Abbeyfield

Unique reference number SC050043 Inspection date 23/06/2015 Inspector Debbie Foster/Jacqui Malcolm Type of inspection Full

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Telephone number

38 Christchurch Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S3 9HN

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Email

Registered person Progressive Care Limited

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Email

Registered manager Jane Holmes Responsible individual Mohammid Shabir Ali Date of last inspection 06/10/2014 Abbeyfield Inspection report for a residential family centre Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Email

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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Brief description of the service

This residential family centre is owned by a private organisation and can accommodate up to 12 families. Parents that are referred to the centre complete up to a 12-week residential assessment process, either directed by the courts, or by a local authority. The centre has specific facilities to accommodate families with disabilities.

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The overall experiences of children and parents

The overall experiences of children and parents is good.

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The overall experiences of children and parents

Professionals and parents state that children are protected and kept safe. Staff are suitably trained and provide close monitoring, support and guidance.

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The overall experiences of children and parents

Staff deliver guidance and support set at the right level taking into account each parent’s ability to understand, their diverse histories and backgrounds. A parent said, ‘We love our keyworker, she explains things to us, if we are struggling with things she makes suggestions how we can address it, she’s good.’

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The overall experiences of children and parents

Parents state that they have very positive relationships with staff; these are built through honesty, clear direction and good communication. Parents receive relevant information to assist them to understand the reasons for their assessment. This enables them to make decisions to adjust their lives and make the necessary changes to safeguard and nurture their children appropriately.

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The overall experiences of children and parents

Thorough and detailed assessments of parenting skills, including their capacity to change and safeguard their children are undertaken. This ensures the right decision can be made by placing authorities for families to either stay together or for children to be placed with a new family within a safe and nurturing environment.

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The overall experiences of children and parents

Positive working relationships exist with supporting agencies in health, social care and legal arenas. The service continues to strive to improve these relationships.

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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 person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

23 The registered person shall establish and maintain a system for (a) reviewing at appropriate intervals; and (b) improving, the quality of care provided at the residential family centre. (3)The system referred to in paragraph (1) shall provide for consultation with residents (Regulation 23 (1) (a) (b) and (3)). In particular that, the reports reflect consultation with parents and children and any action taken as a result of this. 28/08/15

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

ensure that staff have access to support and advice (including from external specialists) to provide a comprehensive service for parents and their children and are provided with regular supervision by appropriately and experienced staff. (NMS 17.5)

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Quality of assessment

The needs of children are the focal point of the assessments undertaken. This is supported with evidence and an evaluation of parents’ capacity to change in ways that may impact on the safety and wellbeing of their children.

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Quality of assessment

Assessments are undertaken by a qualified social worker. They include all of the relevant areas set out by the court or placing authorities’ directive for the placement. This ensures that it can clearly be established if parents have made sufficient change to ensure their child can be adequately cared for.

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Quality of assessment

Parents said that they receive regular feedback from staff on how their assessment is going throughout the process. They also have the opportunity to give their views and have these recorded. This demonstrates positive consultation to ensure parents are able to exercise their rights and give their views to influence their assessment.

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Quality of assessment

All professionals contribute to assessments; the health visitor said, ‘I have a good interface with the service. Verbal handovers and information sharing is good,’ and, ‘I attend looked after children statutory reviews and other meetings, and have built trust with the service since moving over to (name of city) a year and a half ago.’

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Quality of assessment

Social workers and the support staff have knowledge of child development, attachment theory and models of change. Staff understand and recognise the importance and ability of parents to build secure relationships, nurture their child’s development and keep them safe. This enables their assessment of parents’ ability to be based on sound practice and understanding.

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How well children and parents are protected and helped

The service is good at how well children and parents are protected and helped.

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How well children and parents are protected and helped

Staff have children’s welfare as their ultimate priority and parents understand this too. This is supported by close monitoring and testing out of parents’ ability to parent safely. Staff are alert to signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. A health visitor said, ‘ Staff are very quick to notice any issues, I never feel that any child is unsafe. Staff have their eyes and ears open…there are reasonable processes in place to protect.’

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How well children and parents are protected and helped

Staff are clear on all safety concerns for each family; the specific risks and the impact of these on the child. Staff undertake close supervision and monitor the care parents provide their children throughout their assessment. This is backed up with specific focus work on the areas of concern which may relate to previous neglect, safeguarding or abuse. This assists in providing the evidence of how parents keep their children safe. Parents are assessed on how they relate, bond and attach with their child. A parent said, ‘Staff have explained the importance of attachment and bonding with our child. It’s not been an issue, it’s been natural.’ Therefore, children benefit greatly from developing good attachments, bringing a sense of feeling safe and secure.

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How well children and parents are protected and helped

Children receive a regular check-up from the health visitor and the doctor. Access to services have been improved with the health visitor undertaking a clinic on-site each week. This ensures each child and baby’s health is monitored closely.

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How well children and parents are protected and helped

Parents are not always in a position to be given information about the centre prior to admission. However, they did say that they are given an information pack on admission. They said the staff are helpful and go through the assessment process fully. They are aware of their right to read their records, give their views and see all reports prior to them being submitted to the local authority or the court. This ensures that they have a fair and transparent assessment. Parents said, ‘We have a chance to give our views on the reports and any observation records.’ Parents are informed of their rights and are clear on the how to make a complaint if required.

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How well children and parents are protected and helped

Complaints from parents are investigated quickly, the action taken and outcomes are documented. In the main, parents have expressed their satisfaction with the outcomes of the complaints investigations. The manager uses lessons learnt from complaints to bring about changes to aspects of the service delivery and make improvements.

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How well children and parents are protected and helped

The manager and staff have Strong and suitable relationships exist with other agencies. These include; health, social work, courts and safeguarding boards. These provide vital supporting services to keep children safe.

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How well children and parents are protected and helped

Families benefit from undertaking their assessment in well maintained and equipped accommodation. The majority of flats have been decorated in the last ten months and where required, supplied with new furnishings and fittings. Bathrooms and the play room have been refurbished. This ensures families have a safe, comfortable environment to stay in, which reduces any additional stress or concerns parents might have, allowing them to focus solely on their assessment.

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Working with partners to improve outcomes

The service is good at working with partners to improve outcomes.

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Working with partners to improve outcomes

The manager and staff have built effective relationships with a number of supporting agencies, including health professionals, local authorities, guardians and safeguarding agencies. Most placing authorities said that they are kept well informed of how assessments are progressing with regular communication; these include telephone conversations, emails, meetings and written reports. Where any communication issues have arisen, prompt action has been taken to address these. The local safeguarding board said that all contact has been appropriate and the local authority is informed of all placements made from out of area placements. Meetings are held periodically with the local doctor’s surgery to ensure continuing positive relationships. This supports effective working relationships and access to additional services when required to facilitate the safety of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The effectiveness of leaders and managers is good.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The Registered Manager has an advanced Diploma in Health and Social Care and the Registered Managers Award. She has over 15 years practice experience, and is currently undertaking the level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care. She has been the Registered Manager for this service for over 7 years.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Children and parents benefit from a restructure of the management and staff team. New plans are being implemented to improve the service further, incorporating a detailed development plan. Work has commenced to update the staff team working practice and extend their training remit. This enables best practice developments to be incorporated into the service to bring good outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Commissioning services and parents are well informed about the service provided to families with a detailed Statement of Purpose and Parents’ handbook. These documents set out clearly the ethos and objectives of the residential family centre to all those accessing it.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The vast majority of previous requirements and recommendations have been implemented. Parents are clear when not being monitored by surveillance cameras, as covers are now in place, which reassures families and facilitates their privacy. Staff are appropriately trained and understand the requirements imposed by regulations on the use of surveillance, including data protection. This ensures that staff are aware of the right procedures to follow when CCTV is being used and the rights of parents regarding secure storage and access arrangements. The flats and studios apartments have been decorated; all facilities are clean and in a good state of repair. Verification of references takes place when staff are recruited, to establish the reason why they left their previous employment or why the position ended. This makes sure that all staff employed are suitable to work with vulnerable adults or children. The manager keeps a summary statement of all complaints made over a 12

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

month period, showing the action taken and outcomes. This indicates that complaints are taken seriously and quickly addressed. The Statement of Purpose and residents’ guide includes the address and telephone number of the Children's commissioner for England . This provides children with an independent body to contact with concerns or access point for advice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff receive training on hygiene and health promotion. All new care staff have or are undertaking the Level 3 Diploma. Therefore, staff are suitably trained to ensure the quality of the service provided meets the required standard. The Registered Manager receives professional supervision from a line manager with relevant experience and knowledge to assist in providing adequate support and has good oversight of the service. A written plan is developed at the start of each family’s placement which details the assessment, risks, supervision and protection to be provided at the centre.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Action is taken to address the deficits identified in the service which have been highlighted by a monitoring visitor. This process helps the manager address shortfalls and bring improvements to the quality of the service provided to children and parents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

A core number of staff are qualified, experience and have a good knowledge base. Further staff have been recruited. This has extended the team to make sure adequate supervision, monitoring and direct work can be completed to meet the needs of all families at all times. Staff receive supervision and have good support from the management team. However, formal supervision is not consistently provided to all staff in line with the homes policy and procedures. This does not always ensure all staff development and practice is consistently monitored to maintain high standards of service provision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff receive training in mandatory areas, including first aid, child development, attachment, food hygiene and medication. Specialist training areas now include sexual exploitation, domestic abuse, neglect, domestic violence and drugs awareness. This enhances staff knowledge to understand, support and evaluate how parents are keeping their children safe and promoting their wellbeing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Improvements have been made to the quality of the monitoring of the service. The senior team have designated service areas to audit on a regular basis. Monthly auditing is undertaken by the management team. However, the manager’s written monitoring reports do not evidence consultation with families and has not fully addressed the omission of some staff supervision. Not with standing, good monitoring systems exist which continue to develop. This assists in the improvement of the quality of the service provided.

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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 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the inspection framework and the evaluation schedule for the inspection of residential family centres.

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