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

Inspection report children’s home: SC046621 1 SC046621 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

The home is registered to provide medium- to long-term care for vulnerable children and young people in a dual or solo placement. It is operated by a private company.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager was registered with Ofsted on 1 February 2011 and holds the relevant qualification.

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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: 21 December 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: SC046621 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/12/2017 Full Outstanding 15/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/10/2016 Full Outstanding 16/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC046621 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 registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3)) 28/02/2019

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff continually, and actively assess the risks to each child and make sure that the plans in place to manage these risks are clear. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  Children should be supported to understand how to build friendships with other children. They should be able to spend time with their friends and family in the local community, in line with the child’s plans, age and understanding. However, staff should be alert to the possibility that children may be at risk from such relationships. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards, page 38, paragraph 8.7). In particular, children need support and guidance to develop independent skills that assist them in managing safe relationships with others.  The registered person should ensure that the independent scrutiny of the home is

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Recommendations

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)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make outstanding progress living here. The quality of care practice is excellent. Practice is informed by good assessments, clear planning and continuous monitoring and review. Inspection report children’s home: SC046621 4 Children develop excellent relationships with the staff. Children receive care and support that is trustworthy, consistent and child centred. Staff work collaboratively to ensure that children feel secure and happy. Furthermore, staff are sensitive and insightful into the needs of the children. Children respond well to this embedded ethos.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff encourage children to access and explore new experiences. Children spoke fondly about the activities that they do. These experiences help children to develop their social skills, confidence and self-esteem. In addition, the activities enrich their outcomes in life and provide children with good childhood memories. Staff capture these memories in beautiful memory books for the children to keep.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children and young people attend school and college. They make excellent progress in education. Children have aspirations for the future. Staff share these aspirations and encourage children to reach their potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children who have moved into the home have done so in a planned way. This is also evident for children who have moved on from the home. The transition arrangements are child focused and to an excellent standard.

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

Staff provide a nurturing and calm atmosphere in the home. This enables children to feel relaxed, content and happy in their home. Children have access to good levels of support, which is in line with their individual care plans.

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

Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities to keep children safe. They explore and review strategies to ensure that plans are relevant to the current situation and that these meet the children’s needs.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the children’s needs and risks. However, not all safeguarding risks are clearly understood. In these instances, the assessments and plans do not provide the insight that is required to keep children and staff safe.

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

Staff record incidents to a good standard. Managers and staff explore incidents thoroughly, and they identify clear actions. Furthermore, staff learn from the incidents and experiences. This strengthens their safeguarding practice.

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

Children are aware of the complaints policy and use this to voice their concerns. However, staff do not consistently follow the policies and procedures. Furthermore, records do not always accurately reflect the nature of the complaint and how it has been addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and responsible individual ensure that living at this home is a positive experience for children. The management team is strong. Together they provide excellent leadership and management in the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC046621 5 Managers and staff have high aspirations for children and advocate on their behalf. They are passionate and committed to the work that they do.

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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 so that children achieve the best possible outcomes. Furthermore, they ensure that children have access to specialist help and support. They commission relevant services as required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are very complimentary of their managers. They feel supported and valued, and they have regular and effective supervision.

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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. Staff have high expectations of themselves and each other. The standard of practice is consistently high.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and the responsible individual provide consistent management oversight of practice. They identify lessons learned and ways to further improve practice. However, the independent scrutiny of the home is not robust enough. This oversight could be more thorough, informative and constructive. This would further support the continuous improvement of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers and staff have very good relationships with other professionals. Professionals recognise the progress children make and spoke highly of the home. One professional said, ‘[The home] continue to provide bespoke support for [name of child] on an intensive level. They are adaptable to change and have contributed significantly in supporting [the child] to have a psychological assessment. Their communication with children’s social care is excellent and they always provide relevant updates and request support when necessary.’

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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: SC046621 6

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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

Lisa Gregoire-Parker, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC046621 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

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Inspector

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Inspector

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