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

Inspection report children’s home: SC391594 1 SC391594 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

A private provider operates this children’s home. The home provides care and accommodation for up to three children or young people. Placements for children or young people can be short, medium and long term. The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced and has managed the home since 2009.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC391594 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/07/2017 Full Outstanding 13/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 17/08/2016 Full Outstanding 19/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC391594 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, the 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 registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. The registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI’s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding twelve months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. (Regulation 39(3) and (5)) In particular, the manager needs to be consistent in investigating, recording and reviewing complaints made by or on behalf of children. 31/05/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people receive care from a dedicated and stable team of staff who offer a range of skills and experiences in meeting their diverse needs. Progress for children and young people is varied relative to their starting points, cognitive ability and learning needs. A non-verbal child has begun to make phonic sounds and is learning simple Makaton symbols due to the resolve of one member of staff. Staff encourage and facilitate family contact that has seen relationships with parents and carers maintained and nurtured. Parents and family members report close communication and supervisory support from staff during contact. Equally, staff support the children and young people in developing emotional resilience. This is evident when the children and young people have experienced childhood trauma and continue to feel let down through inconsistent messages and false promises. Teaching the young people age-appropriate life skills and supporting them into

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

independence has opened doors to a range of options. Progression, particularly semi- supported accommodation, has seen some delay. However, the manager is quick to challenge the placing authority when she has concerns about a young person’s future when leaving care. Education for all the children and young people living at the home is encouraged and Inspection report children’s home: SC391594 4 promoted. Staff ensure that they have all the relevant education plans and up-to-date information pertaining to each child and young person that enables them to work in partnership. Regular, and at times daily, communication with education providers offers a continuum of care and support. Children and young people are exposed to, and encouraged to participate in, a wide range of activities and opportunities commensurate with their individual interests and hobbies. One young person has kept up her interest in boxing and the children enjoy

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

trips to the park, cinema and playing on the trampoline. Regular residents’ meetings and the ‘voice and influence’ questionnaires give the children and young people the opportunity to share their views, make suggestions about their daily routines and express their individual likes and dislikes. For instance, one child has requested ‘glow in the dark’ stars and moons on their ceiling, while another young person has requested a trip to Alton Towers.

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

The children and young people are protected from harm due to the diligence and supervision of the staff team. Staffing ratios ensure that safe care both in the home and in the community is underpinned by individual risk assessments and behaviour management plans. Staff are adept at predicting triggers that can result in a child or young person going into crisis. Timely responses to incidents of going missing from care and strategies used to reduce further incidents have been effective. Staff take appropriate measures to escalate concerns and implement the statutory guidance in requesting return home interviews. Well-managed processes are in place to allow one young person to take age-appropriate risks as part of developing their independence. There have been a proportionately high number of physical interventions since the last inspection, but all these incidents involved young people who are no longer resident.

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

During this period, staff received additional training and reflection through debriefing sessions from the independent MAPA trainer. An evaluation of these physical interventions during the inspection deemed them to be proportionate and applied to prevent harm to self and others. The manager has completed a medication incident review following a procedural shortfall in administering medication on one occasion. A more effective monitoring and checking system is in place that will greatly reduce a further occurrence. This has been discussed with staff in individual supervisions and during a team meeting.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced in her role, having managed the home for a number of years. Her hands-on approach and nurturing personality have enabled the children and young people to form positive attachments. She has an in-depth and well-documented understanding of the needs of the young people in her care. The manager continues to have high ambitions and leads a loyal and committed staff Inspection report children’s home: SC391594 5 team. Many of the staff have worked at the home for a number of years and, for some children and young people, they have effectively ‘grown up’ being cared for by the same staff. This commitment to the children and young people has contributed towards positive outcomes and a sense of belonging. Effective partnership working is a key strength of the home. Partners include agencies such as health services, education providers, the police and more specialist services. The

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

manager and staff take their corporate parenting role seriously and advocate on behalf of the children and young people in their care. The manager utilises external and internal monitoring systems to improve and develop practice. Equally, feedback from children, professionals and stakeholders is used to identify any shortfalls and to evaluate service delivery. There has been some procedural inconsistency and lack of oversight in investigating and recording complaints that have been received by or on behalf of children. The manager has acknowledged this and taken on board these shortfalls. A requirement has been made at this inspection. Similarly, the manager has a clearer understanding of what constitutes a serious incident and advice has been given to ensure that the regulator is appropriately notified when such incidents occur.

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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

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: SC391594 6

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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: 1 Merchants Place, River Street, Bolton, Lancashire BL2 1BX

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Inspector

Cath Sikakana, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC391594 7 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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