Children's home run by Pathways Care Group Limited in Runnymede

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC417031 1 SC417031

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Registered provider: Pathways Care Group Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, four children were living at the home. The inspector spoke to three children and observed all four children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

This assurance inspection took place in response to the previous requires improvement judgement and a whistle-blowing complaint received by Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

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: SC417031 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

Since the last inspection, three children have remained living at this home. One child has been supported to move in. The manager completed an assessment to consider the compatibility of children living together. The manager ensured that the child was able to visit and learn about their home before moving in. The child said this helped them to feel confident about the move.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have individual risk assessments that give staff actions on what to do to help children to be safe. Additionally, planned key-work sessions focus on children’s areas of risk or vulnerability and are responsive to their needs.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager leads by example and challenges poor staff practice. When the manager identifies that staff’s attitude or behaviour does not align with the home’s policies, she follows safeguarding procedures effectively. This helps to ensure that staff who are caring for children are safe.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s relationships with staff are generally positive. Children can identify staff that they trust and feel able to confide in. Most children say they feel safe and listened to. However, one child said that they do not always feel listened to or cared for by staff. With the support of a clinical team, staff take the time to understand the children’s views, complex history and how this can impact on how children develop relationships. Other children speak positively about staff and hold the manager in high regard. One child wrote, ‘I waited for my full life for my family to be proud of me; my carers did in one week.’

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Findings from the inspection

Staff lock a cupboard so the children cannot access some foods, such as snacks. Most of the children are happy with this arrangement and feel it is beneficial. However, these restrictive measures limit opportunities for staff to educate children to make informed decisions about healthier food choices. Some foods, for example juice, are labelled in the fridge with a child’s name, which means other children cannot use it. This does not help to create a homely environment or help children to live cohesively together. Furthermore, the manager has not developed a plan to review the effectiveness or necessity of these arrangements.

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Findings from the inspection

There are aspects of the home environment that have improved, for example children’s photos on the walls and toys in communal areas of the home that help children identify this as their home. However, some areas of the home are unkempt and unclean. For example, children’s clothing is untidy in their wardrobes, one child’s room was not adequately cleaned following maintenance work and children’s rooms have strong and unpleasant smells. This does not provide a nurturing environment or help children to understand how to care for their personal space. Additionally, Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC417031 3 trees in the garden are overgrown, which makes it more difficult to access the area where the home’s pets are kept.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager and staff work with education professionals when children are not attending a provision. One child is now able to attend a vocational course that they are interested in as a future career. However, one child continues to have a disorganised routine, sleeping during the day and staying awake during the night. The strategies that staff use are not effective. However, the child is now receiving therapeutic input to help their overall well-being.

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Findings from the inspection

Incidents between children in the home are responded to promptly, although relationships between two children are fractious. One child said that they do not always feel safe in the home following an incident where a child attempted to set fire to another child’s clothes. The manager acknowledges the difficulties in the relationship between the children and made practical changes, such as children changing bedrooms. Discussions take place individually with children after incidents. However, the management team does not have a plan to help children live together and develop tolerance of each other.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has improved the quality of monitoring and oversight of the home. This includes improved care plans to track children’s progress and monthly summary letters to children. In the main, the systems are effective. However, the manager’s ability to monitor the home is limited as some aspects of the electronic database are limited to a short date range before information is archived. Although the manager is visible in the home day to day, this limits her ability to identify patterns and look at information collectively. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC417031 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/05/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/04/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/07/2023 Full Good 21/06/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC417031 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires, and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(h)) 14 November

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; 14 November Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC417031 6 help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(b) (2)(b)(i)(ii)(ix)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 14 November Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC417031 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Pathways Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Pathways Care Group, Minton Place, Victoria Street, Windsor SL4 1EG

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Responsible individual:

Registered manager: Collette Devlin-Smith

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Inspector

Cat Makel, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC417031 8 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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