Children's Home run by Pathway Care Solutions Ltd in Nottinghamshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC382994 1 SC382994 Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Limited 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 company. It is registered to provide care for up to five children who may have disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is registered with Ofsted and is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC382994 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/06/2019 Full Outstanding 11/06/2018 Full Outstanding 31/05/2017 Full Outstanding 08/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC382994 3

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outstanding

Children are provided with nurturing, high-quality care. Children who come to live at this home make sustained progress. Clear routines and expectations are established, which are consistent and individualised. This helps children to settle at the home and promotes understanding and trust. The children who live together develop strong friendships with each other.

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outstanding

Children’s healthcare plans are clearly documented. Medication processes are organised, and all staff are first-aid trained. Children understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and although some children struggle with food intake, measurable progress is being made. Staff encourage children to be more independent in managing their own healthcare needs, when appropriate.

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outstanding

Child participation is at the heart of the home, and each child’s wishes and feelings are listened to and acted on. Regular children’s meetings and focused one-to-one chats take place. Staff have been particularly creative during the COVID-19 pandemic at keeping children fully entertained with parties and theme nights.

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outstanding

Children like where they live and who they live with. Families state that their children are being well cared for and that they ‘couldn’t ask for anything more’. Staff communicate regularly with families and listen to any ideas that they have relating to their child’s care. Feedback from wider professionals is also very positive.

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outstanding

Life-story work is excellent. It captures memories that will be meaningful for children, such as photos of activities and achieved milestones. This positive work promotes children feeling valued, as well as being something to look back on in the future. There are strong links with the community, and children are praised for routinely raising money for charity.

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outstanding

Children are supported to manage their emotions and be curious as to why they may be upset or feeling angry. Children have good relationships with staff, and this promotes trust and a sense of security for children. De-escalation strategies are child-specific and effective. Staff respond to incidents in a consistent manner. This helps children to feel secure. When incidents do happen for children, these are well documented and evaluated. There are clear plans in place to ensure that the care provided is of a high standard. Inspection report children’s home: SC382994 4 Staff are professionally curious and endeavour to find out all relevant information before a child comes to live at the home. Multi-agency planning helps children with transitions and minimises children’s anxieties.

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outstanding

Some children make allegations against staff and exhibit behaviours that are risky. Although this is currently being managed well, the manager has been proactive in trying to increase staffing levels. If any risks emerge for children when spending time with family, these are documented and communicated with wider professionals.

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outstanding

Children know how to complain and there have been no incidents of bullying in the home. When children make prejudicial comments, they are appropriately challenged by staff.

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outstanding

Managers will strongly advocate for children in a multi-agency framework to ensure that safeguarding processes are upheld. When children are staying with family, staff are routinely available for support. This provides reassurance for children and their families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers are ambitious for children and are continually exploring ways to keep them engaged and motivated. Managers have good relationships with the children and know them well. Children are encouraged to try new activities and achieve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff team is representative in terms of diversity and has remained stable for several years. Supervision sessions and appraisals take place regularly, which staff find useful. The manager ensures that staff have the knowledge and skills to provide high-quality care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers have high expectations of staff with regards to training and the quality of their recording. There is some language used within the staff team that can, at times, appear institutionalised, and children are copying the language used. Managers recognise that they need to do more to ensure that staff use more child- centred language.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Paperwork is organised and children’s files are regularly updated. This contributes towards the smooth running of the home. Children’s progress is celebrated and promoted. Children thrive in this positive environment and have sustained improved outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers take pride in motivating children to be strong advocates and to take a lead on subjects they are passionate about. For example, children have developed guidance for professionals about how they could improve the way they communicate with children when visiting the home. Children further suggested how professionals could adapt their communication skills when communicating with children who have disabilities. This is excellent practice that is worthy of wider dissemination. Inspection report children’s home: SC382994 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should lead and manage the home in a way that delivers the ethos, outcomes and approach set out in the home’s statement of purpose. They should also play a key role in shaping the ethos of the home through developing a culture of high aspiration for children which is demonstrated through the care, resources and opportunities offered to the children. This specifically relates to some language used by staff being institutionalised. This impacts on children who repeat the language that they hear and read. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, 10.4)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC382994 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: Atria, Spa Road, Bolton BL1 4AG

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Inspector

Andi Lilley-Tams, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC382994 7 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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