Children's Home run by Positive Pathways Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC410537 1 SC410537 Registered provider: Positive Pathways Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private provider. It provides care for up to three children who may have social and emotional needs and/or a learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2023 and is suitably qualified.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC410537 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/08/2022 Full Good 15/02/2022 Full Good 05/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 06/08/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC410537 3

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home. Three children have left the home during this inspection period. One child experienced a planned and positive move, but two children did not have positive experiences moving on from the home. Managers did not fully consider the needs of all the children when making decisions about moving children into the home. Staff were not appropriately skilled and experienced to meet the needs of the children. This had a negative impact on the care and experience children received.

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improvement to be good

Managers do not consistently escalate requests to the local authority for the children’s most up-to-date plans. This approach to care planning arrangements for children has contributed to children’s needs not being effectively assessed and understood by managers and staff.

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improvement to be good

Staff are committed to promoting children’s education. Children have excellent attendance at school and they are making educational progress. Both children have completed their exams and awaiting their results.

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improvement to be good

Children are in good health, and they make progress physically, emotionally and socially. Staff work in partnership with specialist agencies to support children’s emotional health.

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improvement to be good

The home is warm and welcoming and has a family atmosphere. Children’s photos are on display throughout the home. The garden is spacious and well maintained. Children personalise their bedrooms and this allows them to take a sense of pride in their home.

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff support children’s hobbies and interests. For example, one child attends police cadets and dance club. This gives children a sense of belonging and achievement.

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improvement to be good

Both children told the inspector they are happy and they enjoy living in the home. Managers and staff have built strong relationships with the children they care for and their families. Managers’ and staff’s interactions with children were observed to be kind and caring. They take time to help children make choices, showcase their achievements and gather their views.

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding systems, the quality of internal investigations and safeguarding records require improvement. Staff report safeguarding concerns effectively, but the quality of safeguarding records and internal investigations varies. For example, one Inspection report for children’s home: SC410537 4 child made an allegation that they had been harmed by another child while living in the home. As a result, the child who was harmed felt unsafe, and the social worker served notice on their placement. Following child protection procedures being concluded the manager has not conducted any internal review or investigation to identify any learning from the incident. The failure to fully investigate incidents places children at risk of harm and does not provide scrutiny and opportunity to improve practice to safeguard children.

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improvement to be good

The manager liaises with the local authority designated officer and social workers, sharing details of all incidents involving concerns about staff practice or of allegations. This ensures that there is independent oversight to keep children safe. However, on two occasions, incidents were not reported to Ofsted. This does not ensure that the regulator is able to adequately understand themes and patterns to respond appropriately.

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improvement to be good

Recruitment practice is not always robust and does not fully protect children from potentially unsuitable people working at the home. This was raised at the previous inspection and the requirement is not met. The manager has noted this shortfall and is taking action to address it.

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improvement to be good

Children take part in regular fire drills and have personal emergency evacuation plans in place to ensure staff know how to support them to safely evacuate the home in case of emergency. However, the fire risk assessment has not been completed by a competent person and has not been reviewed by a fire safety officer.

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improvement to be good

Due to the positive relationships enjoyed between the children and staff, the use of physical intervention is rare. Incidents of restraint have decreased from children’s starting points. When restraints have taken place, these have been managed well. Restraint is used as a last resort and is necessary and proportionate. However, children and staff have not always been spoken to within the relevant timescales after restraints have been used. This limits learning from incidents.

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improvement to be good

Key-work sessions are good and support children to understand risk and keeping themselves safe. Direct work with children includes discussion of subjects such as anti-bullying, online safety and sexting.

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good

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2023. She is suitably qualified and experienced. The manager keeps children at the heart of all she does. She is ambitious for the children and ensures that this ethos is shared by the staff.

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good

Most staff hold the relevant qualification for the role. However, one member of staff has not achieved their level 3 qualification in residential childcare within the required time frame. This was raised at the previous two inspections and the requirement is still not met. Inspection report for children’s home: SC410537 5 Staff are provided with a wide range of training that informs their practice and meets children’s individual and diverse needs. Team meetings and supervision sessions take place monthly and are used as a place for reflection and learning. Important issues are tracked and discussed, and children are at the centre of all practice.

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good

The manager has established good connections with partner agencies. Professionals are positive about the communication with the staff team and about the care provided for the children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC410537 6

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered manager ensuring that updated plans are received for children. If plans are not received, the escalation process must be implemented without delay. 26 November

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered manager ensuring that internal investigations are undertaken when a child sustains injuries in the home. 26 November

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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 26 November Inspection report for children’s home: SC410537 7 have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered manager ensuring the fire risk assessment is completed by a competent person. 26 November

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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

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the manager ensuring that safer recruitment checks are in line with schedule 2 and staff achieve the appropriate qualification within timescale. 26 November

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Recommendations

 The registered person should seek to involve the local authority and other relevant persons whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. They are also required by regulation 40 to notify placing authorities, Ofsted and other relevant persons about serious events. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.4) Inspection report for children’s home: SC410537 8  The registered person should ensure that records of restraint are kept which enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure that it meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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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: SC410537 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Positive Pathways Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspectors

Nateisha Cardoza-Evans, Social Care Inspector Marianne Grandfield, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC410537 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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