Children's home run by Positive Pathways Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC410535 1 SC410535 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

The home is privately owned and provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties and/or have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The previous registered manager left the company following the last full inspection. The new manager is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

In August 2022, Ofsted imposed a condition on the home’s registration, which meant that the provider had to give Ofsted three months’ notice of their intention to welcome children into the home. The reasons for this were: the provider had no plans to admit children into the home for some time; there were insufficient staff to operate the home safely; and there was no manager in post.

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This monitoring visit

The provider subsequently notified Ofsted on 17 July 2025 of their intention to admit children. The purpose of this visit was to review the home’s readiness to open.

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This monitoring visit

There is a new manager in post, who is suitably qualified and experienced. She is supported by a responsible individual, who has a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and developmental needs and has made progress to implement new systems to support the development of the home. They bring experience and knowledge to their roles and have the capacity to lead and oversee the day-to-day running of the home.

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This monitoring visit

The home is well furnished and maintained. This presents a welcoming environment. Ornaments and soft furnishings help create a nurturing place for children to live. Health and safety checks are up to date, which ensures that the home is safe for children to live in. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC410535 2 A suitably trained and experienced staff team has now been appointed. An ongoing recruitment drive is underway, and the necessary time is taken to ensure that the recruited individuals have the experience, skills and qualifications relevant to the role. Additionally, good staff induction and sound recruitment processes promote safe practice.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this visit, Ofsted lifted the three-month condition.

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This monitoring visit

The previous requirements were not considered during this visit and will be reviewed as part of the next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC410535 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/08/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/04/2022 Full Inadequate 02/03/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 06/12/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC410535 4

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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 with the given timescales.

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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

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. (Regulation 6 (1)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children are supported in working towards adulthood. 2 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; 2 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC410535 5 help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that children are supported in pursuing independent study. The registered manager must ensure that children understand the importance of learning and that staff provide opportunities for them to learn informally.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the previous inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff consistently follow the guidance set out in these assessments and that they fully understand all aspects of their role in safeguarding children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at a previous inspection and has been restated. 2 November 2025

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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— 2 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC410535 6 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that systems in place oversee the care provided for children effectively. Incidents must be evaluated to ensure that staff learn from them and receive the support they need to develop their practice.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at a previous inspection and has been restated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that medication records contain accurate and clear information in relation to children who self- medicate. 2 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (b)(e)) 2 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC410535 7 The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (5)) 2 November 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the location risk assessment contains up-to-date and clear information about surveillance cameras at the front door of the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information about individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be 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

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC410535 8

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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

Marianne Grandfield, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC410535 9 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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