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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC357077 1 SC357077 Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is privately owned and is registered to care for up to four children who may have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 2015 and is suitably qualified and experienced.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 21 February 2023

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC357077 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/02/2023 Full Outstanding 07/03/2022 Full Outstanding 27/01/2020 Full Outstanding 11/12/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC357077 3

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outstanding

Children receive exceptional care from a dedicated workforce. Staff pride themselves on how well they know each child. A model of care based on playfulness and empathy builds the foundations of trusting attachments between children and adults. This has resulted in phenomenal stability for children, with these three children having lived here for many years. For one child, this has been her home for ten years.

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outstanding

Complex, long term health conditions are stabilised and well managed. Good diet, regular exercise, and prompt access to a range of specialist health care creates strong health outcomes. The home is very good at supporting children to develop improved self-care skills and grow their independence. For example, children become more able to eat independently, carry out personal hygiene tasks and manage their money.

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outstanding

Staff have worked creatively and resiliently to develop effective means of communication with children. Specific learning disability training and research- informed practice ensure staff remain skilled and knowledgeable in this area. Children can now, more than ever, make their needs known by communicating with words, signs, symbols, and pictures. Staff are incredibly proud of their progress. The voice of the children is heard, and their wishes are acted on, giving them a real opportunity to inform their own care for the future.

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outstanding

Children attend specialist education provisions in line with their complex learning disabilities. Attendance is excellent. Staff show enthusiasm and use motivational approaches to encourage children’s progress in education. One head teacher told the inspector, ‘The home has been instrumental in his progress, they are a total credit to him, I cannot speak highly enough of them’.

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outstanding

All three children who live here are preparing for adulthood. The nature and extent of their learning disabilities is well understood by staff. This enables them to set realistic, but also challenging, goals for each child. Transition planning is excellent. The home is commended by adult social care professionals involved in such processes. This highly effective care planning ensures children have the very best start to their adulthood.

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outstanding

Staff undertake a broad range of good-quality training in safeguarding matters. There is excellent communication with safeguarding partners in the placing authorities. Leaders are acutely aware of the additional safeguarding vulnerabilities for disabled children and what those inherent risk factors may look like. Inspection report for children’s home: SC357077 4 Learning from research is a strength of the leadership team and is shared throughout the service through discussions, supervision sessions, team meetings, handovers, and upskilling exercises. Staff understand the importance of an open safeguarding culture and, as a result, know how to recognise, report and act on any safeguarding concerns that they may have.

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outstanding

Children who live here do not go missing and they are not deemed to be at risk of exploitation. They always have adult care and supervision which mitigates against many risks. However, staff maintain their safeguarding training in these areas and remain alert to possible risk factors for children in their care. As children prepare to enter adulthood, staff have worked tirelessly to ensure they are as safe as possible.

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outstanding

The quality of risk assessments and behaviour support plans is excellent. Staff assess each risk and identify potential triggers and helpful responses. Children are supported wherever possible to take safe and appropriate risks in line with their care plans and their developmental needs. This has resulted in a reduction over time of behaviour that challenges.

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outstanding

Measures of restraint that feature physical intervention are low in number. Staff are skilled in a wide range of de-escalation techniques which are effective. Several strategies are used to manage challenging behaviour which means physical intervention is only ever a last resort. All behaviour management strategies have excellent records and robust manager’s oversight. As children become more able to communicate their feelings and self-regulate, a distinct reduction in significant incidents occurs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The leadership team is ambitious for children. The registered manager is supported confidently by the deputy manager, both are inspirational leaders. They have worked in the home for many years. They provide excellent role modelling for staff and drive forward continual improvements. The culture of the home is such that it guards against complacency and focuses on ensuring children reach their full potential, regardless of any complex or challenging needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff hold managers in high regard. They are described as being some of the best leaders the staff have ever worked for. Staff speak positively about leaders offering support with both work and more personal matters. The inspector was told of, and was able to observe, an open-door policy with leaders who are welcoming of staff feedback and ideas. There have been very few departures from the staff team, some staff have left and return. This has contributed to high morale and dedication throughout the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is a confident leader. Her management style is enhanced by years of experience working with children with learning disabilities. She is a strong and powerful advocate for the children in her care and makes every decision with the child at the centre. Her ambition and high expectations have been influential in the children’s sustained progress over the last ten years. Inspection report for children’s home: SC357077 5 Managers know their strengths. A wealth of evidence is available to support sustained improvement for the children during this inspection period. This covers all areas of their development, including better health care, exceptional educational progress, and more social opportunities than before. Children flourish here because they are treated as children first and foremost, despite their challenges. The manager does not take credit for such impressive progress, emphasising to the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

inspector that this cannot be done alone and is thanks to her excellent team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers promote the continuous professional development of all staff. Opportunities for promotion and development mean staff feel valued at work. Research is used to keep abreast of all sector changes and to access diverse training resources. Supervision discussions and team meetings are used effectively as opportunities to upskill staff both individually and collectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a real pride amongst the team, founded in years of outstanding achievements, with an ethos that nothing less than perfect will do for their children. It truly is a home everyone is proud to be a part of. Inspection report for children’s home: SC357077 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 for children’s home: SC357077 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Rachael Sprigg, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC357077 8 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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