Ignite Pathways LTD

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Ignite Pathways LTD 1 Ignite Pathways LTD Registered provider: IGNITE PATHWAYS

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

A private provider owns and operates this supported accommodation service. The service can accommodate up to 7 individuals in 2 shared or group living homes that are limited to accommodating looked-after children and care leavers.

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provider

At the time of this inspection, the service provided support for 4 children aged 16 to 17 years old. Two children spoke with the inspector.

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provider

The service manager registered with Ofsted when the organisation was registered in September 2024.

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provider

Inspection dates: The inspection was announced on 27 July 2026 and started that day. The inspectors were on site from 29 to 30 July 2026.

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Outcome

Serious or widespread weaknesses lead to significant concerns about the experiences and progress of children. Leaders and managers must take urgent action to address failings.

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Summary of findings

One child spoke positively about their experiences and progress. However, children’s progress in education, training, or employment is poor.

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Summary of findings

Staff do not have a good understanding of children’s needs and risks; not all staff have the necessary skills and experience to support children.

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Summary of findings

Overall, children’s living environments are not maintained to an appropriate standard. One child did not speak positively about their accommodation. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Ignite Pathways LTD 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children do not make timely progress in their journey to independence. This is because they do not receive high-quality, individualised support from managers and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children’s needs are not effectively assessed at the point of referral. The registered service manager does not consistently evaluate information provided by the placing authority or undertake a robust assessment of children moving into the home. Decisions regarding admissions are not always informed by a clear understanding of children’s needs, vulnerabilities and compatibility. These shortfalls have contributed to children experiencing abrupt and poor unplanned endings. This approach does not provide a platform for children’s stability and suitable placements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Overall, children do not make good progress in education, training or employment. While 2 children have made positive progress, including attending college, most children have made little or no progress since moving into the service. This has hindered their development and preparation for future independence. Furthermore, staff do not demonstrate an understanding of the barriers affecting children’s educational, training and employment achievements, which limits their ability to provide effective support and promote good outcomes for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

There is not a clear culture within the service that is characterised by high expectations and aspirations for all children. Staff do not consistently promote ambitious outcomes or demonstrate a commitment to supporting children to reach their full potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

The accommodation provided to children is inadequate. One home is not comfortable, clean or maintained to an acceptable standard. One child’s bedroom was found to be in unhygienic condition. For example, cigarette ends and a heavily stained mattress, bedding and carpets. Furthermore, a broken window had remained unrepaired for several months. This delay in addressing maintenance issues further demonstrates weaknesses in the oversight of the home and fails to ensure that children’s accommodations are safe, well maintained and homely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children make little progress due to the lack of consistent support provided by staff. There has been a high turnover of staff, and not all staff have taken the time to develop positive and trusting relationships with children or demonstrated a good understanding of their individual needs. Consequently, children do not consistently receive the support they need to overcome barriers, engage positively in opportunities and make meaningful progress. These shortfalls limit children’s development and reduce their ability to achieve positive outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Two children told the inspector that they feel safe and that staff support them in developing independent living skills towards their transition into adulthood. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Ignite Pathways LTD 3 Staff encourage and help children to maintain positive relationships with family members and those who are important to them. They recognise how these relationships support children’s journey into adulthood and promote their emotional wellbeing.

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How well children are helped and protected

The registered person has procedures in place for when children go missing from the home. However, these are not always implemented effectively to keep children safe. Despite staff being aware that one child was at risk of exploitation, they did not verify information to understand the child’s time away from the home. Furthermore, staff do not always look for children when they are missing from home. This does not demonstrate that staff take every step to minimise risk and secure a safe return for children.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders’ and managers’ lack professional curiosity. For example, information provided at referral indicated that one child had been at risk of criminal exploitation. However, the registered service manager did not explore further information about the nature and extent of these concerns. As a result, significant information about the risk of knife crime was not identified or understood prior to the child moving into the service.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff to not always seek medical attention for children. For example, when one child was under the influence of an unknown substance, staff did not seek medical attention to ensure the child’s immediate safety and wellbeing. This means risks associated with children misusing drugs or alcohol are not understood and responded to well by the staff who support them.

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How well children are helped and protected

The use of restraint practice is rare within the service. However, when physical intervention is required, practice is not safe. One child was held by a member of staff who had not received the appropriate training. Furthermore, during the incident, the member of staff sought assistance from another child living in the accommodation to support them. This was inappropriate and unsafe, placing responsibility on a child to manage the incident. Also, not all children are offered emotional support following an incident. This practice potentially exposed the child to unnecessary risk and distress.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children’s individual risk assessments are not always reviewed and updated regarding self-harm and knife crime. As a result, staff do not have the most up-to- date information to inform their practice.

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How well children are helped and protected

Overall, recruitment practice is thorough and ensures that staff are suitable and safe to work with children. Disclosure and Barring Service checks are completed before staff commence employment. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Ignite Pathways LTD 4

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leadership and management are weak and inconsistent. The registered person is also the nominated individual and has been in post since September 2024. She does not have an in-depth understanding about the strengths and weaknesses of the service, despite the service being inspected in May 2025. In addition, she has failed to identify shortfalls in the safeguarding of children. These weaknesses limit their capacity to make sustained improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have been ineffective in delivering the ethos, aims and outcomes set out in the statement of purpose. The service has not consistently provided children with the quality of support and protection they require. The culture within the service is weak and lacks high expectations and aspirations to promote good outcomes for children. This oversight has allowed poor practice to persist, which has hindered children’s progress and experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

A considerable number of staff have left the service. Thirteen members of staff’s employment ended, because the provider had not ensured that appropriate processes were in place to meet the legal requirements for sponsored workers. This instability within the workforce has negatively affected the continuity and quality of support provided to children. This has reduced the service’s ability to provide effective support, in helping children develop independence skills and confidence for adulthood.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff told the inspectors that they feel supported by the registered service manager and have a positive relationship with her. However, the registered service manager does not ensure that all staff receive regular and reflective supervision, to help them understand their roles and responsibilities and to develop their practice to safeguard children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered service manager’s monitoring systems have failed to identify shortfalls in support for children who are not suitable for supported accommodation. She has not completed an effective review of the service to identify practice concerns that may be limiting children’s positive experiences and progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers do not notify Ofsted of all serious incidents. This means that the regulator cannot review if managers and staff have taken appropriate action to safeguard children from harm, or if they have taken the necessary steps to manage and reduce risks to children’s safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered service manager has conducted a review that focuses on the quality of support provided by the service. However, the review does not consider important feedback from staff, family members or relevant stakeholders. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Ignite Pathways LTD 5 The statement of purpose is not up to date. This document does not provide the correct information for the service. This means that stakeholders and professionals do not have the most up-to-date information about the support provided for children. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Ignite Pathways LTD 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 Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 and the ‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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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 supported accommodation undertaking that puts children first and prioritises their wellbeing and development.

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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 supported accommodation undertaking in a way that is consistent with the ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the undertaking’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work effectively as a team, where appropriate, to meet the needs of children;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills appropriate for the work that they are to perform;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that arrangements are in place to manage referrals of children to the supported accommodation undertaking and admissions of children to premises used as supported accommodation, including, where relevant, emergency referrals and admissions;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that arrangements are in place for the supervision, training and development of staff.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that internal monitoring systems support managers to evaluate and continually develop the service. 11 September

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Requirement Due date

The protection standard is that children are enabled to feel safe and that their needs are met. 11 September Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Ignite Pathways LTD 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

are familiar and act in accordance with child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation or any other harm, and act to reduce such risk;

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Requirement Due date

understand the relevant roles and responsibilities assigned to them by the registered person in relation to protecting children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager and staff ensure that they understand potential risks, minimise risks and follow children’s risk assessments. *The accommodation standard is that children experience a comfortable and secure living environment.

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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

are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child individually and all children collectively;

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Requirement Due date

are suitable for the purposes of supported accommodation and are accessible, safe, secure and well-maintained;

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Requirement Due date

offer a comfortable, positive and nurturing environment, while respecting children’s need for privacy;

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Requirement Due date

are adequately maintained so as to provide a welcoming and homely environment within both individual and shared living spaces;

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Requirement Due date

are designed, furnished and maintained to remove avoidable hazards which could pose a health and safety risk to children.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1) (2)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)) 11 September

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Requirement Due date

The support standard is that children receive individual and tailored support that meets their needs. 11 September Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Ignite Pathways LTD 8 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that plans for support are based on initial referral information, are meaningful and are created in full consultation with the child, taking account of relevant plans for the child;

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Requirement Due date

keep the child’s support under review, taking into consideration the plans for support, and relevant plans, to ensure that the child’s needs continue to be met and that the child is kept safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s support needs are reviewed and updated to reflect their individual needs, risks and behaviours and their progress. The registered person must notify the CIECSS and any relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person must assess the impact of a restraint incident on the relationships between the young person and staff or other young people who witness the restraint and appropriate action should be taken to manage any consequences. Any young person who has been restrained should be offered emotional support with an appropriately trained staff member as soon as is practicable, ideally within 24 hours of the restraint incident. (Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards page 57)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must keep the Statement of Purpose under regular review to ensure it remains young person focused and indicates how the service provides individualised support that meets the Quality Standards and improves outcomes for the young people it accommodates. Reviews should take into consideration any feedback and complaints by young people in the service, so that any changes made have a positive impact on those affected by the change. Young people should be informed of and given an explanation of any changes to the statement. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Ignite Pathways LTD 9 (Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards page 46)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of support provided by the service and the experiences of young people living in each of the provider’s settings, looking at the impact the support is having on outcomes and improvements for the young people. The review must be robust and must consider feedback and evidence from all settings under the provider’s registration. (Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards page 62)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children 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 Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023.

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Information about this inspection

The inspection was announced on 27 July 2026, and the inspectors were on site from 29 July 2026 to 31 July 2026. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Ignite Pathways LTD 10

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: Ignite Pathways, 91 Trench Road, Trench, Telford TF2 6PL

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Donna Makawa

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Supported accommodation provider details

Email address: donna@ignitepathways.co.uk

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Inspectors

Patrick McIntosh, Social Care Inspector Manager Chrisoula Contoyianni, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Ignite Pathways LTD 11 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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