Children's Home run by Pathway Care Solutions Ltd 04004053 in Nottingham

Inspection report children’s home: 1212708 1 Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Ltd 04004053 Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is owned and operated by an independent provider.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last full inspection, four requirements and six recommendations were made. The majority of these have been met. The failure to sufficiently address the other shortfalls has been viewed alongside the very good progress that young people have made since the last inspection. Therefore the judgement is that the home has sustained effectiveness. Two requirements and one recommendation related to the health of young people. These have been met. The staff’s responses to young people under the influence of drugs or alcohol are now good. They seek medical advice appropriately. The staff’s knowledge in this area is improving because they have access to a range of resources for information and support. Staff have been booked onto a drugs and alcohol awareness training course. A requirement from the last inspection, which referred to the need for an up-to-date Inspection report children’s home: 1212708 2 pathway plan to be in place for one child, has been met.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Recommendations concerning education attendance, recording of return interviews when a child has been missing and the evaluation of sanctions have also been met. One requirement is repeated. At the last inspection it was found that the staff’s responses to two incidents were poor, potentially increasing risks for young people while they are in the community. Since then, the responses to incidents have been mostly excellent. Actions taken by staff when a young person was missing helped to locate them swiftly and keep them safe. Some excellent joint work with the police and local authority representatives has established strategies for maintaining the safety of young people and reducing their risk of sexual exploitation. However, on one occasion, staff failed to act in accordance with a young person’s risk assessment and missing-from- home protocol, leaving the young person, and others, in a vulnerable position. Because

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

this was a repeated failure, the registered manager took swift action to investigate how this happened. However, it is not clear what performance management actions have since been taken. Therefore, in addition to the repeated requirement, a recommendation is made in relation to staff performance. Two recommendations are also repeated. These concern the upkeep of records to provide an accurate picture of the care of the young people. One relates to recording the time that police are notified when a young person is missing from the home. The other refers to recording the outcome of a concern raised by the registered manager regarding another agency. One further shortfall was identified during this inspection, resulting in a recommendation: the registered manager does not always refer to the views of young people or their families when preparing her report on the quality of care provided. One young person has made outstanding progress since the last inspection. He is now in

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

full-time education and doing well. He is also engaging with health professionals and this is making an enormous difference to his emotional health and well-being. He is enjoying activities with a friend from a neighbouring home, which is building his confidence and social skills. Young people who are new to the home are already making very good progress. This includes attending school, having been out of education for some time, and accessing leisure activities that they have never done before. Staff plan well for young people moving into the home. This enables young people to settle quickly. Young people have moved on from the home as planned. Staff continue to advocate for them, ensuring that other organisations contribute to their ongoing support as required. The independent visitor comes to the home each month. Their reports provide an account of progress and identify any shortfalls in the home. The manager acts swiftly to

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

address any concerns raised. Inspection report children’s home: 1212708 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/04/2016 Full Good

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that staff assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

that staff take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12(2)(a )(i) and (vi)) 31/03/2018

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Recommendations

 The registered person should oversee the welfare of the children in their care through engagement with each child and each child’s family/carers where appropriate. This relates to the inclusion of their views in the Regulation 45 report. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.23)  The registered person must ensure that performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) Inspection report children’s home: 1212708 4  All children’s case records must be kept up to date and stored securely. This is in relation to recording the outcome of a concern raised with another organisation. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)  Staff should understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording.

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Recommendations

This specifically relates to recording the time when police are called when a child goes missing. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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 differences 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

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

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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Ltd 04004053

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Merchant’s Place, River Road, Bolton, Lancashire BL2 1BX

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Inspector

Inspection report children’s home: 1212708 5 Judith Longden, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1212708 6 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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