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

Inspection report children’s home: SC357159 1 SC357159 Registered provider: Pathfinders (childcare) 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

This private children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children and/or young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. Inspection dates: 18 to 19 December 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 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: 28 November 2017

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC357159 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/11/2017 Full Outstanding 06/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 05/07/2016 Full Outstanding 23/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC357159 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children and young people flourish because of the outstanding care and support they receive from a committed and nurturing staff team. Staff are passionate about improving the experiences of children and young people in their care, and they deliver an exceptional standard of personalised care to children and young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are extremely consistent, knowledgeable and organised in their work. They provide a warm and positive atmosphere that gives children and young people time out and space to understand their feelings and behaviour and to develop their skills to resolve the challenges that they face in their daily lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children and young people say that this is an ‘outstanding’ home. They enjoy strong relationships with staff and each other and have a strong sense of belonging. One young person said, ‘I wouldn’t be where I am now if it wasn’t for the staff. They have helped me so much. They have stuck with me through thick and thin. This is a great place for me to be and I wouldn’t change a thing about this home.’ Professionals are equally positive about this children’s home. Comments include:

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

 ‘Staff are genuine, caring and fulfil the role of a parent. It’s not just a job for them; they really do care about the children they look after.’  ‘I have worked with a lot of care homes and this is by far the best one. Staff are professional, caring and show genuine interest in the children they care for. X [young person’s name] is loved and cared for by a consistent staff team who truly want the best for him.’  ‘X [child’s name] is a complex little boy who really struggles to attach. However, I have seen him make tremendous progress at this children’s home. He is thriving and is exactly where he needs to be. I have no doubt that he will continue to go from strength to strength.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The registered manager places a high value on education. Children and young people have well-established daily routines, and this prepares them for school, alternative education or their work placement. Staff have high aspirations for children and young people and this is communicated to them in an inclusive way. This helps them to have high expectations and aspirations for themselves.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children and young people are encouraged to enjoy a busy and active lifestyle and their participation in activities of their choice is actively supported. Staff make every effort to source activities that encourage social interaction and over time reduce the supervision as a means of increasing independence safely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff recognise the importance of family relationships and go to considerable lengths to ensure that these are promoted and improved. They provide practical support such as Inspection report children’s home: SC357159 4 transporting young people to their contact, sometimes over a considerable distance. This helps children and young people to maintain their identity and ensures that attachments with key people are maintained.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Meticulous planning and effective partnerships with professionals have proved effective in addressing the mental health needs of one young person. Despite facing significant challenges, the progress this young person has made is remarkable. He is flourishing because of the excellent support provided by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children and young people can reflect on the considerable progress that they have made since coming to live at this home. One young person is due to transition to independence. He told the inspector that he feels well prepared for the next stage of his life and is reassured in the knowledge that he will have life-long connections with the staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children and young people live in a suitably designed and comfortable house that is furnished and maintained to a high standard. Children and young people acknowledge that the home is a loving environment where they are encouraged to feel safe and achieve the best that they can.

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

Safeguarding arrangements are effective and keeping children and young people safe is integral to daily practice. Children and young people confirm that they feel safe and are confident that they could talk to a number of staff, including the manager, if they were worried or concerned.

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

Staff proactively promote the safety and well-being of children and young people. They have an excellent understanding of their specific needs and vulnerabilities, and take appropriate action to address them.

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

Children and young people have extremely complex needs, arising from a history of traumatic experiences. The home has demonstrated outstanding success in reducing children and young people’s risky and challenging behaviour. For example, children and young people are now more solution-focused and better able to manage their frustrations.

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

Research-informed practice is embedded throughout the service. Staff have undertaken their own research on mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder, county lines, attachment and child development. This informs staff practice and further protects children and young people.

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

There are many incentives for children and young people to display positive behaviour and achieve objectives. Staff talk openly with children and young people about how to manage their frustrations and are actively encouraged to be solution-focused. As a result, children and young people are more resilient and able to talk about how they are feeling. Inspection report children’s home: SC357159 5 Missing from home episodes are rare. There are clear, individualised protocols in place, which provide staff with guidance if this does happen. Records demonstrate that staff take appropriate action and ensure that all relevant agencies are immediately informed if a young person is missing.

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

The home itself provides a safe environment. Children and young people and staff take part in regular fire drills to ensure that they know how to safely evacuate the home in case of an emergency. These measures help ensure that children and young people continue to live in a safe environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is led by a dynamic and highly committed registered manager. She is extremely experienced and enthusiastic and has children and young people at the very centre of everything she does. This enthusiasm cascades throughout the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A real strength of this home is the child-centred approach that the manager and staff expect and deliver. The children and young people are the heart of the home, and the manager and staff do their utmost to ensure that they receive care and support as set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff team is highly motivated in its role and everyone exudes a passion for their work. Visitors immediately experience the happiness and warmth that abounds throughout the home. This creates a happy and positive environment for children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive high-quality supervision and appraisal. They are encouraged to develop areas of specific expertise and interest. This increases their motivation and further enhances care practices in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager maintains an effective oversight of training and makes sure that all staff are up to date with mandatory courses such as safeguarding, first aid and physical intervention. This is further supplemented by a range of needs led-training. This is very effective in broadening staff’s knowledge and has a direct impact in improving their ability to support children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager understands the home’s strengths and weaknesses exceptionally well. She is consistently ambitious and energetic about sustaining the home’s continuing improvement. This results in an outstanding, high-quality service for children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There are no breaches in regulation. Consequently, there are no requirements or recommendations made as a result of this inspection. Inspection report children’s home: SC357159 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: SC357159 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathfinders (childcare) Ltd

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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

Ceri Evans, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC357159 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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Inspector

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