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

Inspection report children’s home: 1277045 1 Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions 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 experience social and/or emotional difficulties and/or learning difficulties. It is part of a large organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

An acting manager is in post, who is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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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

Date of last inspection: 12 October 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1277045 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/10/2021 Full Good 07/11/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 11/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/03/2019 Full Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: 1277045 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved on, and two children have arrived to live in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have created a warm and welcoming home for the children. The layout of the home and gardens has been remodelled to meet the children’s individual needs and to carry out different activities with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff helped two children to move on from the home. They supported one child to develop sufficient skills and confidence to move to independent living. Staff worked with professionals to help the other child to move to a new home. Staff gave each child a book of positive memories and photos of their time together. Since leaving, both children have kept in contact with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child who lives in the home has made significant progress in several areas of his life. He is in full-time education. Staff work closely with his school to help him to develop his language skills and make his own choices. The manager and staff encourage the child to join in activities and to try new things. For example, staff regularly take the child swimming, and they have recently built a climbing wall for him in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Recently, the manager and staff sensitively introduced another child to the home. They visited the child and learned about her routine and favourite foods before her arrival. They arranged her education at the same school as the other child. Staff helped to prepare the other child for the new child’s arrival. They spent time and created storybooks with the other child to work at his pace. This helped the children to have a positive and friendly start to their relationship.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff continue to develop their own skills to meet the high aspirations that they have for the children’s futures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff explore creative ways to keep in touch with families when visits cannot take place in person. They build relationships with the children’s families where it is safe to do so.

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

Leaders and managers have reviewed the process for placing a child in the home to make sure that staff can support the children’s needs. This approach has led to the successful placement of the current children. There has been a significant reduction in the number of incidents, missing-from-care episodes and restraint episodes reported. There have been no complaints recorded. Inspection report children’s home: 1277045 4 The manager understands the risks relating to the children. She accepts that staff cannot always meet a child’s needs where it puts children and staff at risk of harm. This has led to one child’s placement ending in a planned way to meet his needs.

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

Staff are alert to any change in the children’s behaviour. The manager and staff make sure that consistent routines are in place so that the children feel safe. Staff work with other agencies to ensure that there is a common approach to boundaries. For example, children have structure and receive a similar response to their behaviour at home and at school.

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

Staff are confident to expose children to manageable risks to help build their resilience and independence skills. For example, the layout of the home enables the children to play separately if they wish, and to have some independent time to manage their emotions.

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

The manager and staff learn from safeguarding incidents. They identify thresholds of harm and carry out internal reviews which are overseen by external professionals. This approach reduces risks to the children effectively and improves practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Over the last year, leaders, managers and staff have changed in the organisation. However, the current manager has remained working in the home and is applying to be registered with Ofsted. The manager has a clear vision for the home’s development and now has a stable team of staff in place to help her.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders support the manager to undertake her role. They understand the main areas of strength and weakness in the home, which are now set out in a clear development plan to support high standards of care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are settled in the home. They support each other and receive relevant and timely training to better meet the children’s needs. Managers are good role models for staff and provide reflective guidance to help staff care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders encourage managers to visit outstanding children’s homes to share good practice. Managers work with other professionals and invite independent scrutiny to improve practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers accept that there are elements of the children’s care planning that require further work. This is to ensure that the children’s voice is clearly recorded, their needs are set out and that staff are directed in how to meet needs. In addition, further work is required to create a statement of purpose which is individual to this home. Inspection report children’s home: 1277045 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 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

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the statement of purpose reflects the care provided at the home. 14 October 2022

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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. 28 October 2022 Inspection report children’s home: 1277045 6

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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 children’s home: 1277045 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Samantha Choules

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Inspector

Justine Hosking, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1277045 8 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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