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

Inspection report children‘s home: SC462148 1 SC462148 Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children‘s home is operated by a private provider. Its statement of purpose states that it provides medium- to long-term placements for children who have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. It aims to offer a high standard of care and support in a safe, stimulating and supportive family environment. The home provides a placement for one child.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has a registered manager who is suitably qualified and experienced.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‘s home: SC462148 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/06/2017 Full Good 07/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 09/11/2016 Full Good 14/12/2015 Interim Not judged Inspection report children‘s home: SC462148 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 registered person must ensure that— within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— the name of the child; details of the child‘s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; the name of the person who used the measure (―the user‖), and of any other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (―the authorised

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Requirement Due date

person‖)— has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv)) 31/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(b)) 31/08/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the records in Schedule 4 are kept up to date. (Regulation 37(2)(b) schedule 4(3))

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Requirement Due date

This is with reference to ensuring that the staff duty roster is a record of the actual rosters worked. 31/08/2018 Inspection report children‘s home: SC462148 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should:

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Recommendations

detail the necessary management and staffing structure (including any staff commissioned to provide health and education), the experience and qualifications of staff currently working within the staffing structure and any further training required for those staff, to enable the delivery of the home‘s Statement of Purpose; detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training (such as safeguarding, health and safety and mandatory qualifications);detail the process for managing and improving poor performance; detail the process and timescales for supervision of practice (see regulation 33(4)(b)) and keep appropriate records for staff in the home. The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home, and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff – including the

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Recommendations

home‘s manager. (‗Guide to the children‘s homes regulations including the quality standards‘, page 53, paragraph 10.8) Inspection report children‘s home: SC462148 5

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child benefits from a long-term, stable placement at this home. She has made significant progress in a number of areas as a consequence of the consistent therapeutic approach to providing care and support. The therapist said: ‗She has made amazing progress socially, educationally and emotionally.‘ Bedtime routines are now established, and the child is now able to settle far better at night. Her social worker commented: ‗She is doing brilliantly.‘

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Educational outcomes are significantly improved. From a baseline of non-school attendance, the child is now attending full time and is engaging very well in classroom and group settings. The learning mentor said: ‗The progress has been immense.‘ The home supports school attendance by providing transport, as this helps the child to settle and engage much better once she is there.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Experiences are very positive, and the child is happy at this home. She has regular activities that she enjoys, such as ice skating and dancing. These activities are important in promoting social interaction, developing self-confidence and increasing the level of physical activity. The home also supports contact with people who are important to her. This ensures that significant relationships are maintained.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships in the home are good. The child likes the staff, and staff speak warmly and positively about her. The child can talk to staff if she has any concerns or worries, and she feels well supported. Her views are valued, and regular residents‘ meetings ensure that she can contribute her opinions. The child said: ‗Staff really look after me and I feel safe.‘

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

Children are safe in this home. The staff and manager understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding and child protection. They benefit from training that includes how to recognise and protect children from sexual exploitation, radicalisation and the risks from social media. Any allegations against staff have been dealt with appropriately.

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

Children become safer as a result of living in this home. Risk-taking behaviour, such as self-harm, has been reduced. Although going missing from care is not an issue currently, there are clear, written protocols that provide staff with clear guidance about the actions to take in response. Comprehensive risk assessments also provide clear guidance to staff to help them to reduce and manage known risks.

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

There has been a significant reduction in incidents of aggression and damage in the last three months. This is very positive. The staff team is more consistent, and has benefited from consultations with the therapist that have enabled staff to understand and respond to presenting behaviours. However, the record of physical intervention is not maintained Inspection report children‘s home: SC462148 6 as it should be. One incident that occurred a week ago had not been recorded in the record of physical intervention. Managerial oversight has been significantly delayed on a number of occasions, and there is limited evidence that the child has been spoken to and her views recorded. Consequently, any poor practice or concerns are not being dealt with promptly and improvements cannot be implemented in a timely way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home had an unsettled time at the start of the year. The manager had a period of extended absence and several staff left. This had a negative impact on the child and the remaining staff. The manager recognised and addressed this on his return to work, and the results of his actions are demonstrated in the positive outcomes for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working is well established and is good. Communication with local authority social workers and education providers is prompt and there is good information sharing. This promotes consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are child focused and committed to providing a good standard of care and support. They now feel more supported and say that the difficult few months helped them to come together more as a team. Staff benefit from regular team meetings, supervision and training. They are able to reflect on their practice and gain a better understanding of how to provide a therapeutic approach to care, because they have regular consultations with a therapist. However, the home does not have a workforce development plan. It is therefore difficult to establish how the manager ensures that the staff are competent, how poor practice is challenged and how their skills are developed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff rota for the home does not provide an accurate account of who is actually working in the home. For example, on one occasion a member of staff worked in another home but the rota was not amended to account for that change. Similarly, changes in hours are not detailed. Additionally, the manager and assistant manager are on the rota for this home but their time is shared between this and another home. These inaccuracies limit accountability and accurate monitoring in the event of an incident or dispute.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff and manager are providing care and support in a way that is consistent with the home‘s statement of purpose. However, the revised version has not been sent to Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, as required. This does not afford the regulator with the opportunity to assess and respond to any proposed changes. Inspection report children‘s home: SC462148 7

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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: SC462148 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Ltd

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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

Ros Chapman, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children‘s home: SC462148 9 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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