Children's Home run by Pathway Children’s Services Ltd in Hampshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2696825 1 Registered provider: Pathway Children’s Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is located on the edges of a coastal city with easy access to the beach, local towns and other amenities. The home is registered for up to four children with have learning disabilities. It is part of a private organisation that has other registered homes for both children and adults. Three children were living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2022, when the home was also registered. This is the first inspection for this 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 requires improvement to be 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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2696825 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have built positive relationships with the staff in the short time they have been living in the home. Relationships are warm and caring, and the staff know the children well. Children have started to make progress since living in the home, such as increased independence skills and being settled and relaxed for longer periods of time. A social worker, advocate and parent all commented positively on how the home are caring for the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s views and opinions are held central to the routine in the home. Each child has their own bespoke plans for the day, and these are in line with their needs. Children share their views through general discussion with staff and group meetings when appropriate. Staff are learning to understand the individual communication style children use, alongside alternative communication tools such as pictures and objects of reference.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have moved in during the school holidays and have a varied range of activities that they have chosen. This includes trips to local beaches and parks as well as indoor activities. Children learn about other countries, people and cultures in ‘Worldly Wednesdays’. Children make flags and foods from the countries chosen and learn about the traditions of each country.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children will be starting a new school or college in September, which is being confirmed and arranged through joint working with the staff and virtual schools.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have been well supported when moving into the home. Staff have tailored moves and visits to meet the children’s needs, including several visits and stays prior to moving in, if appropriate, and ensuring they have their rooms decorated how they would like. Individualised social stories and booklets with children’s favourite characters aid the children in understanding where they are moving to and who will be looking after them. One child who moved in has had consistent care through his former family carers working alongside staff in the home. They have continued to enjoy and attend the play scheme they attended prior to living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The behaviour support practitioner helps staff to understand children’s needs through child-centred workshops and provides staff with clear guidance about the child and their needs, which means this information and guidance are easily digestible for staff, and ready for when the child moves in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are appropriately met through access to local medical professionals, including child and adolescent mental health services. In addition, children are being taught what is healthy for them. They are helped to make balanced food choices, including fresh foods, but also making cookies for after dinner treats. Inspection report for children’s home: 2696825 3

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

Children say they feel safe with the staff. Their actions show they are comfortable with the staff and approach them with confidence. Staff have a good understanding of each child’s risks and vulnerabilities and are increasingly confident in how to keep them safe. Staff use one-to-one sessions with children to cover topics relevant to them, such as being safe on-line and who is a real friend.

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

Staff confidently explain the process to follow should they be concerned for a child’s safety or well-being, including how to escalate concerns outside of the organisation if needed. There have not been any incidents that have required reporting to the placing authority, but leaders and managers are in regular contact with the children’s social workers should any low-level issues occur.

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

Children’s behavioural needs are regularly reviewed through the organisation’s specialist team. They provide consultation and guidance on how to meet the children’s needs and consider what their behaviour is communicating. The plans are constantly evolving to include the changes in behaviour as the children are settling into their new home. Staff say they find the consultations incredibly useful. Children have access to reward boxes with small toys and items they like, such as bubbles or make up, for instant recognition of positive behaviour. A child was seen to excitedly pick some princess stick-on nails.

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

The use of physical intervention is used as a last resort. However, records are not easy to follow and information is not always clear. However, this does not suggest that children are being held unnecessarily or inappropriately. Debriefs with children show that the children feel comfortable to share what would make them feel safer and how staff could help them more next time. One child has also started to reflect on their behaviour and why they are acting in certain ways at specific times of day.

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

Safer recruitment practice is followed, reducing the risk of the children being cared for by unsuitable people. However, the recording system is cumbersome and does not have the appropriate information uploaded to it. Managers do not have full oversight with regards to recruitment, such as verifying references and contacting former employers. However, they have seen all the relevant pre-employment checks.

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

The home is well maintained and provides a safe space for children to explore and have as much freedom as possible. The garden is very overgrown and unkempt, but safe. Children were still able to access the trampoline and other equipment safely. Regular checks of the environment and fire systems, alongside practice evacuations, mean children are protected from avoidable risk.

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good

Staff do not have all the training required to meet the children’s needs effectively. They lack training in children’s diagnosed conditions of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and not all have had training in autism and associated conditions. Inspection report for children’s home: 2696825 4 Additionally, they have not had suitable training in ligature removal. Staff have benefited from training in all other key areas. Managers do quizzes in team meetings to check the staff’s comprehension and understanding of the training. Staff also benefit from regular supervision where any specific training needs are explored.

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good

The recording and reporting in the home is not yet to a suitable standard. The language used in records is not always objective or child focused. It is not always clear if it is staff opinion or fact. Records linked to incidents and physical interventions lack the clarity and flow needed for ease of review. The manager recognises this and will adapt the online recording system. Greater clarity is required on the hold used and who was holding the child where. Additionally, debriefs are not consistently taking place within timescales.

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good

The home is suitably managed by the management team, which includes a recently appointed deputy manager with experience of the needs of the children in the home. Leaders and managers in the home recognise the need to continually evolve practice and support staff as new children move in and the team forms and settles. Staff say they feel well supported by the management team and can approach them at any time.

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good

The managers know each child well and evaluate their progress effectively. When children move into the home they seek all relevant information for the child, including talking to the child’s parents and former carers. Where records are not available, the manager suitably challenges the agency and escalates, as necessary. Inspection report for children’s home: 2696825 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, The 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the garden is in a suitable condition and action is taken to ensure that it is not overgrown and unsightly.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that records are clear, organised and in a format that is easy to review and understand. 22 September 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home.

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— 22 September 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2696825 6 full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all pre- employment and safer recruit checks, along with the information required in Schedule 2, are stored in a manner that is dependable and shows the required checks have taken place.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33 (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff provide the necessary training required to work safely and effectively in the home. 22 September 2023

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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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”)—

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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; and

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (3)(a)(ii)(iv)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that records are clear and contain all required information. 22 September 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2696825 7

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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: 2696825 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathway Children’s Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Afon House, Worthing Road, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 1TL

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Lingham

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Inspector

Jennie Christopher, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2696825 9 regulates and inspects 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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