Children's home run by Pathways Care Group Limited in Runnymede

Inspection report for children’s home: SC461846 1 SC461846 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 home is run by a private organisation. It provides care for up to six children who have experienced trauma that has left them vulnerable.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left the home in March 2022. There is an acting manager in post.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 15 February 2022

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Following the full inspection in February 2022, two compliance notices were served by Ofsted. A restriction of accommodation notice was also served. Ofsted undertook a monitoring visit in March 2022. The compliance notices were both met and the restriction of accommodation was lifted. Inspection report for children’s home: SC461846 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/02/2022 Full Inadequate 28/01/2020 Full Good 23/01/2019 Full Outstanding 06/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC461846 3

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, there were two children living at the home. One child has lived at the home since August 2020 and another child has lived at the home since September 2021. One child has recently moved on from the home.

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improvement to be good

One child is attending education regularly and there is a plan to increase her hours. Another child has an education placement. Staff participate in multi-agency meetings to advocate for this child and discuss their education plan. However, staff have been unsuccessful in encouraging the child to attend school and have not provided enough opportunities for the child to learn informally. As a result, the child is not making progress towards achieving their educational potential.

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improvement to be good

The children have poor sleep routines. This does not prepare them for informal education and good night-time settling routines. Therefore, the children are not developing healthy habits that will help them in adulthood.

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improvement to be good

Smoking cessation referrals have been made for the children. However, cessation support has been difficult to secure due to limited resources in the area and the children declining to take part. Staff are working with children to support them to understand the health risks of smoking. However, children continue to smoke in the back garden without limits on the amount that they smoke. Although staff do not purchase or give the children cigarettes, there is lack of a clear message to help them to stop. Furthermore, some staff continue to take smoking breaks together. This contradicts the smoking reduction plan.

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improvement to be good

The staff search children’s bedrooms when necessary to support their safety and well-being. However, children’s views, wishes and feelings are not considered in relation to these searches. Therefore, children are not being fully involved in matters that affect their care and privacy.

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improvement to be good

Areas of maintenance remain outstanding. There are plans to replace the windows. Although improvements have been made to the garden, the grass is long and there are weeds in the flower beds. When changes to the home are made, children are involved. They helped to redesign the games room. This involvement gives them a sense of belonging.

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improvement to be good

The children have positive relationships with staff. One child said that she can go to staff for support and that she feels listened to and safe.

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improvement to be good

Children have enjoyable experiences, such as going to the beach, shopping trips, roller skating and going to the cinema. Children are supported to spend time with their families. This helps the children to develop their sense of identity and connection to their families. Inspection report for children’s home: SC461846 4

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improvement to be good

The location risk assessment has not been reviewed to reflect changes in supervision levels for children when they spend time in the community. Information in the assessment about professionals and children is incorrect. Lack of effective monitoring means that there is no management oversight of risk and inaccurate records are kept.

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improvement to be good

Managers have improved the individual risk assessments for children. However, risks relating to self-harm are not fully considered and do not set out clear actions for staff to reduce risks of harm. This has led to one child gaining access to an item that she used to harm herself.

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improvement to be good

There has been one incident of restraint since the last inspection. Staff worked with the child to support her to share her views. However, there was no debrief with staff, even though they had been injured. Therefore, learning from such experiences to improve practice is not effective and records are not complete.

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improvement to be good

Staff help children to develop their understanding of bullying and of positive relationships. Staff monitor the children’s interactions and encourage them to be respectful of each other. As a result, incidents of bullying and arguing have reduced and children feel safe.

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improvement to be good

Staff have a good understanding of the whistle-blowing policy. Internal investigations are thorough and consider the welfare and safety needs of children.

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improvement to be good

The frequency of a child going missing from the home has reduced. Staff work closely with the police liaison officer. One child’s social worker said that the decrease in episodes of the child going missing from home is ‘progress for her’. The social worker said that she was impressed with how staff support the child to keep herself safe by making positive choices.

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good

The home has not had a registered manager since March 2022. The regional manager is overseeing the home on an interim basis. The responsible individual has oversight of the home. He has identified and appointed a new manager. The new manager has worked extensively at the home and is invested in improving the quality of care.

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good

Management monitoring systems do not provide effective oversight of care and practice. The independent person delays providing their reports to the manager. The reports lack information to support the manager to make improvements at the home. Internal quality of care reviews are completed. However, these are not shared with Ofsted on time. This prevents Ofsted from monitoring the home effectively. Inspection report for children’s home: SC461846 5 Staff say that they feel supported by managers and have regular supervision in which they can reflect on the needs of the children and discuss practice development. Staff commented on the improvement in staff morale since the change in management arrangements. One staff member said: ‘There is clear structure, clear boundaries and the support that we all get now is second to none.’ Staff said that managers are approachable and take safeguarding concerns for children seriously.

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good

Staff participate in regular team meetings. They use the meetings to reflect on children’s needs, discuss the children’s care and share practice experiences. This enhances staff practice and provides the children with consistent care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC461846 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 16 May 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

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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

 ensure that risk assessments include specific information about self-harm and detail actions for staff to reduce risks to children;  ensure that the location risk assessment is updated to reflect the current supervision levels for children; and  ensure that the information is current and accurate. 12 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC461846 7 The registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint, 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. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that debriefs with staff are completed and recorded after incidents of restraint and that the manager has effective oversight of the records of restraint. 9 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the independent person should consult with children, parents and external professionals to inform their view of the quality of care. Reports should identify hazards and shortfalls and make recommendations to improve practice. In addition, the registered person should ensure that the reports are submitted to Ofsted promptly. 1 June 2022

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation (45) (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 16 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC461846 8

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home offers a nurturing and homely environment. They should ensure that the garden areas are well maintained and that windows are replaced. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that a child’s bedroom is not generally entered without their permission. Usually, rooms should only be searched if the child has been informed or asked for their permission. Immediate searching may be necessary when there are reasonable grounds for believing that there is a risk to the child’s or another person’s safety or well-being. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.20)  The registered person should ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge to help children to understand the dangers of smoking, including helping them to

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Recommendations

stop. Also, encourage children to develop good sleep routines. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)

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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: SC461846 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathways Care Group

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Olubunmi Fabusuyi

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Inspector

Laraine Edmondson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC461846 10 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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