Children's home run by Pathways Care Group Limited in Runnymede

Inspection report children’s home: SC417031 1 SC417031 Registered provider: Pathways Care Group 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

The home is run by a private organisation and is registered for the care and accommodation of up to four children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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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 outstanding

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC417031 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2017 Full Good 24/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 19/07/2016 Full Good 12/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC417031 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has had a mostly settled year since the previous inspection. Two young people stayed at the home for short placements and left in unplanned ways. One of these young people had a successful outcome moving to independence but the other left quickly after their behaviour became too challenging. The children and young people currently living at the home are very settled and are making good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have created a relaxed homely atmosphere where the children and young people are able to build strong relationships with the adults and where they are able to thrive. The staff are accepting and patient and offer high standards of care and nurturing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Several of the children and young people are benefiting from working with external specialist workers and this is contributing positively to their emotional well-being. They also benefit from individualised work with staff. This builds trust, confidence and resilience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children and young people currently living at the home are making good progress with their education. Two children and young people have been supported to re-engage with their education since moving to the home after being out of education for a number of years. The staff make good efforts to source the best education placements for the children and young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have worked well with the families of a number of the children and young people. This has promoted better relationships and has contributed significantly towards the progress made by the children and young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people have a say in the running of the home and clearly contribute to their care planning. One young person is working closely with staff to acquire skills around moving on to independence and is making good progress with this.

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

The children and young people at this home are kept safe. Staff understand risk and are able to make good assessments and put good controls in place in order to minimise risk. The staff put in place good routines and have clear boundaries and expectations which work well to promote safeguarding.

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

Two young people were previously at high risk of child sexual exploitation. The staff have worked hard with them and in both cases have reduced the risk substantially.

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

One child was at high risk because they frequently went missing prior to moving to this home. The staff have worked well with this child and their family and have significantly reduced these incidents to the point where the child no longer feels the need to go Inspection report children’s home: SC417031 4 missing.

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

One young person who only had a short placement did cause some disruption in the home and was responsible for some bullying of one of the other young people. Staff addressed this issue quickly and the young person’s placement was terminated. While this action was appropriate and did safeguard the other young people, it was a poor outcome for the young person who left. The registered manager stated that the planning timescales for the admission were affected by the previous placement breaking down. Therefore, the admission of this young person was earlier than anticipated. Once in the home, the young person expressed a wish to live in another area and the manager supported this move.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has been in post for over five years and is highly experienced. He is also appropriately qualified. He has led the team well and has built a strong staff team and appointed a strong deputy manager. He has overseen the steady development of the home and has raised the standard of care practices within the home. He has had good support from the provider organisation and has been able to negotiate additional support and resources for the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

He has led by example, making excellent relationships with the children and young people. He contributes significantly to the individual work carried out with the children and young people and has a thorough understanding of their needs, of the progress they are making and of what they need to make further progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

External professionals spoken to by the inspector were unanimous in their admiration and praise for the registered manager. They said that he was ‘inspirational’, tenacious’ and an ‘excellent manager’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff told the inspector how supportive the registered manager was. They describe him as approachable and knowledgeable. He provides good supervision and training and promotes their development and learning. He has high expectations of his staff and they respond well to this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is ambitious for all the children and young people. He is certainly tenacious when it comes to obtaining resources and ensuring that all the children and young people get the services they need. He challenges others when necessary and is a strong advocate at all times. He is confident, skilled and knowledgeable. He has ensured that the recommendations made at the previous inspection have been met.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC417031 5 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: SC417031 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathways Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Minton Place, Victoria Street, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1EG

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Inspector

Colin Imrie, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC417031 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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