Catchpoint Consultancy CIC

Inspection report for adoption support agency

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Catchpoint

Unique reference number SC067034 Inspection date 21 December 2011 Inspector Heather Chaplin Type of inspection key Type of registration Adoption Support Agency

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Catchpoint

Service address 10 Copley Gardens, Lockleaze, Bristol, BS7 9YE

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Fax number

Email address info@catchpoint.org Website address www.catchpoint.org Registered person Thomas William Pyne Registered manager Frances Joy Hasler Inspection report Catchpoint Page 2 of 12

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Fax number

This document may be freely reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided the source and date of publication are stated. Inspection report Catchpoint Page 3 of 12

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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 relevant National Minimum Standards for the service.

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The key 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 Not judged: this aspect of the provision was not judged Inspection report Catchpoint Page 4 of 12

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Brief description of the service

Catchpoint undertakes a range of therapeutic and assessment work, using a trauma and recovery model with an emphasis on attachment theory. As part of this wider remit, the agency provides a post-adoption support service for children and families.

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Brief description of the service

Based in Bristol, the service offers regular therapeutic sessions at the head office and at centres in Devon and South Wales. Some families may be financed by commissioning authorities, but others have to pay for therapy privately.

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Brief description of the service

The service, which is a community interest company, is managed by five directors. Some directors have specific responsibilities for clinical governance, strategy and finance.

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Summary

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

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Summary

Catchpoint provides an outstanding service to children and families, but has some significant management and financial issues. Although the agency is addressing these, they have not yet made sufficient progress to achieve good judgements for these areas.

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Summary

The outcomes in the report include some areas rated outstanding, some rated good and others rated satisfactory. The overall judgement of good is due to the very positive outcomes for the children and families who expressed their views during the inspection. One parent summed this up by saying 'Catchpoint has been our family's saviour.’

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Summary

Comments received have shown that the agency's strengths include helping to keep children with extremely complex needs in their adoptive families. These children are at high risk of being accommodated and suffering yet another trauma in their lives.

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Summary

One parent said: 'Our new parenting methods and regular sessions at Catchpoint have had a huge effect on our family life. We have been through periods where we have been extremely concerned about our family managing to stay together, but with Catchpoint's direct involvement we are working through those issues and now have a much more positive prognosis about the future for all of us.’ Inspection report Catchpoint Page 5 of 12

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What the service does well

Catchpoint provides a child-centred, coherent therapeutic model, which the Registered Manager has developed over many years. Families show a clear understanding of the model used. The service is flexible, supportive and inclusive. Therapists are all fully qualified and bring a wide range of life and professional experiences to the work.

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What the service does well

Child safeguarding is managed very well. Staff receive training to ensure that they would be aware of how to respond to a child who made a disclosure.

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What the service does well

Children and families are regularly consulted to obtain their views of the service. Feedback obtained from this process is collated and acted upon effectively.

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What the service does well

The service has homely, cost-effective premises where families are made to feel welcome and valued. Recording systems and IT provision is sound.

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What has been improved since the last inspection

At the last inspection, case records were not always maintained in a consistent way. This has improved; the recording is now of good quality.

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What has been improved since the last inspection

Staff files were not always consistently recorded. Staff files sampled on this occasion are organised effectively and contain all the necessary documentation to help the agency to safeguard children.

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What has been improved since the last inspection

The agency was short of administrative time at the last inspection. Administrative time has increased through the appointment of another part-time administrator, who supports the service by helping to manage the financial administration. Commissioning bodies report an improvement in communication and invoicing, although this remains work in progress.

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What they could do better

Although the directors are very well qualified and committed to Catchpoint, there is insufficient management time to meet all the demands of running the agency. If the Registered Manager had to be absent, there is no deputisation arrangement in place. The shortfalls in the service's management structure mean that there is insufficiently frequent clinical staff supervision. Ultimately, this could impact on the currently high quality of the service provided.

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What they could do better

Another consequence of the shortfalls in leadership is a lack of clarity about boundaries, roles and responsibilities within the service. The premises are multi- functional and although low-cost and broadly acceptable to service users, they are not suitable for service users with disabilities which significantly affect their mobility.

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What they could do better

Although there is a steady increase in business over time, the service has significant Inspection report Catchpoint Page 6 of 12

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What they could do better

cash flow problems. This has led to the agency being unable to meet some of its financial commitments.

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Statement of purpose

There is a clear, well-written Statement of Purpose which outlines the service's aims and objectives. Parents, children and professionals have access to detailed information which describes the agency's methods of work. This helps to ensure that families and commissioning bodies know what to expect.

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Statement of purpose

The clinical director has produced good quality written material suitable for children of all ages. Information is available in different formats to suit a range of needs.

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Safeguarding and promoting welfare

Children and young people are effectively safeguarded through clear policies and safe practice. Staff receive regularly updated training in child protection. The designated person is a qualified social worker who has completed training appropriate to her additional responsibilities.

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Safeguarding and promoting welfare

Catchpoint staff occasionally have to use physical intervention to support children who are at risk of harming themselves or others. They are trained in suitable physical intervention techniques and any incidents are well recorded.

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Safeguarding and promoting welfare

One parent commented: 'policies and procedures are in place that keep us safe, particularly when my son has some very difficult reactions (emotionally and physically) during therapy sessions'.

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Safeguarding and promoting welfare

Catchpoint safeguards children by helping to prevent family breakdown, which further traumatises children. One parent said: 'The fact that our son remains in our family is a testimony to the skills and knowledge of the therapists at Catchpoint. Without their help, my son would not be able to make any sense of his world, his feelings or believe that we, his (adoptive) parents love him and can keep him safe. Without that attachment, he would not be able to function at school or have any friendships.’ Inspection report Catchpoint Page 7 of 12

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User focused services

The Registered Manager conducts the initial consultation session and makes an assessment of the family's needs. Based on this assessment, she assigns the most appropriate therapist to work with the family.

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User focused services

Families were unanimous in saying that Catchpoint has had a substantial positive impact on their lives. One parent said: 'We have been offered guidance and support in how to parent our children and carry on the therapeutic work in our family environment. This has meant we have been able to create a stable and safe for our children to grow. We have a far greater insight into the world of our traumatised children and so are far more able to meet their needs.’

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User focused services

Parents commented on the excellent level of support outside therapy sessions, including an out-of-hours telephone service. The strategic director's links with schools result in very positive educational outcomes for some children who might otherwise be excluded.

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User focused services

Many parents really value their close involvement in the therapy. One parent said: 'The safe space Catchpoint provides our children has allowed them to come to terms with who they are, accept what life has dealt them and begin to acquire the strengths and skills to navigate safely and healthily through the world of relationships with other people and themselves. Catchpoint has also taught us how to parent deeply traumatised children.’

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User focused services

Young people commented on their experiences of Catchpoint: ‘Therapy helps get my feelings out, and understand how I can stop having feelings that hurt me. I can reflect on my feelings and explain how I feel.’

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User focused services

‘Banging on the drums helps me as it lets out all my anger, so I don't have to take it out on people. It relaxes me.’

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User focused services

An older young person said: ‘Therapy is a positive thing for me, it is a place where I can relax and express how the week has gone, and explore how I feel about things, we discuss ways on how to not shut down. I find it really helpful to be able to talk to someone who is neutral and outside of my family and friends. This has really helped me maintain my friendships and build relationships.’

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User focused services

Catchpoint run a family day every year, which provides an excellent opportunity for families to socialise as well as learn new skills. One parent said: 'This was a fantastic opportunity for attachment therapy training, including the opportunity to meet other adoptive parents in similar circumstances to our own, but vitally for our children to also meet other adopted children. This is a service that we would love to see developed.’ Inspection report Catchpoint Page 8 of 12

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Service delivery

The service is fully staffed by well-qualified therapists, who specialise in art, music or play therapy. All families and outside agencies were positive about the therapists' knowledge and skills.

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Service delivery

The clinical director explained that staff induction into the specific model of work used can take up to six months. Staff have received training from recognised specialists in the field of attachment, trauma and recovery. The agency facilitates their attendance at training whenever possible.

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Service delivery

Therapists will often travel long distances to provide a service. One family from the north of England said: 'They now travel to offer alternate sessions in our home. Their training for our home-based education workers and their attendance at meetings with local services have been vital. They are also responsive by phone and email when crises occur .’

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Fitness to provide or manage an adoption support agency

The service is managed by the responsible individual, who is the strategic director and the Registered Manager, who is the clinical director. Both are very well qualified and experienced for the roles. For example, the Registered Manager is a qualified music therapist who holds a certificate in psychotherapy. She has many years' experience in residential work with children, teaching, training and writing. She also holds a National Vocational Qualification at level 5 in business management.

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Fitness to provide or manage an adoption support agency

The strategic director is also a qualified teacher who also has a strong interest in counselling and therapy. He has many years' experience as acting headteacher in a school for children with special educational needs. Part of his role is to liaise with schools and education departments to help promote better understanding of the impact of trauma and loss on adoptive placements.

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Management of the adoption support agency

The agency is governed by five directors, some of whom are adopters with practical experience of some of the issues faced by adoptive families. The treasurer has decades of experience as the managing director of large public company, so there are sound management skills within the management group. However, there are some communication issues. For example, despite the agency's small size, some staff had not met all five directors and were unclear about their skills and experience. Inspection report Catchpoint Page 9 of 12

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Management of the adoption support agency

There is no doubt that there is a visionary and strongly ethical basis to the service, but there are sustainability issues. The Registered Manager has a huge remit. This includes extensive travel, undertaking all the initial consultations, carrying a caseload and spending significant periods away from the office to undertake assessments for the Courts. Consequently, there is insufficient management time to meet all the conflicting demands of running the service. There is no provision for day-to-day deputisation and it is unclear how the service would operate if the Registered Manager had to be absent for any length of time.

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Employment and management of staff and volunteers

The service has an effective equal opportunities policy. This is reflected in the current staff and management team, where there is a reasonable gender balance and some minority ethnic representation. All staff and volunteers are subject to appropriate recruitment checks to help ensure that they are suitable to work with children and families.

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Employment and management of staff and volunteers

Staff supervision is sometimes postponed due to operational demands. Some staff have experienced significant gaps between supervision sessions, with the result that they are insufficiently unsupported. This can potentially have an impact on staff retention. Although peer supervision and meetings with the strategic director have been added to the supervision plan to try to address the problem, this does not provide the quality of clinical expertise required to support staff in undertaking this work.

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Complaints and representations

The service has a good complaints procedure, which has been tested out on one occasion. The single complaint was recorded and investigated according to procedure. The service receives numerous compliments and letters of thanks.

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Records

Inspection report Catchpoint Page 10 of 12

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Records

The service has effective IT systems in place and a good computerised recording system. Computer and file records seen are appropriate and provide a comprehensive account of each session.

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Records

Therapy sessions may be filmed using a static camera and a remote link to an observation room. Videos of therapy sessions may be used in training and supervision, but may also be shown to families when appropriate to help increase their understanding and insight.

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Fitness of premises

The service occupies welcoming, friendly premises in a residential area of north Bristol. Families say that they find it to be an acceptable environment. The house is situated at the end of a quiet close, so if distressed children should decide to run outside, they are at a safe distance from any main roads.

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Fitness of premises

The premises have a triple purpose. In addition to the Catchpoint offices, the house is also a vicarage and a family home. There is some inevitable blurring of boundaries between the three functions. There are some advantages, in that the house is rent- free. It looks and feels like a home, complete with resident animals which some children find beneficial.

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Fitness of premises

However, there is clear impingement of the agency's functions on private areas of the house and vice versa.

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Fitness of premises

Because of the limitations imposed by the property's owners, it has not been possible to adapt the premises for wheelchair users. In practice this does not impact on service users because they meet the therapist at another location. There is a plan to find alternative premises and the directors are already actively seeking a suitable location.

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Financial requirements

Catchpoint is a community interest company, which is a not-for-profit organisation. Inspection report Catchpoint Page 11 of 12

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Financial requirements

In order to continue to achieve positive outcomes for families, there is a crucial need to remain solvent in the medium and longer term.

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Financial requirements

There has been an overall growth in business over the last three years, which is positive, but there are significant cash flow problems. This is said to be a consequence of overdue payments from some local authorities. Whatever the cause, the impact of the cash flow situation is that staff have not always been paid on time. This can have a considerable detrimental impact on individual staff and ultimately on the service.

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Financial requirements

The agency is generally regarded as competitively priced and works effectively with many local authorities around the country. In the past, it has probably undercharged in relation to hidden time costs, such as travelling to meetings and writing additional reports. Catchpoint has also sought to respond positively to families who receive no funding from either the placing or home local authority. Some services have been provided at minimal cost in order to help these families. Although this is a laudable intention, there are financial consequences to this course of action.

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Financial requirements

The service's managers are aware of the issues and are looking at ways to make initial quotations realistic and the service more sustainable. As part of this process, they have identified a volunteer fund raiser to help to raise income. Inspection report Catchpoint Page 12 of 12

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered provider(s) meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Adoption Support regulations and the National Minimum Standards. The registered provider(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Std Action Due date

20 • carry on the agency in such a manner as is likely to ensure that it will be financially viable for the purpose of achieving the aims and objectives set out in its statement of purpose; in particular, continue to develop a strategy to ensure that the service is sustainable. (Regulation 25 (1)) 31 March

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Recommendations

These recommendations relate to the National Minimum Standards and are seen as good practice for the registered provider(s) to consider carrying out. • management- strengthen the leadership of the service to improve delegation of roles, responsibilities and communication (NMS 25.4) • management- ensure that there are effective deputisation arrangements in place in the event of the Registered Manager's absence (NMS 25.5) • Employment and Management- ensure that staff have access to regular supervision by appropriately qualified and experienced persons (NMS 24.4) • Fitness of premises - continue to seek premises that are suitable for the conduct of the service according to its Statement of Purpose; for example, provide accessible premises for disabled people. (NMS 28)

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