Children's home run by Pathways Care Group Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241897 1 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

This privately owned home provides care for up to five children with social, emotional and/or mental health difficulties. At the time of the visit, three children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager left in June 2025. An interim manager was appointed in January 2025. The current manager will be leaving her role 30 Sept 2025.

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This monitoring visit

Following an assurance inspection in August 2025, it was identified that there were serious and widespread concerns. This was carried out to address specific concerns or allegations received by Ofsted as well as an escalation of significant safeguarding incidents at the home. Compliance notices regarding the protection of children, the leadership and management and the restraint and deprivation of liberty of children were issued along with a restriction of accommodation. This monitoring visit was undertaken to review the steps in the compliance notice and the restriction of accommodation.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has made improvements since the last visit. Most of the steps in the three compliance notices have been met. The outstanding steps can be addressed by the provider as a requirement. The requirements and recommendation that were set at the last inspection were not reviewed as part of this visit. They will be reviewed at the next inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last visit, the provider has made the decision to cancel the registration of the home. The registration is scheduled to end in October 2025. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241897 2 Since then, two children have moved on in a planned way. One child remains at the home while a suitable alternative care provider is identified.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers are not yet ensuring that debriefs with children and staff are carried out following every physical intervention. Although there have been improvements in these, they are not yet consistent practice.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have not ensured that staff have had suitable training for physical interventions. This lack of training means that staff are not enabled to implement physical interventions appropriately. There are plans to carry out workshops with staff and reflect on learning from incidents. However, this has not been scheduled.

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This monitoring visit

The home has been unlocked for children so that they have the freedom to access all rooms in the home. Children have not been restricted in the home. Staff have been able to manage their time with all children effectively, meaning that children are supported at all times.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers identified a named person on each shift as a lead support person for a child, which ensured that the child’s plan would be followed appropriately. The number of incidents involving the child decreased as a result.

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This monitoring visit

The divide between leaders and staff has lessened. Team meetings have been attended by staff. Managers have encouraged staff to participate in well-being support that is available through an external provider. Managers have provided staff supervisions for staff to share concerns and receive support. Two staff have retracted their resignations and other staff have said that they feel more supported at work.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and mangers have worked with other agencies, such as the children and young person’s police officer and the local authority designated officer, to share safeguarding concerns and access support for the children.

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This monitoring visit

The home has been made secure with the necessary maintenance of the garden gate. Since the gate has been repaired, there have been no more missing-from- home events for children. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241897 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/06/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/06/2024 Full Good 03/04/2023 Full Good 05/05/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241897 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 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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)(d)) 22 December 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— 22 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241897 5 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

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

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

The measures of control, discipline and restraint may be used in relation to children in the home

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— 22 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241897 6 the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3) (1)(b)(a)(iii)(vi)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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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

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; and

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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 (4)(c)(e)) 25 December 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children. It should be homely. In particular, the registered person should prevent doors from slamming shut and ensure repairs to the home are completed promptly. Plans to revamp the home to continue at an appropriate pace. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: 1241897 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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Inspector

Sarah Cooper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1241897 8 regulates 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 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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