Children's home run by Positive Pathways Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2557914 1 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

This home provides care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties and/or a learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home. All children were present during the inspection and spoke with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since March 2021. She is suitably qualified and experienced.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 30 September 2025 and 1 December 2025. Ofsted issued one compliance notice under regulation 13. The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the provider’s progress in meeting the compliance notice. It was found that the compliance notice in relation to regulation 13 was met.

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This monitoring visit

At the last full inspection, five requirements were made. At this inspection, the inspector found that five of these requirements had been met. One previous requirement under regulation 8 has been reinstated, and another requirement under regulation 37 has been made.

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This monitoring visit

All staff have now received training that is pertinent to children’s needs. Risk assessments now provide staff with clear direction and information to help staff to manage children’s complex behaviours. This is ensuring that staff are better informed to meet children’s needs.

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This monitoring visit

The manager and staff are now clear about their responsibilities to protect children. Staff understand the child protection policy and know how to report a safeguarding Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2557914 2 concern. The manager now has an effective system in place for recording, reporting and monitoring safeguarding concerns. Liaison with professionals is now effective. Information is shared swiftly with professionals to avoid delay and to ensure that children are protected from harm. The manager takes guidance from these professionals, and they work together to ensure that children are safe.

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This monitoring visit

Safeguarding records are now comprehensive. They now detail the outcome of any concern, as well as further actions staff need to be aware of. Additionally, the depth of staff’s safeguarding knowledge is now reflected on during team meetings, reflective discussions and supervision sessions.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has made improvements to their monitoring systems. The manager has implemented a new incident form and weekly management monitoring forms. These enable the manager to identify any shortfalls in the care that children receive and to be proactive in addressing them. This means that the manager now has a good oversight of children’s care.

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This monitoring visit

Children speak highly of the home and the care they receive from the adults. One child strongly expressed their views to the inspector that they do not want to leave their home to move to supported accommodation. The manager has been a strong advocate for the child, challenging the local authority around this decision. Additionally, the child has also been supported to write their social worker a letter to share their views and wishes.

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This monitoring visit

All children’s attendance at education continues to be an area of concern. Progress has been made around children’s daily routines, boundaries and multi-agency working to understand the barriers for the children to learn. However, there continues to be a lax approach around promoting education within the home to support children’s engagement and for actions completed in a timely manner to reintegrate children back to education after a significant period out of school.

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This monitoring visit

The quality of recording in the home requires improvement. Records completed by staff are not consistent and recorded in line with regulation. The manager is aware of this shortfall and has taken some action to rectify this. Since the last inspection, staff have completed a workshop around writing reports, but this is still in the process of being embedded into practice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2557914 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/09/2025 Full Inadequate 28/08/2024 Full Good 19/09/2023 Full Good 20/07/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2557914 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 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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible; 4 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2557914 5 help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)(vii)(viii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children are supported to attend their educational provision. They must also support children to overcome any barriers to learning.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that quality and recording of records are improved, in line with schedule 4. 4 January 2026

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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: 2557914 6

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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: 2557914 7 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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