Children's Home run by Positive Pathways Limited in Birmingham

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC410539 1 SC410539

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Registered provider: Positive Pathways Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a permanent manager at the home. They have been in post since October 2023 and have applied to register with Ofsted.

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Inspection date: 26 March 2024

Date of last inspection: 18 December 2023

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Inspection date: 26 March 2024

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 26 March 2024

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC410539 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

One child, who moved into the home in December, moved on after just one week. Managers did not have all the information needed to plan safe care for this child effectively. They quickly understood that the needs of this child could not be met at the home. This was disruptive for both the child whose placement ended suddenly and the child who already lived in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

There are now three children living at the home. The two children who have moved in since the last inspection have had well-planned introductions to the home. Two of the children enjoy spending time with staff. One child is new to the home, and staff are helping them begin to build relationships with staff and with the other children at their own pace.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s care is well planned to help them make progress and have their needs met. Staff understand what help and care children need. Good partnership working with other agencies is in place. For example, good communication with schools promotes children’s engagement in education. Staff are also proactive at helping children attend health services for routine and specialist care.

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Findings from the inspection

A positive culture exists in relation to consulting with children and gathering their views, wishes and feelings. As a result, children are listened to, and they can make choices. For example, children created mood boards to generate ideas for personalising their bedrooms. Consultation is also used for holding discussions around safety, personal development and topics relating to the wider world. This helps children learn about keeping themselves safe, for example by educating them about online safety and healthy relationships.

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Findings from the inspection

While children enjoy some activities at the home and occasional trips out, there is a lack of planning around this, and staffing levels and finances are a barrier at times. For example, one child was told she could not go shopping because she had no activity money, and no alternative was offered. This does not promote children’s social development or help them to fill their time meaningfully and with activities they enjoy.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s plans outline their risks and the actions staff must take to keep them safe. There is effective planning around children’s risk of going missing from the home. Staff are well informed about actions to take to prevent and respond to this. Children’s missing-from-home incidents have been vastly reduced since moving into the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The home provides a safe and pleasant environment for children to live in. There is a new bedroom door sensor system in operation. Children’s individual plans outline the arrangements for the use, and review, of this surveillance. However, plans also state Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC410539 3 that bedroom doors must be locked at night. While children can unlock their door at any time, this measure is unnecessary and it does not provide children with a homely environment.

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Findings from the inspection

Complaints and allegations are taken seriously by managers. Action is taken to address concerns about staff’s practice. Concerns are shared with relevant professionals, allowing for joint decision-making.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff understand how to keep children safe. Their knowledge of safeguarding is tested through quizzes and scenario-based questions in supervisions and team meetings. There are plans to further enhance training through bespoke workshops led by the manager.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager understands the strengths and areas for development at the home. She is well supported by senior leaders and benefits from being part of a wider network of managers. The manager has increased her management oversight of the home and is organised in her approach to this.

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Findings from the inspection

The previous requirements and recommendation have all been met. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC410539 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/12/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/07/2022 Full Inadequate 22/02/2022 Full Good 28/11/2019 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC410539 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 enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to—

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Requirement Due date

develop the child’s interests and hobbies;

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Requirement Due date

participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences; and

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Requirement Due date

make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 31 May 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home seeks as far as possible to maintain a homely domestic environment rather than an ‘institutional’ impression. This specifically relates to children having choices about whether they lock their bedroom doors. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC410539 6

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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, West Midlands B24 9QR

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Inspector

Alison Snell, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC410539 7 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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