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

Inspection report children’s home: SC357077 1 SC357077 Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to accommodate up to four children and young people who have learning disabilities. The service is owned and operated by a private company.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 11 to 12 December 2018

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

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.

p.1

outstanding

Date of last inspection: 23 January 2018

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC357077 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/01/2018 Full Outstanding 13/12/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 18/08/2016 Full Outstanding 15/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC357077 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people make exceptional progress. Staff provide a nurturing and extremely supportive environment. Staff form trusted relationships with young people and show empathy and playfulness. This, combined with a comprehensive understanding of the individual needs and histories of young people, contributes to excellent outcomes for young people. A psychologist said, ‘Staff all go that extra mile and are very committed to the young people.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people make excellent progress in all areas of their development and this is assessed and monitored at regular intervals. There is a strong team around the child approach that ensures that the whole staff team is involved in plans and reviews for young people.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

There are positive and productive levels of communication with other agencies. Feedback from other agencies and from parents is exceptionally good. A social worker said, ‘This was the best decision I have ever made about the placement of a child.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people are supported to engage in a wealth of activities, both inside and outside of the home. Young people develop their self-esteem and confidence.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

One young person has made tremendous progress, having only been at the home for a relatively short period of time. Other young people have benefited from long-term placements at this home. An independent reviewing officer said, ‘It’s a real treat to go there. It is one of the most successful contracted-out arrangements.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people are truly at the centre of practice in this home. A variety of communication methods are facilitated and supported by staff.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All young people’s health needs are met and are monitored. Health promotion is important to the home. Staff carry out commendable work to support the reduction of young people’s anti-anxiety medication. This reduction in medication is in part due to the strong emphasis on stabilising young people with safe boundaries, routines and structure.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people are engaged in full-time educational placements. Attendance is excellent and young people benefit from long-term educational placements. For two young people, this is incredible progress from their starting points.

p.3

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

Staff work tirelessly to ensure that young people are safe and keep safe. Highly effective planning regarding risk assessments and plans contributes to the reduction in risky behaviours. Young people’s risks are well known. Staff share and document these risks and they work hard to respond effectively. Incidents of young people going missing, Inspection report children’s home: SC357077 4 incidents of self-harm and physical interventions reduce over time. An overview of the progress in reducing risk-taking behaviour is well documented and is fed back to other agencies through informative reports for looked-after child reviews.

p.3

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

Due to the exceptional diligence of staff, young people do not go missing.

p.4

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

Young people are supported in reducing behaviours that challenge. Agencies report that staff are exceptionally good at implementing behaviour management plans and routines that reduce challenging behaviour. Staff and young people are passionate about celebrating young people’s achievements.

p.4

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

Staff understand the importance of promoting safe and appropriate risk taking as part of developing independence programmes.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is led by a strong, experienced manager. She has utilised her knowledge, skills and experience to promote positive outcomes for young people in the home. The manager and assistant manager lead a strong staff team in delivering one shared ethos. The assistant manager is equally equipped to manage this service well. The manager and assistant manager are inspirational, confident and ambitious for the young people in their care.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Training, staff supervision and team meetings are structured, take place regularly and are well recorded. Staff feel able to share their experiences and they respect the registered manager. The ethos of the home is based on a strong nurturing approach towards both young people and staff. A commendable observation is the close and positive relationships within the staff team.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The managers recognise the need for the provision to evolve and they have worked hard to incorporate appropriate models of care into practice. This reflects the needs of the young people currently living at the home. A member of staff said, ‘Offering a loving, nurturing environment is what we do best.’

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Transitions are carefully thought out and supported. Staff think creatively about how to prepare young people for transitions and staff undertake sensitive planning. The registered manager is a strong advocate for young people at times of transitions. She seeks the best possible outcomes for them at this crucial time.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The development plan is sensitive to the needs of the young people and fully appreciates that the young people at this home struggle with change. This innovative approach supports young people to manage change and keeps them central to the planning.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Family contact is key to the care that is offered to young people. Staff include parents and, over time, support them in improving contact arrangements for themselves and the young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC357077 5

p.4

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.

p.5

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: SC357077 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Merchants Place, River Street, Bolton, Lancashire BL2 1BX

p.6

Inspector:

Bev Allison, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC357077 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.6

Inspector:

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector:

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector:

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7