to the designated officer is clearly identified in policies. On the rare occasions when concerns have been raised or an allegation has been made, these are usually referred and investigated appropriately. One allegation has not been referred to the designated officer in a prompt manner. The registered manager informed his own internal personnel and, later on, the social worker, but did not take responsibility for informing the designated officer. Additionally, he did not notify Ofsted of an allegation. Two requirements are made to reflect these shortfalls. The designated officer was later informed by the company safeguarding lead. Although this matter was not escalated by the designated officer and the young person was not harmed, a lack of swift and appropriate action in future could have a more serious outcome.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have shown great tenacity, resilience, compassion and commitment during a difficult period, dealing with some extremely challenging behaviour. This has undoubtedly helped the young person to turn around his behaviour and improve his interactions with staff and the community. One professional stated, ‘Staff resilience is great. It is intense with one young person, but there is always a sense of optimism here.’ New staff bring new skills and experiences that, combined with the existing staff team, helps to meet the young person’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A variety of staff training in subjects such as medication, health and safety, radicalisation, autism and attachment theory helps to safeguard the young person and enables staff to meet his needs more effectively. Staff are either qualified to the appropriate level, are on the relevant course or are on probation. This means that suitably qualified personnel work with the young person. The manager has recently completed his level 5 diploma in leadership and brings a wealth of experience to the role. Inspection report children’s home: SC462149 6 Good-quality supervisions enable staff to discuss their well-being and the young person and help to build their confidence. Team meetings afford staff the opportunity to discuss how they are feeling and the progress of the young person, and to seek additional support. Items from the resident meetings are brought to the team meeting for discussion, which ensures that his views are heard by staff. They also reflect on the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

findings from the independent visitor. This ensures that all staff are involved in progressing the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring is effective. The young person’s progress is recorded and monitored, and a summary report is produced on a monthly basis. Monitoring by the independent visitor and the manager’s own monitoring scrutinise the young person’s progress and all aspects of the service delivery, including staffing and health and safety. A good development plan highlights five focus areas for improvement. Progress in these areas is recorded monthly, and photographs and reports provide evidence of achievements. Generally, the quality of documentation and record-keeping has significantly improved since the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is some good work in partnership with other agencies to improve the all-round care and help the young person progress. This is most evident with education and with the work with the youth offending team on understanding sexual health and relationships. When others are slow to act appropriately, the manager challenges effectively to help the young person to receive good care.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC462149 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions II Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Acorn Care and Education Ltd, 1 Merchants Place, River Street, Bolton BL2 1BX

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Inspector

Judith Longden, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC462149 8 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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