Living Springs

Living Springs Inspection report for Residential Family Centre

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Unique reference number SC047184 Inspection date 17/11/2010 Inspector Christy Wannop Type of inspection Key

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Setting address Barratts Coppice Farmhouse, Bridgnorth Road, Stourton, Stourbridge, DY7 6QY

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Telephone number 01384 872 817 Email info@livingsprings.co.uk Registered person Living Springs Registered manager Jane Chapman Responsible individual Jane Chapman Date of last inspection 21/11/2007 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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You can obtain copies of The Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters and The National Minimum Standards for Children’s Services from: The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Crispins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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About this inspection

This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and the relevant National Minimum Standards for the service.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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Brief description of the service

This service has operated as a registered charitable company based on the Christian ethos since 2004. The organisation and buildings on site include the registered residential family centre in two buildings, and adjoining administrative offices. The organisation operates a service providing supervised contact visits on and off site for children who are separated from their parents. A community based parenting assessment service is also offered in clients' own homes.

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Brief description of the service

The establishment is a detached property and adjacent barn conversion, set in spacious grounds in a rural setting. It is registered to accommodate a total of three families at any one time in any of the six available self-contained flats. Families who require more intensive monitoring and assessment stay in one of two larger flats in the main building, and staff sleep in one of the spare bedrooms within each flat to supervise care. Families with lower needs use the one bedroom flats in the barn conversion, and overnight on call support is provided by a family support worker who has private accommodation within the grounds. There is no shared accommodation. Other facilities within the centre on the ground floor include a staff office, toilets, dining room, kitchen, utility rooms, meeting and training rooms and a large communal lounge.

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Brief description of the service

The aim of the centre is to provide a safe, supportive and caring environment in which the parenting abilities of families can be assessed and developed. The Registered Manager is also the responsible individual and the founder of the organisation. One family was resident at the time of inspection and contributed their views.

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Summary

This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Summary

This key inspection was unannounced and covered all key standards in the Every Child Matters outcome areas, apart from enjoying and achieving, which has none. It followed up on the seven action points from the last inspection in November 2007, when the service was rated satisfactory. The Registered Manager has taken action to meet those shortfalls and this inspection finds a consistently improving service with only two legal shortfalls in the areas of formal risk assessments, and ensuring proper notifications are made to Ofsted of significant events

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Summary

This service provides safe care and positive interventions for families where there is concern for the parents' capacity to respond to, and promote, the welfare of their children. Staff at all levels are skilled and knowledgeable about the needs of parents and children in this intensive process of monitoring and assessment. Staff are skilled in training parents to parent safely and in providing detailed reports for social workers and court proceedings. The manager is creative, flexible and responsive to the needs of parents and their children. This is an imaginative, ethical service that applies a creative needs led approach. The service provides highly individual packages of support and monitoring that is responsive to the needs of families and accountable to placing authorities.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The last inspection in 2007, found shortfalls in the environment in fire safety, risk assessment arrangements and lack of private space for residents. Placement plans were not up to date and the Statement of Purpose did not accurately describe the range of services provided on site. Staff documentation was not sufficient.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The registered person has made significant improvements to the safety and quality of the accommodation available for families, their levels of privacy and the information about the service. Privacy is now guaranteed because each family has completely self-contained accommodation and there no sharing of facilities with families using the contact centre. Written information is now confidentially maintained on families' files and there is a proper record of which staff are working at the centre. There is now an up-to-date placement plan that fulfils the national minimum standard. Fire safety is properly ensured through full risk assessments, clear messages to residents, training and checks. The Statement of Purpose makes explicit how the different services are operated on site, and staff and placing social workers confirm clear understanding about this. The manager is now clear about the legal framework for the service she provides to people living in this accommodation.

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Improvements since the last inspection

These improvements have enhanced the service provided, improved outcomes for children and demonstrate an effectively managed service.

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Helping children to be healthy

Families have access to health care, education, employment and leisure activities which promote their good health and well-being in a safe environment. A social worker confirms that staff support and promote good health and that this was evident from her discussions, reports and observations. Staff are skilled in assessing, monitoring and training parents in health and safety issues in relation to their children. This supports parents to maintain and take responsibility for their children's health. Arrangements for the safe storage of medication by parents is agreed with them and placing social workers, and forms part of the working agreement or remit. However, this is not formally recorded in risk assessments. Staff assist parents to access local health services and specialist resources as required. The centre is in a rural environment, and families can spend time in the extensive green play areas, on

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Helping children to be healthy

good quality outdoor play equipment, feeding the animals in the mini farm, or collecting fresh eggs from the hens. Thus parents have an excellent opportunity to experience a healthy lifestyle for their families.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The service makes good arrangements to keep vulnerable children and their parents safe and sound through comprehensive policy, procedure and good practice. The Registered Manager makes sure parents are clear about standards of conduct and consequences of unacceptable behaviour in explicit 'house rules', contained within information for residents. All accommodation is now fully self-contained and so families enjoy a much improved level of comfort and security based on mutual respect and an understanding of what may have an adverse effect on other residents. The privacy of parents and children is respected, and information about them is handled with appropriate confidentiality. A 'placing' professional confirm that staff are not frightened to challenge, teach and guide. This diligence ensures the balance of respect for parent and child privacy with the primary need to protect children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Parents and children are able to complain if they are unhappy with any aspect of the centre. They are confident that any complaint will be taken seriously, investigated and addressed without delay and they will be kept informed of the progress. The Registered Manager is proactive in considering the wider implications of any concern about the quality of the service, and takes follow up action to ensure an effective system leads to improvements. Placing authorities are confident and appreciative of the service provided, saying 'staff manage complex situations very professionally', and ensure the complaints procedure is understood'.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The welfare of children and vulnerable adults is promoted through good practice. Experienced staff make an appropriate response to any allegation or suspicion of abuse or emergency. Parents are confident that the staff give advice that helps them to keep their children safe. Staff are trained and the manager has undertaken further training in safeguarding children. Although safeguarding procedures are satisfactory, they have not been submitted for consideration and comment to the local safeguarding senior officer responsible for child protection. All significant events relating to the protection of children or vulnerable adults within the centre are notified by the registered person to the placing authority and to the local safeguarding board, but not to Ofsted. Social workers report being very impressed with the arrangements made to keep children safe. They say staff report any concerns immediately and take action when needed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is satisfactory selection and vetting of all staff and other adults on site, and a written record is kept that evidences careful decisions about skills and suitability to work with vulnerable children. Social workers suggest that the manager is able to attract a high calibre of applicant because of her personal credibility. The service has had periods of several months when there have been no families in residence at the centre. During these periods, some staff have begun working before Criminal Records Bureau checks have been returned. The Registered Manager is clear about responsibilities to ensure a full and complete recruitment process before adults work with children. Risk is well managed for the majority of hazards in the environment, activities and for individuals. Residents and staff are aware of how to keep safe from unnecessary harm. Social workers commented on the good work with families around risk

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

assessment and this is drawn up on admission and reviewed regularly as part of the plan of work. However, not all elements are included in formal documentation. For example, the regulation of hot water at taps in the barn conversion flats, safe storage of medication by parents, and safety of children while parents have a cigarette outside their flats. Thus while parents and children stay in accommodation that provides physical safety and security, this is not always evidenced.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents and children move into, and leave, the centre in a planned and sensitive manner. Admissions and discharges are planned where possible, with parents, children and purchasers and handled with sensitivity and care. A parent said that she was pleased to be able to be at the centre with her baby and that she had been able to visit before moving in.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children and their parents have their needs assessed by staff, and documentation better reflects the detailed nature of the planning and risk management that staff carry out in day-to-day practice. Staff complete a document called a 'working agreement' at the outset of the assessment, in some cases before children involved are born. This is supported by a full placement plan, an additional working 'remit' for the day-to-day care, and a formal written risk assessment for families in their care. Social workers confirm that staff follow these plans carefully, saying they are 'very impressed' with the quality of staff observations and proactive approach. One said, 'They were open and honest with the client and professionals, providing support as and when required'.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff share information with parents so that they participate fully in the purpose of the stay and take responsibility for their child. Social workers say 'this allows parents to really concentrate on what they need to do.' There are good systems to consult with parents about the work undertaken with them, and also about life in the house and the general service they receive. Social workers report good information and courses structured to the client's needs. One parent said, 'I liked everything during my stay.' The manager encourages parents to be involved in decisions about their families. This demonstrates that parents using the centre feel well-informed and party to decisions made.

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Achieving economic wellbeing

Parents and children enjoy homely accommodation, decorated, furnished and maintained to a high standard, providing suitable facilities for their use. The accommodation has been dramatically improved to provide six private, comfortable, very suitable family spaces, and social workers describe it as 'fantastic.' The establishment includes two, two-bedroomed flats in the main house, and four, one- bedroomed flats in the adjacent barn conversion. Staff sleep in in the main house, in one of the self-contained flats when families requiring intensive monitoring are resident there. There is now an on site resident family support worker who can be called on at any time to support families with lesser need for monitoring. Shared spaces complement and supplement residents’ private rooms. The service has an excellent rural setting on a good bus route, and provides outstanding external play facilities for children in a safe environment. The organisation has halted development

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Achieving economic wellbeing

of further accommodation on the site, due to financial constraints.

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Organisation

This is an imaginative, creative service that is able to provide highly individual packages of monitoring, assessment and support to parents and their children, based on their level of need. Social workers describe this as a 'brilliant' service and the 'first choice for any family.' Information provided to parents and placing social workers about the service is clear and informative. Parents confirm that they are given clear written information as well as having settling in sessions with their key workers. One said,' the staff have been most helpful with everything I needed them for, and more at times.'

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Organisation

The organisation has expanded and provides a range of family support services on site: a residential family centre, a supervised contact service for separated families, and supported living accommodation in the barn conversion. There have been periods of several months during the last year when there have been no referrals or families in residence. Only three families placed by local authorities, stay at the residential family centre at any one time. They may use either the main house or the barn conversion, where supervision levels are less. Placing authorities like the flexibility and responsiveness and say they are clear about the level of input they are purchasing. The Registered Manager also offers accommodation there to parents or expectant mothers who need short-term housing support or accommodation, and are self funding, or placed by the housing department. She intends to increase the registered numbers from three families to six, to cover the provision of

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Organisation

accommodation for all parents and their children. This intention is to also widen the breadth of service to parents whose capacity to respond to their children's needs and to safeguard their welfare, is monitored or assessed, and the parents are given advice, guidance or counselling. This takes account of the increasing needs of some families. Parents and children receive the care and services they need from skilled, insightful staff. Social workers describe them as 'non judgemental' and report 'excellent communication'. Staff are enthusiastic, professional and caring, and residents spoke of good relationships with them. The staff team are experienced, qualified and mature people, who bring a range of useful life experiences to their role. Staffing arrangements have been strengthened by the formation of a dedicated residential family support team and this leads to a greater continuity for families. A deputy has

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Organisation

been appointed and a senior family support worker is currently undertaking social work training. There are enough experienced and qualified staff to carry out the placement plan, recognising that primary responsibility for the child rests with parents unless otherwise arranged. Staff are themselves well supported and guided in safeguarding and promoting the children’s welfare by the highly experienced Registered Manager. They have training and development opportunities that equip them with the skills required to work with parents and children, fulfil the Statement of Purpose, and a high percentage have achieved NVQ at level 3 in working with children and families.

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Organisation

The service's work with parents and children is continually adapted in the light of information about how it is operating. Management monitoring systems of matters in Schedule 4 and national minimum standard 24 are good, and lead to improvements for the service. The Registered Manager is skilled, qualified and competent in her role. Professionals appreciate her responsiveness and integrity. Records are well maintained and provide a full picture of each family's stay at the centre. Parents’ progress is recorded to reflect their ability to care for the children in a safe manner, promoting their welfare. Social work staff prepare comprehensive assessment documents to inform social work and court decisions about the future of children. Children have essential information required by law contained within their 'looked after children' documentation (LAC) so staff have access to satisfactory information. A parent confirmed her positive experience saying, 'If I had to go back there I

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Residential Family Centres Regulations 2002 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Std. Action Due date

22 identify and so far as possible, eliminate, all unnecessary hazards to residents in the environment, the activities in which residents participate, and risks to their health and safety (Regulation 11(4)) 31/12/2010 13 notify the relevant authorities, including Ofsted,of events listed in Schedule 5. (Regulation 26) 31/12/2010

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 submit the child protection procedures to the Local Safeguarding Children Board for consideration and comment (NMS 11.4)  ensure risk assessments are carried out, recorded in writing and regularly reviewed to cover residents use of accommodation, hot water, safe storage of medication and children's supervision while parents smoke (NMS 22)  ensure the appropriate check via the Criminal Records Bureau has been completed before the person starts work (NMS 15.4)  ensure the needs of the parents and children concerned, and the likely effects of their admission upon the existing group of residents, are taken into account in decisions about admissions to the centre (NMS 2.5)  ensure that hot water accessible to very young children, or people with disabilities that places them at risk of very hot water, is maintained at between 41 and 45 degrees centigrade at tap and other outlets available to them. (NMS

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