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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC374405 1 SC374405 Registered provider: Pathway Care Solutions Ltd

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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 home is privately operated. It provides care for up to four children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home. Both children were spoken to by the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2024.

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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: 14 October 2024

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC374405 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/10/2024 Full Good 19/09/2023 Full Good 15/11/2022 Full Outstanding 13/07/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC374405 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff build strong, positive relationships with children based on children’s individual needs. Children gain confidence to embrace their abilities and develop physically and emotionally which helps them make progress. Staff use communication aids to capture children’s wishes and feelings. Staff know children extremely well and plan creative approaches to build their independence. This helps children to develop their abilities and engage in meaningful daily activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are committed to providing children with memorable experiences tailored to children’s individual needs and interests. Children recently enjoyed their first holidays. Staff planned these carefully to ensure the children had positive and memorable experiences. One child wished to travel by plane, so staff prepared them through airport visits and by watching planes take off and land. Another child enjoyed a holiday where there was a hot tub. The child enjoyed this so much that a hot tub is now being considered as a permanent feature in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children attend full-time education that meet their individual learning needs and stimulate their interests. Staff are highly committed to supporting children to attend school. Staff work closely with education professionals to fully understand each child’s abilities, challenges, and preferred ways of learning. This proactive approach ensures that children make sustained progress in their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff ensure children receive excellent healthcare. Staff advocate to ensure that interventions in children’s health are reviewed and are in children’s best interests. This rigour has prevented one child from having unnecessary surgery. Children are supported to understand their medication and are reminded that they can refuse if they wish. Staff are skilled in recognising one child’s early signs of any seizure activity and act quickly to keep children safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s sense of permanence is prioritised, with the staff providing a nurturing environment and stability that children benefit from. One child moved to a foster family that staff planned carefully at a pace tailored to the child’s needs. Staff worked to prepare and support the child throughout the process to ensure the move was managed well, and in the child’s best interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is designed to meet children’s individual needs. The decoration, furnishings, and lighting are carefully considered to allow children to choose active areas or low- stimulus spaces for relaxation. These spaces are regularly reviewed and adapted to reflect children’s preferences. Inspection report for children’s home: SC374405 4

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

Staff have excellent safeguarding knowledge and understand how risks and concerns may present for each child. Staff exercise professional curiosity and are confident in following escalation processes. Safeguarding is reinforced through regular training, team meetings, and supervision sessions, ensuring staff remain alert and skilled.

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

Staff work well with other agencies to keep children safe. This includes maintaining close links with the children’s local authorities and having direct access to safeguarding specialists. These arrangements ensure children receive timely interventions if risks increase.

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

Staff are knowledgeable about children’s risks and follow detailed plans to reduce them effectively. Staff have discussions with children about sensitive topics, including sexual safety and personal care. Discussions are tailored to each child’s communication needs, helping them understand themselves and stay safer.

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

Staff support children to manage their emotions. Staff work with children to develop strategies that help them communicate and express feelings. Successful strategies, such as squeezing hands, are embedded once proven safe and effective. This has reduced incidents where children have become distressed.

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

Staff are experienced in behaviour management. They use preventative strategies to de- escalate situations effectively. Staff only hold children when necessary, and clear, timely records demonstrate appropriate and proportionate use. The manager monitors trends and implements strategies to reduce incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager demonstrates exceptional leadership skills, promoting a culture of respect across the home. She ensures staff understand their responsibilities while supporting development and progression opportunities. Staff consistently compliment the manager for her support of both staff and children. Improvements led by the manager have created thorough processes, team consistency, and stability, promoting positive outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has established strong audit processes. These directly inform how staff help children to move towards their goals and make progress. These thorough systems ensure nothing is overlooked and are actively used to monitor and improve the services provided in the home. Outcome trackers identify areas where additional support is needed. These are assessed, prioritised, and delegated to achieve the desired outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager helps staff to develop professionally. This helps staff to build confidence and supports their progression in the home. Staff receive thorough, ongoing training tailored to children’s needs. This includes practical exercises that place staff in children’s positions to enhance staff’s understanding. Inspection report for children’s home: SC374405 5 The manager values input from staff and invites regular feedback. The manager implements staff suggestions in a safe, child-focused way. This approach ensures a better experience for children by using strategies suggested by staff who know the children best.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff share positive practice across the wider organisation. This promotes approaches that achieve strong outcomes for children. Staff model good practice in other homes where they support colleagues effectively through their own expertise. Staff also organise fundraising activities for charities linked to children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager’s processes for considering new children joining the home is thorough, and child centred. Risk assessments consider individual needs and positive relationships. Staffing ratios are carefully planned to avoid an institutional feel in the home. The manager is supported by the company to make thoughtful and planned moves into the home without pressure to accept new placements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have not been writing children’s records in a child centred or personalised way. This does not reflect staff practice, which demonstrates caring conversations with children. Staff quickly identified ways to improve paperwork and ensure it better reflects children’s experiences and needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC374405 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third- party information and is recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: SC374405 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: Keys Group, Maybrook House, Third Floor, Queensway, Halesowen B63 4AH

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Inspector

Vikki Thwaites, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC374405 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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