Pathways Support Services

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Pathways Support Services 1 Pathways Support Services Registered provider: Pathways Support Services Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

The service is operated by a private provider. It offers accommodation that is for the sole use of the child or for the child and other individuals living with the child as agreed by the accommodating authority or the supported accommodation undertaking.

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provider

It offers accommodation for up to 7 children in 7 single-occupancy premises. At the time of the inspection, the service was providing supported accommodation to 2 looked-after children aged 17 years old.

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provider

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

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provider

Inspection dates: The inspection was announced on 10 August 2026 and started that day. The inspectors were on site on 12 and 13 August 2026.

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Outcome

Consistently strong service delivery leads to typically positive experiences and progress for children. Where improvements are needed, leaders and managers take timely and effective action.

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Summary of findings

A monitoring visit was conducted on 15 October 2025, following a significant incident on 9 October 2025. Significant shortfalls were identified in recruitment practice and in children's support plans and records pertaining to children's individual needs and risks. Consequently, 2 compliance notices were issued under regulations 4 and 7 of The Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023.

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Summary of findings

A further monitoring visit was conducted on 3 December 2025 to monitor the provider's progress in meeting the steps identified in these notices. Leaders and managers had taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Pathways Support Services 2 At the time of this inspection, the incident of 9 October 2025 continues to be under investigation by appropriate authorities. Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind.

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Summary of findings

This is the service's first full inspection since they registered with Ofsted.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers ensure that children who move into the service are ready for supported accommodation. There were 2 children in scope of the inspection living in their own accommodation. Both children spoke to inspectors as part of the inspection and were positive about the support they receive.

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Summary of findings

The manager has taken action to respond to the previous monitoring visits by Ofsted. As a result, there has been improvement in the quality of support. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Pathways Support Services 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children move into the service when they are ready for supported accommodation. The majority of children who move into their property with this organisation have still been in their homes once they have become an adult. This stability has supported children's emotional wellbeing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff have a good understanding of each child's needs, circumstances and preferences, which helps them to provide consistent and proper support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

One child is in education while the other is not. This is not considered to be a result of lack of action from the provider. Most children who move into the service are in education or training and continue to engage in this during their time living in their homes and after they become an adult. Staff recognise the importance of education and training and how this helps children to achieve greater independence and outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children take pride in their individual property. They make personalised touches to their homes and generally keep their spaces clean and tidy. This reflects a sense of ownership and responsibility for their environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Leaders provide children with a young person's guide when preparing them for their move to their accommodation. However, it does not have the information required by the relevant guidance. This means that children do not have a comprehensive knowledge about what they can expect from the service, their rights and the support available to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

The statement of purpose has been updated; however, the revised document has not yet been sent to the regulator, nor does it have the most up-to-date information about the service and the way in which it operates. This hinders the regulator and other stakeholders' understanding of the service and may result in a lack of transparency about current arrangements.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children said that they feel safe and are protected from harm. Leaders and managers have an on-call system that allows children to always access support should they need it. When children experience emergencies or have concerns, they are confident in contacting leaders and support staff, who respond promptly and provide reassurance and guidance.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff explain to children when they move into the service what the rules and expectations are. Generally, children follow the agreed boundaries. Staff reinforce these expectations and help children to understand the reasons for these rules and the importance of making positive choices. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Pathways Support Services 4 The manager ensures that children have individualised plans and risk assessments. These are regularly reviewed. Staff understand children's risks and are well trained and supported to manage these risks. Weekly team meetings take place to share up-to-date information about children. This enables staff to take prompt action should concerns arise.

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How well children are helped and protected

Health and safety checks are completed in properties, and leaders ensure that children live in well-maintained and safe properties.

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How well children are helped and protected

There have been no incidents of children going missing from home. The organisation has a generic protocol for staff to follow if an incident does occur. Planning arrangements are not individualised to children. Because children have not gone missing from their homes, there is not an identified impact from this. However, it does not provide effective arrangements should an incident of children going missing occur.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The service is managed by passionate and dedicated manager who understands children's needs and support requirements well. Children recognise her role as manager and understand that they can contact her if they have any issues. The manager plays an active role in driving the service forward and looks at ways in which the service could improve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Children's progress and readiness for adulthood is monitored by the manager. They make good progress with their independent living skills, which will support them in their future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Professionals give positive feedback about the support that children receive and how children are helped to gain skills for independence. They say that communication and collaborative working are effective in ensuring that the care around the child is a priority.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager ensures that staff receive training to enable them to undertake their roles and responsibilities. As a result, support workers feel equipped and confident to meet the needs of the children who they support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

All staff receive frequent supervision, and this provides them with opportunities to reflect on their practice. The manager keeps in regular contact with staff and ensures that they are supported and acts on this as appropriate. However, annual appraisals have not been completed. This is a missed opportunity to formally review staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager receives regular supervision from an appropriately qualified and experienced person. However, their supervision does not reflect their own personal development, and the quality of care provided to children is not an aspect of these discussions. This limits leaders' ability to use supervision as an effective tool for Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Pathways Support Services 5 identifying areas of improvement and ensuring that children consistently receive good-quality support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager is responsive and generally acts when shortfalls are identified. They use monitoring tools to make improvements in the service. However, quality review reports are not consistently sent to the regulator, which limits the regulator's oversight and leaders' ongoing oversight of the service. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Pathways Support Services 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 registered person must maintain a system for monitoring and improving the quality of support provided by the supported accommodation undertaking by completing a review ("a quality of support review") at least once every 6 months, which must take into account—

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Requirement Due date

the views of children, including any feedback and complaints received;

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Requirement Due date

feedback from individual children on the impact the supported accommodation has had on the child's life, especially regarding how well prepared the child felt for transition into supported accommodation and how well prepared the child feels for transition out of supported accommodation;

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Requirement Due date

feedback from each child's accommodating authority, staff and any relevant persons;

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Requirement Due date

any relevant research and developments in relation to the way in which the needs of children are best met.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of support review, the registered person must produce a written report setting out the actions the registered person intends to take as a result of that quality of support review.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide a copy of the review report to the CIECSS within 28 days beginning with the day on which the report is completed, and make a copy of it available on request to each child's accommodating authority. (Regulation 32 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d) (2) (3))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 16 January 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Pathways Support Services 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role reviewed at least once annually. This appraisal should take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and young people in the setting. As part of the performance management process, poor performance should be addressed by a timely plan to bring about improvement. ('Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards,' page 51)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the statement of purpose gives a clear overview of the service and sets out what the service offers and how it can meet the needs of prospective young people who may be accommodated in the service, and how it is set up and equipped to meet those needs. The registered person must send any revisions to the CIECSS within 28 days of the revision. ('Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards,' page 46)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must have agreed procedures to be followed by staff in the event that young people are missing. Protocols should align with statutory guidance and local authority protocols. ('Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards,' page 55)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the registered service manager, receive supervision that allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the young people accommodated in the setting. ('Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards,' page 51)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the young person's guide contains accurate information about the service. It should include expectations around behaviour, including policies and agreements around the use of drugs and alcohol, arrangements in place for staff entering young people's bedrooms and explain how children can contact the Office of the Children's Commissioner. ('Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards', pages 42 and 43) Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Pathways Support Services 8

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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. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Pathways Support Services 9

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Pathways Support Services Ltd

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: 17E Vyse Street, Birmingham, West Midlands B18 6LE

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Chantell Berchell

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Supported accommodation provider details

Email address: ask@pathwayssupport.co.uk

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Inspectors

Chrisoula Contoyianni, Social Care Inspector Joanne Humphreys, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Pathways Support Services 10 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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