Children's Home run by Pathway Care Solutions Ltd 04004053 in Nottingham

Inspection report children’s home: 1212708 1 Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Limited

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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 operated by a private organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to three children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left in December 2018. The home is currently being managed by an experienced manager who is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 7 February 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1212708 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/05/2018 Full Good 21/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 16/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 1212708 3

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, there have been significant changes in relation to the staff and management teams. There was a short period of time when there were no young people living at the home. However, young people were admitted to the home again in December 2018. Management monitoring of the home has continued to improve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have made significant progress in relation to their emotional health and well-being and, with the support of staff, risk to young people has reduced. The acting manager has been steadfast in securing therapeutic intervention for the young people in her care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The acting manager ensures that full historical information is considered as part of impact risk assessments and care plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers work creatively to provide young people with stability and consistency. One young person, who previously experienced lots of changes, said: ‘I trust my key worker. I can talk to him.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are supported to maintain educational placements. Their progress and attendance are good. Staff support young people to attend school clubs and extra- curricular activities. There is a good team-around-the-child approach.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Communication between staff and young people is good and young people can seek support from staff on a range of issues. There has been a clear focus on developing positive relationships between staff and young people, to help young people to form a secure emotional base. Clear plans for direct work have been devised by the acting manager to ensure that this work is effective, and that staff are supported to carry out this work.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s health needs are well understood and well met. The manager has been proactive in ensuring that young people have up-to-date health assessments. There is a multi-agency approach to ensuring that health needs are well understood. Inspection report children’s home: 1212708 4 Staff support young people to be in touch with people who matter to them. Staff understand the importance of young people keeping in contact with their families and friends and this is positively promoted.

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

Young people said that they feel safe. When young people have presented with risk- taking behaviours, they have been supported by staff to reduce these risks.

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

Staff understand the risks posed to young people very well and they ensure that plans are in place to address risks. This has much improved since the last inspection. The manager has been instrumental in liaising with other agencies to ensure that young people’s risks are well understood and that care plans reflect this. Risk assessments and other documents fully identify young people’s histories and clearly outline known risks and how the staff should respond to behaviours.

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

There have been very few incidents at the home since the changes were made in the management structure. Any incidents are responded to and managed well. Plans have been implemented and reviewed in a timely manner to address any potential risks and behaviours. There is a clear emphasis on good post-incident analysis. This review process helps staff and managers to learn from incidents.

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

Managers promote a positive safeguarding culture. There is evidence of excellent working relationships with other agencies. A social worker said: ‘Since the management changes and the new staff team, the home appears to be a much better place for the young people. Managers are very robust with planning.’

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

Young people are not going missing from the home. When young people have previously gone missing from the home, these incidents have been responded to appropriately.

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

Positive behaviour-management techniques and rewards systems are working well. This has reduced the need for staff to use physical intervention.

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

Recruitment processes are well managed, and regulations are followed. There are clear and effective processes in place to ensure that the staff working in the home are safe to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The acting manager is a strong advocate for the young people. She understands young people’s needs and acts in their best interests. Careful consideration has gone into ensuring that young people receive continuity of care. Inspection report children’s home: 1212708 5 The manager has been proactive in escalating issues or concerns, and challenging when it has been necessary to do so. This has led to young people feeling safer and has provided space for therapeutic work to be completed. The manager has been instrumental in sourcing therapeutic intervention for some young people after there has been a significant delay in doing so previously.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is realistic and she has a good understanding of how she intends to drive the service forward. She has remained focused on improving outcomes for young people and helping them to make progress. She has worked hard to implement sound management systems as a starting point in moving the service forward.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff reported that they feel well managed. Staff have noticed improvements in the home. They feel that there are clear plans and processes in place, and that there are professional expectations around their work. Managers are supportive and accessible. A staff member said: ‘I feel that I can raise any concerns with managers and that these will be taken seriously.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision. They are also supported to access training opportunities. Probationary periods and inductions are positive and robust.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is promoting positive working relationships with other agencies. A deputy headteacher said: ‘The support for the young person has been fantastic. The manager has been instrumental in effecting change. She has escalated with other agencies when there have been concerns in relation to his plans.’

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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: 1212708 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Merchant’s Place, River Road, Bolton, Lancashire BL2 1BX

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Inspector:

Bev Allison: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1212708 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.

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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

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