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 Limited

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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

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home and two children have moved in. There were four children living at the home at the time of the inspection. All children were seen and spoken to by the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 2015 and is registered with Ofsted.

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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

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

14/03/2024 Full Outstanding 21/02/2023 Full Outstanding 07/03/2022 Full Outstanding 27/01/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC357077 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive exceptional bespoke care. Staff have an in-depth knowledge of each child and provide genuine emotional warmth and care. One teacher said ‘The way they make the young people feel proud, special and valued is beautiful’. Children enjoy a harmonious family atmosphere with fun and laughter. Children are helped to build positive friendships with their peers, enabling sibling-type relationships to develop. Children and staff enjoy time together as a family, from sharing meals to days out at the beach. As a result, children thrive in long-term stable placements and make incredible progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager and staff are skilled at meeting children’s health needs. The manager strongly advocates for regular reviews of children’s prescribed medication and looks for alternative holistic ways to support children. This has resulted in plans to gradually reduce one child’s dose of controlled drugs. For other children, they no longer need medication to help them get to sleep.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s emotional and mental health needs are supported extremely well by specialists, such as psychologists and art therapists. Children’s health needs are proactively assessed. Children subsequently receive timely and essential support, such as sensory assessments, life-story work and art therapy. As a result, children’s overall health and life chances greatly improve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children do exceptionally well at school, considering their starting points. For one child who previously struggled to attend school, they are now flourishing. Staffing ratios have reduced, and they have had a significant period of stability. The head teacher said ‘[Name of child’s] communication skills have come on no end. [The child’s] spoken language was unrecognisable, but now [the child] is well understood because [the child] has had a consistent approach from the home’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are encouraged to live fulfilled lives and reach their full potential. They are supported to do a range of activities, such as football, army cadets and youth club. Children enjoy holidays with staff, going camping and on city breaks. Children are also supported daily to develop life skills, such as cooking and going to the shop independently.

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

The manager and staff keep children safe. Staff know the risks children can be exposed to and are proactive in their approach to safeguarding. Staff have regular discussions with children to help them understand how to keep themselves safe. Staff give children weekly safeguarding scenarios to check understanding and learning. One teacher said, ‘[Name of child] has developed their sense of safety and how to keep themselves safe.’ This is an effective approach to safeguarding. Inspection report for children's home: SC357077 4 Staff are trained to use a trauma-informed approach to care. They are extremely skilled in responding to behaviours that are difficult to manage, such as physical and verbal aggression. Staff implement firm and consistent boundaries which are highly effective. Children are helped to understand their feelings and behaviours, enabling them to regulate quickly. This helps children to feel safe and secure.

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

Staff respond skilfully to children in distress. As a result, incidents are incredibly rare, and staff do not need to restrain children. For several children, behaviours that are difficult to manage, such as self-injurious behaviours and physical aggression, have drastically reduced. One parent said, ‘[Name of child] was very aggressive, this has massively reduced. [Name of child] can listen now and understands what is expected. [The child] has learned to reflect and apologise, which is a big deal’.

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

Children receive regular visits from an advocate. This provides a safe opportunity for children to raise any concerns with someone independent to the home.

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

Staff are proficient in safeguarding practices and are up to date with safeguarding training. In addition, the manager completes a safeguarding competency check with each staff member. This helps the manager to check their level of understanding and learning. Practice knowledge is further strengthened by safeguarding scenario questions in each staff supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is highly motivated and dedicated. She strives to achieve the best possible outcomes for children. She is a strong advocate for children and tenaciously challenges any decisions that are not in their best interests. One social worker said, ‘I have never known a manager so passionate and resilient and with such an advanced knowledge of all the children’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is an established and long-standing team of staff who thoroughly enjoy their role. Many of the staff have been working at the home for the duration of children’s placements. For two children, this spans over six years, providing stability for children and consistency of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are highly skilled and trained. Staff receive training in relation to children’s needs, such as pathological demand avoidance, life-story work and autism spectrum disorder. Staff’s trauma-informed practice is further developed by regular consultations from a clinical psychologist.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has incredibly strong working relationships with parents and professionals, such as teaching staff and social workers. Feedback from external stakeholders has been overwhelmingly positive. The manager communicates exceptionally well and works effectively in collaboration with others. Parents feel involved in their child’s care. Children are supported to rebuild and strengthen relationships with people who are important to Inspection report for children's home: SC357077 5 them. This enables children to spend more time with their family and reduces feelings of loss and rejection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has excellent oversight of the service. She has robust and effective monitoring and quality assurance systems in place. She knows what is happening in the home daily. Regular internal and external audits are undertaken. Any shortfalls are quickly addressed. This ensures standards of care remain high. 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 Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Maybrook House, Third Floor, Queensway, Halesowen B63 4AH

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Inspector

Emma Dacres, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC357077 8 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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