Children's Home run by Pathways Care Group Limited in Walsall

Inspection report for children’s home: 2622077 1 Registered provider: Pathways Care Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to four children with social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post is vacant. An interim manager has been in post since May 2025. The interim manager has submitted the required application to become registered by Ofsted until the organisation recruits a permanent manager. The interim manager is currently studying towards a level 5 diploma in leadership and management for residential childcare.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living at the home at the time of the inspection. The child spoke to the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2622077 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/06/2024 Full Good 19/07/2023 Full Good 02/08/2022 Full Outstanding 06/12/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home: 2622077 3

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improvement to be good

Since the previous inspection, there has been some change in the home's population. One child moved into the home and subsequently moved out, and three children who were living at the home during the last inspection have also moved on. At the time of this inspection, one child remained living at the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff have supported three children to move on from the home in a planned and positive manner. They provided guidance to help the children develop independence and essential life skills. In one instance, staff offered emotional and practical support to a child during the early stages of pregnancy, including attending medical appointments and liaising with healthcare professionals. Staff consistently listened to the children’s wishes and feelings and advocated on their behalf. Where appropriate, the manager intervened to ensure that moves occurred at a pace that suited each child’s readiness, resulting in a delayed move that better met one child’s needs. Staff worked collaboratively with the children and those significant to them, ensuring that relevant information was shared to support continuity of care following their departure from the home.

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improvement to be good

The admission of one child was planned, and initial progress was noted, particularly in education. However, the child’s behaviours escalated, and staff were unable to meet their needs effectively. The manager made the decision to end the placement, and the child moved out of the home after eleven weeks.

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improvement to be good

The child currently living at the home has developed positive relationships with the staff team, which has contributed to progress in some areas of their life. Nonetheless, since their arrival in March 2023, the child has not made sustained progress in establishing a healthy nighttime routine or engaging in full-time education. These areas are identified as targets within the child’s placing authority plan. Despite efforts, staff have not yet implemented effective strategies that have led to consistent improvement in these aspects of the child’s development.

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improvement to be good

The home appears welcoming, clean and tidy. Children and staff contribute to decisions about decor and furnishings, and children’s artwork is displayed throughout, promoting a sense of belonging. However, some features of the environment remain institutional in nature. These include metal radiator covers, a filing cabinet in the lounge, uncomfortable seating in communal areas and the presence of house rules and signage on noticeboards. A visitor’s book and guide are also located in the entrance area, further detracting from a homely atmosphere. Additionally, the upstairs shower has been out of use for a period of time. The organisation had decided not to repair it while only one child is living at the home. During the inspection, the new manager addressed this issue, recognising that although the child can access an alternative shower downstairs, this requires them to walk through communal living spaces, which may impact their privacy

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improvement to be good

and comfort. Inspection report for children's home: 2622077 4

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improvement to be good

The organisation has identified areas for development in the home following internal audits and monitoring, particularly in response to a high number of incidents involving children going missing from care. This improvement work is ongoing, with the newly appointed responsible individual and the manager continuing to implement and embed revised practices. A key focus has been on enhancing the staff team’s therapeutic knowledge and understanding of children's needs.

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improvement to be good

These initiatives have contributed to children becoming more settled in the home. However, when a new child was admitted, the frequency of incidents increased. Children already living at the home were exposed to and became involved in a range of concerning behaviours, including alcohol use, going missing from the home and causing damage to the property, which led to police involvement.

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improvement to be good

Following the child’s departure, the manager undertook a lessons learned exercise and identified further areas for development. These were incorporated into the home’s critical development plan, which led to the introduction of additional tools and strategies. For example, regular pattern analysis of missing-from-home episodes was introduced alongside more effective approaches to prevention and response. These measures have resulted in a reduction in high-risk incidents and the use of consequences, with the last recorded missing-from-home incident occurring on 7 June 2025.

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improvement to be good

When children go missing from the home, staff take appropriate action. However, the current staffing arrangements present challenges, as only two members of the team are able to drive. This has occasionally necessitated the use of taxis to locate and collect children. The leaders are aware of this issue and are considering its implications when assessing the suitability of the home for future admissions.

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improvement to be good

Despite progress in reducing incidents, the quality of records maintained by staff and managers does not currently support effective management oversight. This also impacts the accuracy and completeness of the records available to children, which should reflect their lived experiences in the home. Managers do not consistently document the rationale or process followed when complaints, allegations or practice concerns are raised about staff. In cases where investigations involve staff members, records are not always stored confidentially or in accordance with data protection requirements. There is limited oversight of patterns and trends in the use of consequences, and incidents are not consistently categorised as either missing-from-home or unauthorised absences. Furthermore, managers are unable to easily track whether required follow-up actions, such as staff debriefs and discussions with children, have taken place after missing-from-

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improvement to be good

During the inspection, the new responsible individual and manager were present and demonstrated a proactive approach to addressing these issues. They provided evidence of actions taken to improve staff practice in relation to record-keeping, and they Inspection report for children's home: 2622077 5 described how they have begun to develop aspects of the recording systems. They were responsive in reviewing and gathering information and showed a clear understanding of the need to retrospectively analyse historical data and implement new systems to strengthen oversight and accountability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The interim manager has been in post since May 2025, and the new responsible individual took up their role in September 2025. Both individuals previously held positions within the organisation and have a strong understanding of this service. Before being formally appointed, they were involved in supporting the home through its internal critical development plan. Since then, they have made notable progress in developing staff practice, with improvements being regularly reviewed and monitored in collaboration with the organisation’s quality assurance team. As a result, leaders and managers have a clear understanding of the service’s strengths, and they continue to address areas requiring further development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The new management team demonstrates a child-centred approach and places a strong emphasis on staff development. This has had a positive impact on the team, with staff reporting that they feel safe, listened to and supported. They value the new leadership style and recognise the benefits of revised practices and strategies on children’s experiences. Staff retention has improved as a result.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff supervision is now taking place regularly. However, records do not yet demonstrate that these sessions are reflective or effectively support staff in developing their practice. Staff training is well attended, up to date and closely monitored by managers. Although there were initial delays in staff enrolling on formal qualifications, this issue has now been addressed. The timely completion of these qualifications remains a priority for the largely unqualified staff team. Managers are committed to supporting staff through this process, and the allocation of time to complete modules has enabled some staff to approach completion.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Despite these improvements, managers do not maintain an admissions and discharge log in line with regulatory requirements. This limits their ability to track and evidence the movement of children into and out of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Feedback from partner agencies is mixed. Some professionals were positive about the progress children have made and the quality of partnership working with managers and staff. Others expressed concerns about the consistency of partnership working, particularly in light of management changes, and questioned whether children’s needs, especially in relation to education and independence, were being prioritised effectively. One professional raised concern about the staff team’s ability to provide appropriate parental guidance, suggesting that staff sometimes acted more as friends than carers. Another felt that a child was being held back rather than encouraged to stretch and progress. The new managers are aware of these concerns and have identified partnership working as a key area for development within the staff team. Inspection report for children's home: 2622077 6

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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 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

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)) 31 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)) 31 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to maintaining a register of children in line with schedule 4 (1). 30 November 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children's home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of their children. The children's home Inspection report for children's home: 2622077 7 should provide a homely, domestic environment. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that records kept electronically (regulation 38) provide a clear rationale for decision-making. They should also make sure information is stored confidentially but is easily accessible by anyone with a legitimate need to view it. This specifically relates to ensuring the rationale for the investigation and management of complaints against staff is clearly documented and that any investigations are confidentially stored. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 61, paragraph 14.2)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that records of consequences are kept and enable the registered person and staff to review the use of consequences to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 49, paragraph 9.59)  The registered person should ensure that records are kept detailing all individual incidents when children go missing from the home (regulation 36 (schedule 3 (14))). Managers should ensure that there are discussions with the children and debriefs of the staff involved and that return interviews and their outcomes are undertaken by the local authorities. Any gaps in training, skills or knowledge for staff should be identified and addressed. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the

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Recommendations

quality standards', page 46, paragraph 9.31)  The registered person should ensure that a record of supervision is kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33 (4)(b). ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 61, paragraph 13.3)  The registered person should ensure that all staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, have the qualification in regulation 32 (4) within the relevant timescale listed in regulation 32 (5). This specifically relates to ensuring that staff start this course without delay after they have completed their probation. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 53, paragraph 10.12)

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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: 2622077 8

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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: Minton Place, Victoria Street, Windsor SL4 1EG

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Inspector

Dawn Bennett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2622077 9 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 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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