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

Inspection report children’s home: SC374405 1 SC374405 Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and is registered to care for four young people who have learning disabilities.

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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 outstanding

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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: 6 February 2018

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC374405 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/02/2018 Full Good 02/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 25/10/2016 Full Good 21/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC374405 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people make exceptional progress. Staff offer nurturing and supportive care that is built on trusting relationships. This, combined with a comprehensive understanding of young people’s needs, ensures excellent outcomes for young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff speak passionately about the progress that young people make. Staff plot the progress that young people make so that it is clear for all to see. A social worker said: ‘She is like a completely different child.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

There is a positive team approach that ensures that the whole staff team is involved in plans for young people. There is also very clear communication with other agencies. Stakeholder feedback is exceptional. All agencies refer to the great work that the home has undertaken with young people and the significant progress that young people make.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people are supported to engage in an extensive range of activities both inside and outside the home. This is a key strength of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people’s involvement and participation are excellent. Staff have developed creative ways to engage young people in their care planning and reviews. There is excellent evidence of person-centred young people’s meetings and involvement in reward schemes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people are engaged in full-time education placements. Attendance is excellent. One young person has progressed to full-time education since the last inspection. There are close working relationships between staff and education providers. A deputy headteacher said: ‘We have seen incredible progress… Due to her being very settled, loved and supported she has been able to participate and engage more in her education.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Independence work is a strength of the home. For example, one young person has been supported to make his own way to school and back, engage in community youth clubs and undertake work experience.

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

Staff work hard to ensure that children are safe. Children’s and young people’s risks are well known and documented. Thorough risk assessments contribute to reductions in harmful behaviours. Staff respond well to challenging behaviour and violence. The staff encourage young people’s development by recognising that young people need to take managed risks.

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

Physical interventions are clearly recorded. Recording has improved since the last inspection. This has supported managers to monitor and scrutinise restraint practice. Inspection report children’s home: SC374405 4 Managers have sought additional training on the use of and recording of physical interventions. This has promoted greater consistency of practice.

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

Incidents of use of physical interventions have reduced significantly. Staff are reflective and always look for alternative management techniques. Staff are skilled in understanding young people’s motivations and triggers. They seek to prevent physical interventions whenever possible.

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

Young people at the home do not go missing and are not at risk of child sexual exploitation. Staff remain alert to the potential for children to run away and take all appropriate steps to reduce the risk of this happening.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The managers are experienced and knowledgeable. The manager and assistant manager are confident and ambitious for the young people in their care. The monitoring and review of care plans are excellent. Managers are able to demonstrate the positive impact that the home has had on young people’s life chances.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers are proactive in developing research-informed practice. Good models of practice are consistently implemented and embedded within the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is robust in her performance management of staff. There is clear evidence of staff being supported to improve their work practice. Any potential safeguarding matters are dealt with appropriately and relevant agencies are informed. The managers and staff team have an excellent understanding of safeguarding procedures and ensure that these are appropriately followed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The managers have developed new induction processes following consultation with staff. For instance, new staff are now invited to tea with young people before they begin work. There is excellent evidence of how the staff are continually thinking about how to keep children at the centre of practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Training, staff supervision and team meetings are structured and well recorded. Staff feel able to share their experiences and feel supported by managers. The ethos of the home is underpinned by the manager’s nurturing approach towards both young people and staff. Staff morale is high.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff understand the importance of children maintaining good links with their families. Some families are offered additional outreach support. One parent said: ‘I cannot praise them enough. Because of this support, we have been able to keep our child at home for part of the week.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC374405 5

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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: SC374405 6

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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(s)

Bev Allison, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC374405 7 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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