Children's Home run by Pathway Care Solutions Ltd in Rotherham

Inspection report children’s home: 1263201 1 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 is a privately owned and run children’s home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children or young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager is committed to providing care to children and young people on a long-, medium- and short-term basis, depending on the needs of the child or young person. The home endeavours to provide a holistic, safe, stimulating and supportive family environment in which children and young people are cared for and can live, learn and develop. The manager has been registered since the home was opened in August 2017.

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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: 6 February 2018

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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: 1263201 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/02/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1263201 3

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20) In particular, the manager should ensure that all staff are aware and abide by the provider’s smoking policy, as outlined in section 49, paragraphs 49.2–49.5 of the provider’s policy manual.  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. When there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Recommendations

In particular, the manager should ensure that individual risk assessments are in place for friends and relatives who visit the home.  Records of restraint must be kept and should enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure that it meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59) In particular, improve the quality of the recording of a restraints, the techniques used and the manager’s evaluation.  Medicines must be administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Records must be kept of the administration of all medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is refused. (‘Guide to the children’s homes

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Recommendations

regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15) In particular, the manager and staff must ensure that controlled medication is recorded in accordance with best practice. Inspection report children’s home: 1263201 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people enjoy positive relationships with the staff. The staff come to know the children’s and young people’s likes and dislikes. The staff use their knowledge of the children and young people to tailor the care to their personal needs. One member of staff said: ‘We make the young people’s care individualised and we work with young people to make progress at their pace.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people live in a spacious environment that has many home comforts. The home is well furnished and full of age-appropriate toys, games and craft materials. The children and young people enjoy a range of activities, such as trips to the cinema, meals out and horse riding. One young person said: ‘I like it here. The staff are brilliant. I could bring my pet rabbit and guinea pig with me. I have done the best here, more than any other placements.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The health and well-being of the children and young people are prioritised and incorporated into their day-to-day care. Healthy eating is actively encouraged, and the children and young people are involved in menu planning through informed choices. More specialist help is actively sourced, and the children and young people are supported to attend their appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children and young people are supported to attend education. Staff have been proactive in identifying the most appropriate provision, tailored to their learning needs. This has helped the children and young people to reintegrate into education, where they are now achieving 100% attendance. A headteacher said: ‘(Name of child) is settling very well. She is making good progress. When she first came she would not do anything, but now she will try everything.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Contact with friends and family is promoted and encouraged. Family relationships are nurtured. For some children and young people, this has resulted in a reduction in the amount of supervision and an increase in overnight stays. Friends visit the home and go on activities. These experiences give the children and young people a sense of family life. The manager needs to ensure that individualised risk assessments are carried out on friends and family members who visit the home.

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

Staff know the children and young people very well. The longer the children and young people have been in placement, the more able the staff are in predicting and understanding their triggers that result in risk to self and others. As a result, there has been an overall reduction in the use of restraint.

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

When there has been a need for restraint, the inspector has noted shortfalls in some of the recording activity. The manager needs to improve the quality of the records of a restraint, the measures used to monitor well-being and the manager’s evaluation. A Inspection report children’s home: 1263201 5 recommendation has been made at this inspection.

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

The children’s and young people’s risks and vulnerabilities have been reduced because staff are vigilant and consistent in their practice. Children and young people do not go missing, and the risks associated with child sexual exploitation have been significantly reduced. Staff have a comprehensive understanding of the ‘missing from care’ procedures and good working relationships with the community police liaison officer.

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

The children and young people feel safe, because safeguarding procedures are robust. Placement plans and behaviour management strategies are well documented and reviewed to ensure that current risks are clearly understood.

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

Recent learning and refresher training have been undertaken following a medication error, and practice has improved. The daily record of controlled drugs is not always in line with best practice. There have been a few gaps in the records of the dates, times and dosages. Should there be further medication errors, this would make it hard for the manager to identify the error and address it. A recommendation has been made at this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is skilled and experienced and holds relevant qualifications suitable to her role. She knows the children and young people very well, and her hands- on approach and rapport with the children and young people add to their sense of security and well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff feel extremely well supported by the manager. They receive regular and reflective supervision which helps them to feel confident about their work. The staff are happy and enjoy their work, because they feel valued and part of a team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff undergo training and development, which enhances their learning. Specific training has been delivered in areas such as attachment and trauma. The manager has sought specialist advice and guidance from the children and adolescent mental health services that have supported the staff in their care of the children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Equally, children and young people have completed online training in fire safety and first aid. One young person said: ‘I do the same training as the staff, and have certificates to prove it.’ Participation and consultation with the children and young people are a key strength and have helped them to feel included in day-to-day decisions about their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff need to be mindful of the health and safety risks associated with smoking and its harmful effects on children and young people. The manager must ensure that the staff team is compliant with the provider’s smoking policy and demonstrates effective role modelling. A recommendation has been made at this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been given advice on including more detail in the location risk assessment to incorporate concerns relating to child sexual exploitation and county lines. Inspection report children’s home: 1263201 6 Communication with partner agencies and professionals is regular. The manager and staff have established positive relationships that benefit the children and young people. Inspection report children’s home: 1263201 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: 1263201 8

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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(s)

Cath Sikakana: social care inspector Jamie Richardson: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1263201 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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