Children's home run by Pathways Residential Child Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2517433 1

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Pathways Residential Child Care Larkhill House Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to four children and young people who have emotional and/or behaviour difficulties. There is currently no registered manager in post.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out because concerns were raised directly with Ofsted about the well-being of children.

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This monitoring visit

The home has gone through a difficult period. The home’s responsible individual and manager resigned. Staff have not been well supported. They did not have the skills, knowledge or experience to care for children who were admitted to the home. Consequently, children were not kept safe and had to move out of the home, disrupting their progress. Staff retention has been poor, leaving children with a lack of continuity and consistency in their lives.

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This monitoring visit

The home now has one child in placement. Ofsted has served a restriction notice on the home to prevent further children from being admitted until improvements are made.

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This monitoring visit

Senior managers have begun to make the necessary improvements. A new, experienced and qualified responsible individual has recently been appointed and has had a positive impact on the home. The home also has a qualified and experienced deputy manager in post. Staff said that the new management team provides clear direction and better support. A new manager has also been appointed and is due to start work in the near future. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2517433 2 The remaining child is happy and wants to stay at the home. She is building stronger relationships with staff. She said that things have improved since the other children left and the new managers came to the home.

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This monitoring visit

Recommendations made at the previous inspection have not been reviewed during this visit and so remain until the next inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2517433 3

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Recommendations

 As well as longer-term support for children to move on from the home effectively (regulation 9(2(b)(vi)), the home has an important role in supporting each child leaving the home in the period immediately before their departure. The registered person should work with the placing authority to ensure that each child’s transition is planned and help each child to prepare for leaving both practically and emotionally. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.9)  For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislation (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional ‘impression. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality

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Recommendations

standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person is responsible for ensuring that each child’s day to day health and well-being needs are met. Staff should work to make the children’s home an environment that supports children’s physical, mental and emotional health, in line with the approach set out in the statement of purpose (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3). This is with particular reference to smoking cessation strategies.  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide the opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Home should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2517433 4

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathways Residential Child Care Larkhill House Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Larkhill House, Bell House Lane, Anslow, Burton- On-Trent, Staffordshire DE13 9PA

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Inspector

Joanne Vyas, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2517433 5 to 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

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