Blossom House

children and parents

Good The residential family centre provides effective services that meet the requirements for good. The quality of assessment Good

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The residential family centre is good because:

The centre is well led by an experienced, skilled and suitably qualified management team. The ethos of team working is well embedded in staff practice. Staff communication, supervision, training and support equips each of them to work effectively and consistently with parents and children. This enables the development of positive relationships between staff and resident families. The assessment process is tailored to each individual family, with children’s needs at the centre, and reflects the areas identified for consideration by the court or placing authority. Staff ensure that the safety and well-being of each family member is given due weight in the thorough management of risk. A social worker commented, ‘They were a good option for this family and I felt they safeguarded the child adequately and shared concerns with me. I would use this service again.’ Thorough evidence-based and child-centred reports detail parents’ backgrounds,

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The residential family centre is good because:

journeys and their capacity to change. They analyse and evaluate the parenting skills in accordance with the instructions from the courts and placing authority. Staff are creative in how they deliver information to parents that suits their individual learning needs, for example by using visual cues. Many engage positively in the process, as they feel listened to. One parent said, ‘I felt like they wanted to help. They’re here to do a good job.’ Another parent observed of the group activities, ‘Sessions on play and stimulation and safety around the home have raised my level of awareness and alertness.’ Families appreciate and benefit from safe, suitable and well-maintained self- contained accommodation. They enjoy access to the communal accommodation for group activities and to the garden. Professionals speak positively of the staff and the quality of their communication and partnership working, with one describing it as ‘brilliant’.

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The residential family centre is good because:

There are some weaknesses identified and these primarily relate to recording. The use of wedges to hold open internal doors in the self-contained flats compromises fire safety.

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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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Requirement Due date

Make adequate arrangements for detecting, containing and extinguishing fires, in particular, consider how to appropriately hold open internal doors in flats. (Regulation 22 (1)(i)) 31 August

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Requirement Due date

If, in relation to a residential family centre, any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 takes place, the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of column 2 of the table. (Regulation 26 (1)) 31 July 2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure that reports are delivered within the specified timescales (NMS 1.4)  Ensure that risk assessments are kept up to date and specify the arrangements for staff supervision of families (NMS 9.1)  Consider a formal interview of bank staff to determine that their deployment will ensure that they can fulfil the centre's statement of purpose and meet the individual needs of all the parents and children resident at the centre (NMS 15.1)  Ensure parents receive prompt feedback on any concerns or complaints raised. (NMS 2.4)  Demonstrate that where centres offer placements for disabled parents and children, the accommodation provided is suitable to the particular needs of the disabled parents and children which may include suitable aids, adaptations and other suitable equipment (NMS 11.5

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Recommendations

 Ensure the final report contains clear recommendations for follow-up care to ensure the smoothest possible transition to further care or return to the home environment (NMS 1.13)

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Information about this residential family centre

This section should outline:  The centre can accommodate a maximum of five families, in self-contained flats, for parenting assessments. One of these flats is suitable for people with mobility difficulties. There is also a large lounge, kitchen, laundry and therapeutic room on the ground floor. The centre has staff offices and a meeting room, with external access if required. The home has an enclosed garden and a private car park.

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Information about this residential family centre

 The flats and communal areas have the facility for CCTV monitoring.

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Information about this residential family centre

 The centre offers individual sessions with an accredited psychotherapist. These are tailored to individual needs and may be used to address referral concerns, supporting residents with therapeutic tools within an integrated approach. The head of therapeutic approaches may also offer guidance and support where required.

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Good

Children benefit from a service which strives to maximise their parent’s individual potential. Staff work creatively with parents to enable them to learn, develop and then demonstrate their capacity to care for their children. Staff achieve an effective balance in keeping children and vulnerable adults safe, while undertaking good-quality parenting assessments. Parents are satisfied with the level of support and guidance given by staff that helps them to meet and learn to anticipate the day-to-day needs of their children. They also appreciate learning about more than basic care needs, one parent talked about attachment and how her understanding of that had changed some of her behaviour. Parents appreciate the efforts of staff to write areas for improvement constructively. One parent said, ‘I’m happy I came. I feel safe. I have learnt a lot about myself.’ Families and staff develop positive relationships through the assessment process.

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Good

One said of a deputy, ‘She genuinely cares, as do the majority. There is a presence about her that makes me feel comfortable and at ease.’ There is a relaxed atmosphere in the shared spaces, with laughter a common feature. The weekly group meals, cooked alternately by the families with help from staff, are enjoyed by all. Parents also comment positively on the group activity night. These occasions provide parents and children with an opportunity to observe, practice and enhance social skills in a safe and supported environment. Parents appreciate the opportunity to visit the centre (where possible) and the written information that they receive before moving into the centre. They say that their experience matches what is in the written information. Staff manage planned departures well and agree a support package where required. They maintain a focus on the welfare of the child in the event of unplanned endings and implement

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Good

appropriate protective factors. Parents are familiar with the structure of their individualised assessment. They each have a timetable of daily plans. This includes the detail of the education and information classes, meetings with the key workers and therapist, health appointments and social activities. One parent commented, ‘I have learned confidence and built self-esteem to do things independently.’ The environment is safe and homely and the self-contained accommodation is appreciated by those living there. There is one flat suitable for people with mobility difficulties and staff have obtained additional equipment in the light of comments from those using it. The flat has not been assessed by an occupational therapist to ensure that it meets the needs of individuals. Staff consider the range of needs of the whole family and this is reflected in the assessment. Staff tailor sessions to meet individual learning needs, for example by

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Good

using photos, videos and a visual calendar. This provides parents with equality of opportunity and access to information. Staff are active in seeking the voice of parents and children and record their views as an integral part of the process. Assessment reports acknowledge the strengths of parents and evaluate the impact of weaknesses effectively to evidence the basis of the final recommendation. Staff have a good understanding of ongoing support needs of families where children are going home with their parents. Although this is stated in emails to placing authorities, it is not routinely included in the assessment recommendation.

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The quality of assessment Good

The structure for the management of assessments is strong. A named, qualified social worker takes the lead with each family with the support of allocated key workers. The whole staff team are familiar with each family’s support plan and know the areas that they need to be aware of and report on. The team know about and apply in their work with families, child development, attachment theory and attunement and the theoretical model of change used in the centre. Staff at the centre are also trained in a nationally recognised assessment tool specifically for parents with a learning difficulty, which they use to good effect. The registered manager retains overall responsibility for the assessment and the operations manager is actively involved in the quality assurance of reports. The assessment process is informed by the history and experiences of parents and is undertaken within an individualised risk management framework. Staff maintain a

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The quality of assessment Good

sharp focus both on safeguarding and parents’ capacity to change. For example, where a parent does not demonstrate any insight into how their childhood experiences may impact on their own parenting, this is acknowledged in the report without blame: ‘protective, safe and effective parenting has been compromised’. Staff provide strong support and encouragement to families to engage in the assessment process. When a parent struggles to participate meaningfully, staff strive to motivate them. This may initially cause delays in the assessment process and this is well explained in the mid-way reports produced. Parents comment positively on feedback that ‘tells them straight’, so that they know what they need to do. One parent said, ‘Staff give direction about what to improve and how to do it.’ Parents’ views are well recorded on the daily contact sheets and reports. This includes their challenges to the written observations of staff.

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The quality of assessment Good

Staff conduct assessments in accordance with the instructions and plans provided by the local authorities and/or courts. These are kept under review and updates made in the light of changing circumstances, for example, when one of a couple leaves the family centre or changes are made to the use of CCTV. Staff at the centre are also trained in a nationally recognised assessment tool specifically for parents with a learning difficulty. A social worker noted ‘… weekly risk assessments, which they shared with me… informed level of supervision required and this was reduced/increased accordingly’. Staff maintain a chronology throughout the assessment. This, the daily recordings and weekly internal planning meetings provide a sound evidence base for the assessment findings. The internal planning meetings ensure that the parents are kept informed of the emerging views of the assessors. These also give parents an

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The quality of assessment Good

opportunity to present their views in response to the positive elements identified and the areas for development. The assessment process includes prompt and appropriate liaison and information sharing with professionals involved with the family. Social workers who expressed a view were satisfied with the quality of the assessments undertaken, with one social worker describing it as ‘thorough’. Another social worker said of the assessment it ‘was overall good. This was however not filed in time.’

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Good

Families say that they feel safe living in the centre and attribute this to the actions and attitude of staff as well as the use of security measures, including CCTV. Safeguarding is embedded in the ethos and culture of the family centre, with the welfare of children central to staff practice. This in turn is underpinned by relevant training, the implementation of which ensures that staff know what to do in the event of child protection and other safeguarding concerns. The internal planning and team meetings provide a sound structure for weekly review and information sharing, which includes updating risk assessments. This ensures that staff know the potential risks well and are familiar with how to address any emerging concerns and so keep children safe. For example, staff challenge inappropriate behaviour by parents and take decisive action to secure the safety and well-being of children and other adults. This has included asking adults to leave the

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Good

centre. This is not in every case fully supported by the written risk assessments, for example, one written risk assessment seen lacked clarity about staff deployment for supervision of the family. However, the staff knew and implemented in practice safe supervision levels. Parents report that they benefit from education and guidance given by staff about how to keep their children safe and well. Parents talk positively about what they now know about health issues and childhood illnesses for example. They have learned about environmental hazards and other potential risks in the community. The centre runs a specific education programme about domestic violence. One parent spoke about how it has helped her in recognising behaviour as domestic violence and developing an awareness of how it impacts on her children. Staff record in detail the education sessions and how well parents evidence learning as part of the

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Good

assessment. Parents are effectively supported by staff to manage their medication safely, where this has been risk assessed as appropriate. Staff receive training and guidance in this area, with updates where necessary, to inform their practice around the administration of medication. The management team is building relationships with a range of professionals. Those with whom they have the most contact are developing well, for example local healthcare professionals. The manager has made herself known to local safeguarding personnel. She has made contact with the local safeguarding board and made a referral when considered necessary. Police have been involved appropriately and proportionately. Management within the wider company ensures that the necessary checks are in place before all staff commence employment in the centre. The recruitment process for permanent staff is sound. Staff employed in other care settings owned by the

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Good

organisation who may work as bank staff in the centre do not have a formal interview to determine their suitability for the role. The environment is well presented and maintained. Families report a high level of satisfaction with the accommodation. One parent said, ‘We would rent this out if we could, that’s how good it is.’ Monitoring visits have identified recurrent issues with fire safety checks, which have now been addressed. During this inspection, it was observed that in the flats a number of doors fitted with automatic closures were held open by wedges. This is not consistent with fire safety guidance. Parents generally speak positively of the relationships that they have built or are building with staff. They say that there is always someone to talk to, describe staff as willing to listen and are confident that any complaints would be taken seriously. One parent gave an example of how well she thought a complaint in relation to noise

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Good

had been managed. A member of staff told how she had supported a parent to make a complaint. Records show that action is taken in response to complaints. However, the detail of feedback to the complainant on the outcome of the complaint and the action taken is inconsistent. Monitoring visit reports for the provider show regular, proactive engagement with the families placed.

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Good

Families assessed at this residential family centre benefit from a strong and experienced management team. The registered manager is a qualified social worker and is working towards a relevant management qualification. She has been registered as the centre manager since May 2012 and oversaw the move from the previous premises to this site. She is supported by two deputies, who are also qualified social workers. The established staff team has a range of relevant and complementary experience and qualifications. This includes a therapeutic practitioner, who is also an accredited psychotherapist, and staff with qualifications in midwifery, diploma in Early Years Levels 3 and 4 and level 3 diploma in health and social care. The number of staff on duty is determined by the needs of families and this is kept under review through updated risk assessment. At the time of this visit, the manager had obtained agreement to increase the permanent staff complement by two full

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Good

time support workers. In the interim, the use of consistent bank and agency staff ensure the sufficiency of staffing. Additional stability is achieved by some of these staff successfully applying for permanent positions. Members of the management team are part of the on call support at weekends. This system works well to provide staff with guidance or a physical presence in an emergency. Staff benefit from induction, supervision and support that equips them for their role. This is achieved by regular meetings, briefings and training for staff as individuals and as a group. These are both formal and informal and are provided to meet the needs of the resident families. Staff gave examples of training in autism and particular mental health issues. The management team has contracted a therapeutic consultant to provide regular group supervision for staff in recognition of the emotional impact of difficult decisions. Staff report an open culture, which

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Good

encourages them to challenge each other. The statement of purpose is kept up to date and accurately reflects the practice of the staff in the centre and how they conduct assessments. There is effective monitoring by the visitor nominated by the organisation and the manager. This serves to highlight the strengths of the service and the areas for improvement. This is achieved despite the cumbersome and at times repetitive recording systems that staff are required to complete. As a result, information is not always easily accessible. For example, serious incident reports do not routinely record the outcomes or learning points arising from the incidents, although staff can outline these in discussion. The organisation is reviewing an electronic recording system to address this. There is good use of the knowledge and skills of staff within the wider organisation to develop the service. For example, the manager reviews

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Good

and evaluates the training schedule in consultation with the organisation’s workforce development lead and guidance and training is provided by a registered mental health nurse. The staff team have fostered good relationships with a range of professionals. These include social workers, guardians, health visitors and midwives, substance misuse and advocacy services and housing and local support groups. Their input is used to provide support to the families and inform the assessment process. They are confident to challenge other professionals when they are dissatisfied with their service provision. Staff maintain a focus on the individual needs of children and their parents in all aspects of their work. They ensure that families receive the necessary support and take into account their range of needs, to ensure that people are not disadvantaged by needs arising from difference. To this end, staff actively promote equality and

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences of children and parents are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of residential family centres: framework for inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences of children and parents staying at the residential family centre. Inspectors considered whether the work of the residential family centre is founded on safe care, individualised support and robust parenting assessment practice. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, parents and each other, and discussed the effectiveness of assessment, support and care given to children and parents. Wherever possible, they talked to children and parents. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the residential family centre knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and parents. This 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 Residential Family Centres Regulations 2002 and the National Minimum Standards.

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Information about this inspection

the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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