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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC390190 1 SC390190 Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to three children with emotional, social and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by an experienced registered manager.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC390190 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/06/2021 Full Good 19/11/2019 Full Outstanding 10/10/2018 Full Outstanding 02/01/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC390190 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children in this home have very good relationships with staff. They know staff care about them. Children recognise that staff stick by them through challenging times. The manager is an excellent advocate for the children. She listens to them and is proactive in securing the services they need, to help them make progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Not all children find attending education easy. Despite this, the manager and staff ensure that children have good attendance, arrive on time and are ready for learning. If children receive exclusions, there are clear boundaries in place so that they complete work at home. For example, children are not allowed technology until the end of the school day and their day remains structured.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children undertake activities and know the importance of staying fit and eating healthily. One child has been doing volunteering for almost a year and this has helped them with their confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has recently moved out. This transition was organised well and the child’s needs were carefully considered throughout this move. For example, the child had a personalised timetable, several visits to their new placement and an overnight stay. The child moved when they felt ready and prepared. The child’s photos remain in the home and the child visits regularly and still goes on activities with the other children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s families are positive about the care provided to their children. Additionally, involved agencies describe communication from the manager and staff as ‘fantastic’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are beginning to understand their lives and why they came into care. Life- story work is taking place for children. However, more could be done to provide further narrative for children to help them better understand their memories.

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

Staff manage difficult relationships and situations between children well. Staff will give children space away from one another until they are ready to repair their relationship. Wherever appropriate, the manager encourages the children to empathise with one another’s situation. Overall, the children have a good relationship and refer to one another as brothers. This is a result of staff managing relationships well.

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

When children become upset, their behaviour can deteriorate. During these times, staff put consistent measures in place to protect children. Children sometimes need staff to physically intervene to keep them safe. These interventions are carried out by experienced, trained staff who have good relationships with children. Following incidents, children are encouraged to reflect on their behaviour. When they are Inspection report for children’s home: SC390190 4 ready, they apologise to staff and others. Additionally, the recording of incidents is good and provides a good level of detail.

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

Although staff are starting to recognise how trauma impacts on children, staff require further development to respond to children’s emotional needs. Children could also be supported better to recognise their strengths and talents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager knows the children incredibly well. She knows their histories and understands their family dynamics. The children have complex attachment needs and do not find it easy to trust others at times. The manager has cared for the children for many years. Children know she is a dependable adult. The manager recognises how important core staff are for these children. Children speak positively about the care that they receive from a nurturing staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has worked hard to develop and maintain a stable staff team. The manager maintains high standards of care for children. Therefore, inductions for new staff are thorough, and staff receive the training they need. The manager ensures that the recruitment of staff is child focused. For example, she uses some interview questions that children have devised. New staff have mentors and are introduced to children at a pace that children feel comfortable with. Although efforts have been made to recruit male staff, the children do not yet have male role models.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff receive good support from the manager. There is organised, proactive leadership. Staff describe morale as ‘fantastic’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff receive regular professional supervision and attend team meetings. These involve developmentally focused discussions. For example, staff are given scenarios to enhance their professional curiosity. Staff are full of praise for their manager and the deputy manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The children respect the manager and trust her with their feelings. Stakeholders describe the leadership as ‘brilliant’, ‘amazing’ and ‘impressive’. Inspection report for children’s home: SC390190 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff and managers understand the importance for children to learn ‘who we are and where we come from’, and that this is recognised in good social work practice. For example through undertaking life-story work or other direct work. Staff in children’s homes should play a full role in work of this kind. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.14)  The registered person should ensure that staff have the skills and confidence to communicate easily and understand the importance of listening to, involving and responding to the children they care for. Staff should understand that they have a responsibility to observe, notice and respond to children who are expressing their views, acknowledging that it is not the sole responsibility of the child to ‘tell’. Staff should also understand how children might communicate their feelings through

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Recommendations

their behaviour, or non-verbally, especially where the child has a disability which does not allow them to communicate as others might. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.10)  The registered person should ensure that, whenever possible, staff in day-to-day contact with children should include staff from the different gender groups. Where the home’s statement of purpose makes it explicit that the home uses staff of one sex only, clear guidance will need to be in place and followed as to how children are enabled to maintain relationships with people of a different gender. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.22)

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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: SC390190 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Atria, Spa Road, Bolton BL1 4AG

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Inspector

Andi Lilley-Tams, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC390190 7 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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