Children's home run by Pathfinders (childcare) Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report children’s home: SC059945 1 SC059945 Registered provider: Pathfinders (Childcare) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide accommodation for up to two vulnerable young people who require medium- to long-term care on a 1:1 living basis.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 28 to 29 November 2018

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 14 November 2017

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: SC059945 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/11/2017 Full Outstanding 09/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 26/07/2016 Full Outstanding 15/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC059945 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm and that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) and (2)(b)(e)) 11/01/2019

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the independent scrutiny of the home is completed and reported on in a timely way. Furthermore, that the information provided by this scrutiny supports the continuous improvement of the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)  Ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) In particular, that assessments and incident reports are clearly recorded, updated on a regular basis and that the information in them is not ambiguous.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The welfare and care of children and young people are at the heart of this home. The ethos of the home is built on trust, honesty and a can-do attitude. Staff are nurturing and passionate about the care that they provide. They ensure that they provide a therapeutic environment where children and young people can thrive. Children and Inspection report children’s home: SC059945 4 young people invest in the home and enjoy living here.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are extremely committed to their roles and always do their best for the children and young people. Consequently, children and young people make extremely good progress and risk-taking behaviours reduce considerably. Children and young people feel safe and happy and speak very fondly about living here.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children and young people say that staff really care for them and want them to have positive experiences and outcomes in life. Children and young people can identify with the progress that they have made, and they are proud of their achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are strong advocates for the children and young people. They ensure that children and young people have access to a range of services that will meet their needs and support them to make positive progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children and young people receive support to establish and maintain positive relationships. As a result, relationships improve with their families. Children and young people enjoy having regular contact with their families and this increases over time. Children and young people speak positively about contact arrangements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Parents are complimentary about the home. One parent said that, ‘[name of child] is getting fantastic care and support by all members of staff. We are always made to feel welcome. We come away knowing that [name of the child] is loved and well cared for.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

When children and young people move on, they do so in a planned and considered way. Staff ensure that children and young people are settled in their new placements and remain in contact where appropriate.

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

Children and young people have access to excellent levels of support. Staff are sensitive and insightful into the needs of the children and young people. They know the children and young people well and this helps them to keep children and young people safe.

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

Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities. They work within policies and procedures to keep children and young people safe. However, staff do not routinely assess, monitor and review all presenting risks. In particular, relating to children and young people accessing the internet.

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

Staff manage safeguarding concerns effectively and in a timely way. They are proactive and ensure that children and young people are safe and, furthermore, that children and young people feel safe. While children and young people are always protected, child protection policies would benefit from a review. This is largely to ensure that they link in with local authorities’ child protection policies and procedures.

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

Records are, on the whole, good. They enable the reader to understand the child’s journey. However, there are times when records are not clear and are open to Inspection report children’s home: SC059945 5 interpretation. Recording systems would benefit from having clearer processes in place.

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

Staff help children and young people to understand their behaviours and support them to manage and regulate these. Staff will also seek help and guidance from other professionals. This is to ensure that they have the required knowledge and skills to help and protect the children and young people.

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

Children and young people engage in education that meets their individual needs. Children and young people achieve recognised qualifications. These qualifications give them opportunities and choices as young adults. Furthermore, education helps them to grow in confidence and to believe in themselves.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The current manager was registered with Ofsted on 28 July 2009.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers are passionate about their roles, and they deliver the highest standard of care and support for children and young people. Managers lead by example, and they ensure that children and young people have a positive experience of living here.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers support and empower staff to develop their knowledge and skills. As a result, staff grow in confidence and competence and have high expectations of themselves and each other. Consequently, the standard of practice is consistently high.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff recognise that each child and young person is different and they empower children and young people to thrive. Staff help children and young people to understand their current situations. Furthermore, staff help children and young people to concentrate on the positives and on how they can feel settled, happy and safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have regular supervision and day-to-day communication, and support is excellent. Staff receive effective training that enhances their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers and staff recognise the value in working in a multi-agency way. They seek out support and guidance from others to ensure that children and young people achieve the best possible outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professionals speak highly of the home. One social worker said, ‘It has been an absolute pleasure working with [name of the manager] and her team. They always go the extra mile and ensure that the young people are well cared for. Communication is fabulous. I would like to say a massive thank you for all of [name of the manager]’s hard work, dedication and commitment.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC059945 6

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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: SC059945 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathfinders (Childcare) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Middle Red Lumb Farm, Red Lumb, Rochdale OL12 7TX

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Elizabeth Cooper

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Inspector

Lisa Gregoire-Parker: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC059945 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 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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