Children's home run by Pathway Care Solutions Ltd in Bolton

Inspection report for children’s home: SC008810 1 SC008810 Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care to up to four children with social and emotional difficulties. It is owned and managed by a private organisation.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC008810 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/05/2022 Full Good 05/05/2021 Full Good 10/06/2019 Full Good 20/11/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC008810 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming. There is a family atmosphere where staff and children enjoy spending time together. This includes playing games, watching films, eating meals together, and going out on activities.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to understand their experiences and emotions through holding regular discussions. These sessions help children to make safe and informed decisions. These discussions are well planned, personalised and meaningful.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children feel safe and trust the adults who care for them. Children know how to complain and feel able to confide in staff.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s mental and physical health needs are met. Staff receive training in relation to children’s specific needs and diagnoses. Staff ensure that children attend all medical appointments. The registered manager advocated for one child to receive a specialist assessment. Another child is being supported to make informed choices about their medication in a safe and age-appropriate way.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are good at supporting children’s education. When children are on a part-time timetable, they are supported to learn at home. Staff are creative and enthusiastic in their approach, with good routine and structure in place. Children subsequently engage well with home learning. Staff are also supporting children to return to full- time education. As a result, children who can find school difficult are making good educational progress.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to maintain relationships with people who are important to them. The manager and staff show dedication to supporting children who live far away from home. Staff facilitate regular family time. This helps to reduce children’s feelings of loss and separation. It also helps children with their identity and sense of belonging.

p.3

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

Staff are good at keeping children safe. Staff understand the risks that children are exposed to and follow children’s risk assessments and behaviour support plans. Staff ensure that these plans and assessments are regularly reviewed, including after an incident. This ensures that the staff have the relevant information they need to keep children safe.

p.3

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

Staff take all allegations made by children seriously. All the relevant agencies are informed and consulted promptly. Appropriate safeguards are put in place while allegations are investigated. Children and staff are well supported through this process. As a result, potential risks to children are minimised and safely managed. Inspection report for children’s home: SC008810 4 Staff establish good routines and boundaries through a trauma-informed model of care. This helps staff to de-escalate incidents sensitively in a child-centred approach.

p.3

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

Staff take immediate action when children go missing from the home. Staff go looking for children and take the necessary steps to keep children safe. Staff follow safety plans and keep the relevant agencies informed.

p.4

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

Staff are recruited safely. All the necessary checks are carried out prior to staff working at the home. A thorough induction process is in place. This includes the requirement for inexperienced staff to complete an induction workbook. This helps the registered manager to determine their learning and level of competence prior to them passing their probation.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is enthusiastic and dedicated in improving children’s lives. She provides a warm and nurturing environment where staff feel well supported. She has strong leadership skills, which her staff team respect and value.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers closely monitor staff practice, and prompt action is taken when shortfalls are identified.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a stable staff team in place. Staff enjoy working at the home and team morale is high. This provides children with a harmonious and family atmosphere.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular team meetings help to strengthen staff relationships. These forums provide the staff with an opportunity to share learning so that children receive coordinated care.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have ongoing support from the clinical team. This helps to upskill the team in their care of the children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good oversight of the home. There are monitoring systems in place that are effective. This enables the manager to know what is happening in the home daily.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular management audits are carried out. Staff have confidence and trust in the manager’s leadership. They are given clear daily guidance on the work required. Outstanding actions are quickly identified and promptly dealt with. This ensures that the standards of care remain good.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff work effectively with external agencies. They work in partnership with relevant professionals to ensure that children’s plans are effective. The manager communicates well with parents and professionals. As a result, children receive well-planned and coordinated care. One social worker said, ‘The manager goes above and beyond, I’m so happy with [the child’s name’s] care… [the child’s name] is thriving.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC008810 5 Staff receive regular supervision. This includes important topics such as safeguarding and reflective practice. Staff receive good support with both professional and personal issues. This ensures that staff’s well-being is promoted alongside supporting their development. Most staff are up to date with their mandatory training and have completed several advanced training courses. However, there is one member of staff who has not received their required first-aid

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

training for six years. Inspection report for children’s home: SC008810 6

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

p.6

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: SC008810 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Ltd

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspector

Emma Dacres, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC008810 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8