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

Inspection report children’s home: SC051739 1 SC051739 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

This privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to three children and young people 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 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: 12 September 2017

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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: SC051739 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/09/2017 Full Good 20/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 29/11/2016 Full Good 26/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC051739 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) and (2)(c)(i)(ii)) 28/12/2018

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Recommendations

 All children must have access to appropriate advocacy support, and where possible this should be provided by a person that the child chooses. Looked-after children are entitled to an independent advocate to advise them and ensure they have the support needed to express their views, wishes and feelings about their care and lives. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.16)  The registered person must ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to: respond to the health needs of children; administer basic first aid and minor illness treatment; help children to manage long-term conditions and where necessary meet specific individual health needs arising from a disability, chronic condition or other complex needs. (‘Guide to the children’s Inspection report children’s home: SC051739 4 homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.12)

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Recommendations

In particular, ensure that young people have access to emergency medication when not in the home.  Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) This relates to the organisation of recording to ensure that staff can access information easily and consistently. This also relates to the recording of complaints and feedback from young people, parents and professionals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress in all aspects of their development. An independent reviewing officer said: ‘Since [child’s name] moved here, she has made significant improvements in her life, especially in relation to her social development.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children develop trusted relationships with staff and they reported that they feel safe at the home. One child said: ‘I get on with staff. It’s good to talk to my keyworker when I want to get some stuff off my chest.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children are making good progress in relation to their education. Education is encouraged and promoted by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff motivate children to take part in individual activities, to stay active and to follow their interests. This promotes children’s general well-being and self-confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff fully support children to keep in touch with their family and friends. This includes supervising and transporting children to visits. Staff work well with parents and carers. One parent said: ‘They offer holistic care. I know that the staff worry and care about her. She trusts staff and she is in a much happier place.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Individual key-working sessions are carried out effectively. These sessions focus on specific safeguarding concerns which are relevant to the children. This work enables children to openly discuss their views and begin to have a better understanding of the consequence of their behaviours.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home needs some redecoration and some new furnishing, as it is looking tired. Some areas, namely bathrooms and toilets, appear institutionalised. Children need additional support to ensure that they respect their personal spaces. A requirement is made in relation to this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children do not have access to advocacy support. One child is approaching a period of Inspection report children’s home: SC051739 5 transition and could benefit from this independent support. A recommendation is made in relation to this.

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

Children reported that they feel safe and that they are supported to stay safe.

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

Comprehensive risk assessments that are clear, regularly reviewed and updated help to ensure children’s safety and protection. There is a reduction in risk for all children during their time at the home.

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

There are good working relationships with key agencies. Staff are proactive in information sharing. Stakeholders reported that children’s risks reduce over time as they settle in the home and develop secure relationships with staff.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. If this does happen, staff are vigilant in their responses. They follow the missing-from-home protocols and report to relevant agencies in a timely manner.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s needs and histories. This, combined with positive relationships, leads to a reduced number of behaviour management incidents. There have been no physical interventions since the last inspection.

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

Staff receive up-to-date training in respect of a range of issues in safeguarding children. The registered manager is creative in accessing up-to-date training for the staff.

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

Children are healthy, and their health is maintained through regular check-ups with universal services, as well as specialist support. A recommendation is made in relation to children having access to emergency medication when in unusual circumstances, for example police custody.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leadership and management of the home are strong. The registered manager and the assistant manager are very experienced. The registered manager has excellent working relationships with stakeholders, which in turn promotes positive outcomes for children. A social worker said: ‘I have good communication from the home. The registered manager is very flexible and is a good manager. She is very available and supportive.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has worked to address the requirement and recommendations from the previous inspection. This has included ensuring that Ofsted receives notifications, and the development of risk assessments. A recommendation is made in relation to the organisation of key documents and is made to ensure that staff are consistent in their recording. This recommendation also covers the recording of Inspection report children’s home: SC051739 6 complaints and stakeholder feedback.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staffing is sufficient and is now stable. The staff team is at full capacity and team members are working together to promote and develop the ethos of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Communication with other agencies and parents is excellent. There are good arrangements in place to ensure that people are working well together.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The development plan is a live document. This shows the progress of plans that have been developed throughout the year. This is combined with evidence of positive opportunities and experiences for children. There is a clear drive for the development of staff’s knowledge, research and practice.

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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: SC051739 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions II 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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Inspectors

Bev Allison, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC051739 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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