Children's home run by Positive Pathways Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC410535 1 SC410535 Registered provider: Positive Pathways Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care for up to three children who have social and/or emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 3 May 2017.

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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 widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Two compliance notices were issued under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, following the interim inspection on 2 March 2022. Inspection report for children’s home: SC410535 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/03/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 06/12/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/01/2020 Full Good 19/11/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC410535 3

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inadequate

At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home. Shortfalls in the safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home hinder children’s progress. As a result of these concerns, two compliance notices under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, were issued. In addition, a compliance notice was issued under regulation 20, restraint and deprivation of liberty.

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inadequate

Children are not able to access all parts of their home. Staff and managers lock internal doors routinely, without justification or review. This includes the kitchen door and a lounge door which are locked routinely at night-time. Inspectors also found that there was one occasion when another door leading to the fire escape was also locked. This practice places unnecessary restriction on children’s access to areas of their home and compromises their safety. Consequently, this does not provide children with positive experiences.

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inadequate

Staff do not consistently carry out key-working sessions with children to focus on relevant areas of children’s statutory care plans. Direct work is not completed with children on important areas, such as substance misuse. In addition, staff do not support children to develop their independence skills. As a result, there are missed opportunities to minimise risks and to prepare children for adulthood.

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inadequate

On occasions, when children witness difficult experiences in the home, staff and managers do not provide support for the children. For example, when children witness other children’s aggressive behaviour, this is not followed up by staff. As a result, managers and staff do not understand or take action to improve children’s experiences of living in this home.

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inadequate

Staff use sanctions which are not supportive in helping children and are not always proportionate. In addition, the sanctions given do not necessarily link to the behaviour displayed. For example, on occasions when children have gone missing from home, a sanction was to switch the internet off at a certain time. This approach is punitive and is ineffective in supporting children.

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inadequate

Children at this home are not in education. Staff and managers do not consistently encourage children to engage in education or promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. This has led to a drift in children’s education plans. This practice does not support children to achieve positive educational outcomes.

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inadequate

Children are aware of how to complain. Children told inspectors what action they would take if they were not happy with any aspect of their care. This provides children with a way to share their concerns. Inspection report for children’s home: SC410535 4

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

Managers and staff do not take appropriate action to safeguard children when they go missing from the home. Guidance and risk assessments in place are poor and do not inform staff of how to respond when a child is missing. On one occasion, staff did not look for a child for three hours. On another occasion, when a child was not responding to phone calls from staff, staff failed to follow the child’s risk management plan which sets out that staff should attempt to find the child to check on their welfare. Poor-quality information and a lack of decisive action by staff when children are missing place children at risk of harm.

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

Managers and staff use physical interventions that are not justified. On one occasion, two staff held a child by their ankles unnecessarily, and doors to other rooms in the home were locked. This had a detrimental impact on the child and led to an escalation in behaviour and damage to property. Staff’s management of the child’s behaviour in this way was an inappropriate restriction of their liberty. Records relating to physical interventions do not include all required information, such as details of any methods used, or steps taken to avoid the use of the intervention and who was involved. This does not provide accurate information on the use of physical intervention.

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

Managers do not consistently update risk assessments and important information is not included. For example, when there were concerns relating to children using cannabis, these were not assessed effectively, and no guidance on how to manage these concerns was provided. There is a lack of professional curiosity by staff and they do not challenge children when there are concerns that they may have been smoking cannabis in the home. A lack of attention to risk assessment and risk management leaves children vulnerable to harm.

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

Managers and staff do not sufficiently manage risks between children. Information relating to risks between children is not considered in their risk assessments. For example, managers were not aware of a significant incident when a child living at the children’s home next door was allowed into the home. This risk was not managed effectively and there has been no further follow-up of this to ensure that children are adequately safeguarded.

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

Staff do not always respond to concerns relating to children and there have been missed opportunities to safeguard them. On one occasion, there was a 30-minute delay in staff going to the location of a child when there were concerns that the child was intoxicated. On another occasion, staff did not adequately check a child during the night despite their concerns the child was intoxicated. This does not provide reassurance that staff are able to respond to known risks.

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

There are no systems in place to ensure that children are safe online. Managers and staff do not help children to understand risks in relation to internet safety. When there are known concerns about internet usage, there is no guidance in place to ensure that these risks are managed. Therefore, staff do not help children understand potential risks and dangers associated with the internet. Inspection report for children’s home: SC410535 5 Managers and staff provide medication to children as required. Records for this are completed and medication is appropriately stored. This ensures that the health needs of children are met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management oversight of the home is poor. The systems in place do not monitor the quality of the care provided. For example, the registered manager does not sufficiently review incidents. When incidents take place, she does not evaluate these or recommend any actions. As a result, practice is not safe and there are missed opportunities to learn lessons. Consequently, the care provided is not reviewed and monitored effectively to ensure that children receive an improving service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has failed to demonstrate that she has the necessary knowledge and skill to carry out her role. For example, the registered manager allowed staff to place unnecessary restrictions on children by locking rooms in the home to prevent children’s access. The registered manager was aware of this practice and did not recognise or challenge these concerns. As a result, children’s rights were not promoted and their safety was compromised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager is inconsistent in how she models behaviour to staff. Inspectors heard the registered manager use language that was not child-centred. This language placed blame on children for their behaviour and portrays them negatively. This is not appropriate and is not in line with the statement of purpose and ethos of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not receive practice-based supervision. The supervision sessions provided are procedural. They do not consider the children, or provide opportunity for staff to reflect on practice. Consequently, there are missed opportunities to reflect on the care provided to children, and to support staff development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

On-call arrangements are in place to manage situations that occur out of hours. Senior leaders identified that this does not consider the current competing demands placed on managers who are on call when covering several homes at a time. This raises concerns about systems in place to manage the current risks in the home, alongside other homes, which may compromise children’s safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Records at the home are not consistently clear. On one occasion, information in an incident report did not reflect the information in the associated record regarding the child going missing. This raises concerns about the accuracy of information and action taken by staff. The staff rota does not include full names and therefore does not meet regulations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

As a result of this inspection, senior leaders have put in measures to ensure that there is a senior manager in the home to monitor and guide the registered manager’s and staff’s practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC410535 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

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult; (Regulation (6) (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

The registered persons should ensure that consequences for children are proportionate and restorative and that children are supported, in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that children are supported to work to independence. 11 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. 11 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC410535 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation (8)(1) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons should ensure that children are supported to complete independent study and return to education as soon as possible. In addition, the registered persons must ensure that children understand the importance of learning. The registered persons should also ensure that staff provide opportunities for children to learn informally.

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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; 22 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC410535 8 help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation (12)(1) (2)(a)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons should ensure that risk assessments are up to date and include clear guidance for staff. This includes, but is not limited to, risks relating to cannabis, blades, internet safety, child sexual exploitation and peer relationships.

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Requirement Due date

The registered persons should ensure that staff understand their responsibilities relating to safeguarding children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered persons should ensure that clear guidance is in place for when children go missing. The registered persons must ensure that staff understand the missing procedures in place for each child and follow these when required.

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation (12) (2)(a)(iii)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

The registered persons should ensure that staff have the relevant skills to support children. 11 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC410535 9 *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

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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. (Regulation (13)(1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons should ensure that systems in place oversee the care provided for children effectively. Incidents must be evaluated to ensure that practice is developed.

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Requirement Due date

The registered persons should ensure that there are systems in place to oversee the management of the home and to ensure that records and discussions about children are child- centred.

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Requirement Due date

The registered persons should ensure that staff have the relevant skills to support children. The registered persons should evaluate the skills of staff and ensure that learning from training is embedded into practice. 22 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC410535 10 The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home;

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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

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation (14)(1)(a) (2)(b)(iii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons should ensure that the support provided to children is informed by their care plans. In addition, the registered persons should ensure that children are supported in working towards adulthood. 11 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

*Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation (20) (1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

The registered persons should ensure that managers implement a system to review and evaluate each physical intervention.

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Requirement Due date

The registered persons should ensure that the use of physical intervention is appropriate, proportionate and necessary.

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Requirement Due date

The registered persons should ensure that if an unapproved hold is used that a review of this is completed.

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Requirement Due date

The registered persons should ensure that children are able to access all areas of the home. Any restriction on a child’s 22 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC410535 11 access should be individually assessed and agreed with the child’s placing authority.

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Requirement Due date

The registered persons should make sure that children are able to leave the home in keeping with their individual risk assessments.

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children—

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Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children. (Regulation 28 (1)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

The registered persons should ensure that they manage the home effectively. 11 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; 11 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC410535 12 within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation (35) (3)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons should ensure that physical intervention records are fully completed.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation (37)(1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons should ensure that all records relating to children are fully completed. This includes ensuring that information contained within records is accurate.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons should ensure that the rota meets the requirements in schedule 4 and includes full names. 11 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation (33) (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons should ensure that supervision provided to staff is practice-related and child- centred. 11 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC410535 13

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Recommendations

 The registered persons should ensure that the location risk assessment clearly identifies any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. This includes strategies to manage risks between the home and other children’s homes. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the Quality Standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)  The registered persons should ensure that the on-call policy provides strategies that ensure that there are arrangements in place to manage and respond to risks. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the Quality Standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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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: SC410535 14

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Positive Pathways Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Park Business Centre, Hastingwood Industrial Park, Wood Lane, Erdington, Birmingham, West Midlands B24 9QR

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Inspectors

Melanie Griffin, Social Care Inspector Fiona Roche, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC410535 15 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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