Children's home run by Positive Pathways Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC410535 1 SC410535 Registered provider: Positive Pathways Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

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.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

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

p.1

This monitoring visit

On 2 March 2022, an interim inspection was completed. During this interim inspection, significant concerns regarding staff’s safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home were raised. As a result, compliance notices were issued in relation to the protection of children standard, regulation 12 and the leadership and management standard, regulation 13.

p.1

This monitoring visit

On 25 and 26 April 2022, a full inspection judged the home to be inadequate. During this inspection, significant concerns remained regarding staff’s safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home. In addition, concerns regarding the deprivation of children’s liberty were identified. As a result, compliance notices were reissued in relation to the protection of children standard, regulation 12, the leadership and management standard, regulation 13, and a compliance notice was issued in regard to the restraint and deprivation of liberty standard, regulation 20.

p.1

This monitoring visit

In response to the findings of the full inspection, a senior manager has been present in the home to monitor and guide the registered manager’s and staff’s practice.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This visit examined the progress made in meeting the three compliance notices. At the time of the monitoring visit, there were two children living at the home. The inspectors found that the compliance notice under regulation 20 was met. However, the compliance notices under regulation 12 and 13 were not met. As a result, these Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC410535 2 compliance notices have been reissued. The requirements and recommendations made at the full inspection were not reviewed during this visit.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Children’s individual risk assessments do not consider and assess all known risks. In addition, staff do not always follow the strategies in place to protect children. For example, despite regular room searches being an identified strategy to reduce risk, staff are not carrying these out. Due to a change in the dynamics between children, risks between them have drastically reduced since the previous inspection. The current risks between peers is not viewed to be a concern; however, risk assessments to evidence this are not clear. This lack of attention to detail could compromise children’s safety.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Staff are inconsistent in their approach to children who are missing from the home. While staff search for children when they go missing and make attempts to contact them, this approach does not consistently reflect the information in children’s plans. For example, staff do not always make contact with children as frequently as they should. In addition, there is contradicting information in one child’s missing from care plans, and guidance from the social worker is not incorporated into children’s plans. Staff are unclear on the steps they should take. As a result, they may not take all necessary action to protect children.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Senior leaders, managers and staff have not implemented systems to manage risks associated with children being online. They do not consistently help children to understand risks in relation to internet safety or monitor their activity online. Therefore, staff are not clear about whether children are safe online.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Staff are inconsistent in their support of children who are at risk of substance misuse. When there were concerns regarding a child being intoxicated, staff took appropriate action. The child was supported to explore their experience; however, no follow-up work was completed regarding the concerns relating to the child using cannabis. On another occasion, staff failed to take action when they were concerned about cannabis misuse. Therefore, there are missed opportunities to support children and reduce risks.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, leaders and managers have made improvements to the monitoring systems. However, these changes remain in their infancy and it is unclear how effective these systems are.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Staff now receive practice-based supervision, which includes discussions about how to keep children safe. However, leaders and managers are yet to evaluate the team’s skills and knowledge and address any shortfalls in their knowledge.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Managers and staff have improved their understanding of the use of physical intervention and the restriction of liberty. As a result, children are now able to access all areas of the home and they are no longer unnecessarily deprived of their liberty. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC410535 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/04/2022 Full Inadequate 02/03/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 06/12/2021 Ful Requires improvement to be good 13/01/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC410535 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

p.4

Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

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))

p.4

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that children are supported to work towards independence.

p.4

Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated from the previous inspection. 31 July 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC410535 5 The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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;

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

p.5

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))

p.5

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated from the previous inspection. 31 July 2022

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

that staff— 31 July 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC410535 6 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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b))

p.6

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, internet safety, and peer relationships.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated from the previous inspection.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered manager and senior leader must ensure that staff have the relevant skills to support children and implement strategies to keep children safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 31 July 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC410535 7 that staff—

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered persons should ensure that staff have the relevant skills to support children.

p.7

Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated from the previous inspection.

p.7

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

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;

p.7

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))

p.7

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.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered persons should ensure that there are systems in place to oversee the management of the home and to 31 July 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC410535 8 ensure that records and discussions about children are child- centred.

p.7

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.

p.8

Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated from the previous inspection.

p.8

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

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;

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

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.

p.8

Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated from the previous inspection. 31 July 2022

p.8

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—

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure; 31 July 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC410535 9 a description of the measure and its duration;

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

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;

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

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;

p.9

Requirement Due date

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”)—

p.9

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.9

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))

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated from the previous inspection.

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

p.9

Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)) 31 July 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC410535 10 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.

p.9

Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered persons should ensure that the rota meets the requirements in schedule 4 and includes full names.

p.10

Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated from the previous inspection.

p.10

Requirement Due date

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

p.10

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—

p.10

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))

p.10

Requirement Due date

The registered persons should ensure that they manage the home effectively. 31 July 2022

p.10

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.10

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)

p.10

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.

p.10

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC410535 11

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Positive Pathways Limited

p.11

Children’s home details

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

p.11

Inspectors

Melanie Griffin, Social Care Inspector Fiona Roche, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC410535 12 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.

p.11

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.12

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.12

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.12