Children's Home run by Pathways Care Group Limited in Walsall

Inspection report for children's home: 2622077 1 Registered provider: Pathways Care Group Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection since it was registered in May 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to four children, from seven to 17 years old, with emotional and behavioural difficulties (social and emotional difficulties).

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2622077 2

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children's home: 2622077 3

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inadequate

Managers and staff fail to consistently take sufficient action to safeguard children. This led to a serious incident that placed children at significant risk of harm. Staff do not have a good understanding of children’s risk or the actions they should take to safeguard them. This poor practice compromises children’s safety and well-being.

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inadequate

Children’s experience of education is mixed. One child is in the process of completing a college course in a subject of interest. However, another child is not receiving the education provision that they are entitled to and the manager has not escalated these concerns sufficiently. This does not provide all children with the opportunity to achieve positive educational outcomes.

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inadequate

There have been several incidents at the home that involve children damaging property. Despite staff working with the children who caused the damage to address this behaviour, they have not spoken with the other children to understand their experiences of witnessing others damaging their home environment. As a result, staff have not explored if this has adversely affected children’s experiences of living in this home.

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inadequate

The managers and staff promote children’s health. For example, staff have helped one child to learn more about their current health condition. This child is not originally from the area they live in, and managers have been proactive in making referrals to other agencies to support the child. As a result, children receive specialist support to improve their health and well-being.

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inadequate

Staff support children to maintain relationships with important people in their lives. Staff understand the plans in place to help children to keep in contact with their families and are actively involved in supporting these. This has a positive impact on children’s identity.

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inadequate

The staff have developed positive relationships with children. Through these relationships children have been able to be open, and to talk about their experiences with staff. This has allowed staff to tailor their support to the children’s needs and for children to benefit from staff’s support. For one child, the strong relationship they have with staff has meant that their missing-from-home episodes have decreased since moving in.

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

Staff have not consistently fulfilled their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children. This led to a serious incident in which two children were able to access the home’s vehicle on two occasions. On one of these occasions, the children were able to drive the vehicle away from the children’s home. During this incident, staff did not Inspection report for children's home: 2622077 4 take appropriate action to manage the risks and safeguard the children. This placed the children’s lives at serious risk and compromised the safety of others.

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

Staff do not fully understand the risks to children. One child went missing from the home without staff knowing. Staff were not aware of the safeguards put in place following this incident to reduce the likelihood of the child going missing from the home again. On two separate occasions return home interviews were not completed and the manager did not effectively challenge decision making on these occasions. For another child, staff were not able to demonstrate their understanding of the child’s needs. Staff do not have sufficient knowledge of the actions they should take to protect the children, compromising their safety.

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

Managers and staff have not ensured that children’s bedrooms are safe and homely. In one child’s room, the inspector found that there were remnants of broken glass on the windowsill, after the window had been broken the day before. This does not provide the child with a safe living environment. For another child, their bedroom was not clean and contained rubbish and several plates of food. This does not provide the child with a welcoming and homely environment to live in.

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

There have been two incidents when children have got onto the roof of the children’s home. While staff acted quickly to support the children down safely, the manager’s request to remove the shed that was used to access the roof was not completed in a timely manner. The delay in minimising the children’s ability to access the roof contributed to a second incident taking place and increased the risk of the children coming to harm.

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

Staff’s response to children’s behaviours has at times been inconsistent and not in line with the children’s agreed plans. This practice has caused children to feel upset and to display aggressive or destructive behaviour which could have been avoided. The manager has used lessons learned exercises to encourage staff to reflect on their actions and how these have contributed to incidents, so that they do not re- occur.

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

Overall, when allegations have been made, the manager has responded to these appropriately. However, on one occasion, the manager did not take action to follow up concerns about a staff member’s practice that was identified during a fact-finding investigation. This related to the staff member not challenging another staff member for wearing headphones when on shift. This could have compromised the safety of children and was a missed opportunity to improve practice.

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

Staff complete regular key-work sessions with children that are linked to children’s care plans. These sessions support the children to develop their knowledge around risk and allow them to develop their independence skills. A clinician completes assessments of the children and formulates a plan that outlines key areas of focus to inform the support staff provide. This ensures that children are able to learn to keep themselves safe and take age-appropriate risks. Inspection report for children's home: 2622077 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The response of managers and staff to significant incidents is sometimes poor and does not promote children’s safety or welfare. Records of incidents are at times inadequate and do not provide sufficient explanation of what has occurred, or the actions taken by staff. Investigations into safeguarding concerns do not capture the concerns or explore how existing risks are managed. When concerns about staff practice are identified, the manager does not take sufficient action to challenge staff and address shortfalls. As a result, children are not adequately safeguarded and opportunities to improve practice are missed .

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager’s monitoring systems are ineffective. The systems in place have not been consistent in identifying shortfalls and where improvements are needed. Required documentation is not always in place. For example, the delegated authority process for one child did not contain all the necessary information including the relevant signatures, and the manager had not escalated this to the placing authority. Despite the monitoring systems in place, there continue to be errors that compromise the quality of care delivered to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Despite having regular meetings with children to obtain their views, these have not been used to develop the service. Children’s views are not included in the manager’s review of the quality of care children receive. This is a missed opportunity to demonstrate how children’s views inform the development of the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager recognises where children have made progress and is passionate about supporting them to achieve positive outcomes. The manager has developed positive relationships with the children. This has allowed the children to speak openly about their experiences, and to share concerns when they arise. However, children are not consistently provided with an outcome to the concerns they have shared, and this could have an impact on the positive relationships that have been developed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager works effectively with professionals and maintains regular contact with them to monitor children’s progress. Professionals are positive about the support provided and this joined-up approach helps children to receive the right support to meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff receive training that is relevant to the children at the home. Regular team meetings take place that are child-centred and also consider the development of the staff team. This supports staff to develop their practice and to provide children with appropriate care. Inspection report for children's home: 2622077 6

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager is to ensure that when there are concerns about a child’s education or when a return home interview has not taken place that this is escalated to the relevant agency. The registered manager is also to ensure that where a delegated authority is not fully completed, the registered manager is to ensure that steps are taken to make sure this is in place. 23 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; 23 January 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 2622077 7 understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation (12) (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager is to ensure that staff understand the risk assessments in place for each child and are aware of the steps they need to take to reduce risks. The registered manager must ensure that all staff have an understanding of the behaviour management policy and are able to use the approaches effectively to de-escalate incidents and safeguard children. The registered manager must ensure that all records are completed and accurate.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation (12) (1) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that the home provides children with a safe and welcoming environment. 23 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 23 January 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 2622077 8 (Regulation (13) (1)(b) (2)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager is to ensure that staff are able to manage children’s behaviour effectively and have an understanding of children’s needs and how these may impact on them or present. The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager is to ensure that the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive are included in the review. 01 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they lead a team that provides high- quality care for all children living in the home. They must lead and manage the home in a way that delivers the ethos, outcomes and approach set out in the home’s statement of purpose. In particular, the registered manager is to ensure that actions by staff do not have a negative impact on children’s behaviour and that sanctions reflect the ethos of the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.4)  The registered person should ensure staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children's home: 2622077 9

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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 for children's home: 2622077 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathways Care Group

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Pathways Care Group, Minton Place, Victoria Street, Windsor SL4 1EG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Olubunmi Fabusuyi

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Inspector

Melanie Griffin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2622077 11 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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