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

Inspection report children’s home: SC406063 1 SC406063 Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions 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 owned by a large private company. The children who live here have either physical or learning disabilities. The home’s statement of purpose states: ‘The home provides a high standard of care, educational support and accommodation for up to five children and young people, aged between six and nineteen years. It provides a holistic, safe, stimulating and supporting family environment where children and young people cared for can live, learn and develop.’

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Information about this children’s home

The home is currently without a registered manager.

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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: 5 September 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Inspection report children’s home: SC406063 2 05/09/2017 Full Outstanding 09/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 17/11/2016 Full Outstanding 25/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC406063 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 make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23(1)(2)(c)) 28/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33(4)(b)(c)) 28/09/2018

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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. (Regulation 39(3)) 28/09/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who live in the home have diverse and complex needs, and are well supported by individualised care planning, effective multiagency working and good staffing ratios. This enables children to make progress. One parent said: ‘My child has blossomed. She has come on in leaps and bounds.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The relationships between children and staff are very good. Staff demonstrate a high degree of care, and know the children and their needs very well. A parent said: ‘My child is really settled in at the home and really enjoys living there. All the carers look after my child with so much care, love and attention.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health improves as a result of living in this home. For example, the frequency Inspection report children’s home: SC406063 4 of one child’s seizures and hospital admissions has significantly decreased. This has enabled him to access education and the community to an extent that was unheard of previously. A social worker said: ‘There is a massive difference. He is a changed lad.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children have some form of educational provision. Staff support this in a variety of ways, for example by providing transport and giving assistance in the classroom. They also communicate well with the school, attend meetings and parents’ evenings, and challenge when necessary.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A particular strength of this home is the commitment of the staff to ensuring that children have a wealth of positive experiences. Children are not disadvantaged because of their disabilities. Staff work exceptionally hard to make sure that children access the community, do things that they enjoy and have experiences that they may otherwise not have, including going swimming, going on holidays and visiting theme parks. A parent confirmed this, saying: ‘Staff do things I would not be able to do like boat trips and rides. My child’s quality of life is better with the opportunities that have been given.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children can access therapeutic support which is commissioned by the home. This is beneficial in improving their emotional well-being, behaviour and sense of self. The therapist commented: ‘The child has developed socially and emotionally and has the ability to regulate much better. Incidents are much reduced.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children have very complicated and extensive medication routines. There have been a number of medication errors in the past. This has been addressed by implementing a monitored dosage system. While this has minimised errors, the recording of medication administered is not good enough and there are a number of gaps in the medication administration records. In addition, the medication refrigerator is not working correctly and the recorded temperatures are high. The manager was unaware of this and took immediate steps to rectify the shortfall, including checking that the integrity of the medication had not been compromised.

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

Children are kept safe in this home because staffing levels are good and children are well supervised. This prevents them from coming to harm. Staff understand their roles and responsibilities in regard to safeguarding children, and are particularly aware of the vulnerabilities that affect those children who have the most complex needs. Staff have access to specific training on safeguarding children who have disabilities.

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

Children in this home are not involved in risk-taking behaviour such as going missing. However, because they have complex needs, they have other vulnerabilities. Their individual and specific risks are well assessed. Risk assessments provide clear, comprehensive written guidance for staff on how to minimise the risk of harm. These are regularly reviewed and updated.

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

There are comprehensive behaviour management plans that provide staff with clear Inspection report children’s home: SC406063 5 written guidance so that children are supported consistently. Physical intervention is used rarely, but, when it is used, it is appropriate, recorded and subject to managerial oversight.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been recent changes in the leadership team. The home is currently without a registered manager and an assistant manager, although an experienced manager from another home is covering the managerial post. Consequently, the staff have experienced an unsettled time and there have been some shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home. Despite this, the care given to the children has been good. The provider has acted swiftly to try and rectify the situation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are good systems for monitoring the home. The independent visitor provides regular and comprehensive reports of her visits. These reports are used to improve the home. In addition, there are effective internal monitoring and audit systems, which also include the views of parents, children and other professionals. This ensures that the manager and provider are fully aware of the strengths of the home and the areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well trained and receive regular refresher training to ensure that they can meet the complex needs of the children. This results in a competent workforce that delivers a high quality of care. Because there are a number of new members of staff, not all have achieved the level 3 diploma. However, once they pass their probation periods they are enrolled on the course. There are sufficient qualified staff to support the service. The acting manager has highlighted staff development as an area for improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are very committed to the children. They want the best for them and are aspirational for them to achieve as much as possible. Staff morale is good, despite the changes, and the staff feel well supported. However, annual appraisals are overdue and there have been some shortfalls in the frequency of staff supervision. Consequently, there may be missed opportunities for staff to reflect on their practice and develop their skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Complaints are taken seriously and used to improve the service. However, although the investigation of each complaint is thorough, the recording of the process is not. Therefore, it is difficult to see if the complainant feels the issue has been resolved satisfactorily.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC406063 6 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: SC406063 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions 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

Ros Chapman: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC406063 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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