Children's home run by Pathway Care Solutions Group Limited

Inspection report for children's home: SC482275 1 SC482275 Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to four children who may have emotional and/or behavioural care needs. It is part of a large organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were two managers registered with Ofsted. Four children were living in the home.

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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 good

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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: improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC482275 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 08/12/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/06/2019 Full Good 13/12/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: SC482275 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, the same four children have remained living in the home. The managers create a welcoming and stable home for the children and staff. They listen to the children and have adapted the home to create extra rooms, and garden activities are provided to meet the children’s individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff build trusting and positive relationships with the children. They support the older children to consider their plans. Staff supported one child who did not enjoy education to complete his final exams. Staff are sensitively exploring with another child how he can move on from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children have achieved some progress with their education. The younger children have made remarkable progress at school. One child appeared in a school play. The other child received an award for his academic achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff make sure that the children have the help that they need to make progress. Overall, they build good working relationships with other agencies and professionals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to make friends and enjoy themselves. Staff make sure that the children do not miss an opportunity to take part in activities, for example, going on a train or ordering food from a restaurant menu. They adjust the level of care to meet the age and understanding of each child. This helps the older children to be independent and have control over their routines.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children. During the summer holiday, they helped the children to create a weekly timetable of activities. When possible, staff plan joint activities. For example, the younger children have been on holiday together. They talk about their fun experiences and keep a photo record of the activities. Staff encourage the older children to plan and make budgets for their activities.

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

Staff protect the children from harm. Managers have effective systems in place to monitor and reduce risks to the children. Staff know how to access support to manage the children’s needs. They share their safeguarding concerns in team meetings and seek additional clinical support with their practice.

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

Staff understand the children’s behaviours and how to manage them with a range of techniques. This has led to a huge reduction in the number of restraints for one child. Most incidents are now non-restrictive, where the child understands that he might need some time out in another room or doing another activity. Inspection report for children's home: SC482275 4 Staff put in place clear boundaries and routines for the children. They model what is acceptable behaviour. This has enabled one child to think about his own behaviour and how to manage it better, for example, helping to tidy up after an incident.

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

Managers and staff are vigilant and put in place strategies to manage any new risks. Staff are sensitive and respectful around how to monitor any risks to make sure that the child does not feel that they are blamed.

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

Staff are confident in carrying out safeguarding procedures and know where to seek support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a stable team of staff and managers. They are good role models for newer staff of how to provide consistent care for the children. Leaders and managers create innovative ways to improve staff well-being and retention. For example, they look at how to manage staff’s time in the home each week.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers make sure that staff regularly attend training which is relevant to meet the children’s needs. This helps to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff have become efficient at using the home’s case management system. This helps staff to record how they are meeting the children’s needs and to identify areas for development. They provide relevant information about the children to other professionals. Staff are also more confident to challenge some decisions around care planning for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

However, managers accept that there are elements of the children’s care planning that require further work. This is to ensure that children’s needs are anticipated and measures to meet needs are comprehensively explored, and that staff are directed in how to meet needs. In addition, further work is required if the home is to follow the well-being support model set out in its statement of purpose. Inspection report for children's home: SC482275 5

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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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the 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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that managers keep personal plans up to date and anticipate the action required to meet the children’s needs. 30 September

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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: SC482275 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Group Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Samantha Choules

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Children’s home details

Registered managers: David Rowe and Nicola Ackers

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Inspector

Justine Hosking, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC482275 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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