SLACCS

SLACCS Inspection report for adoption support agency

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Unique reference number SC392927 Inspection date 19/7/2016 Inspector Christine Kennet Type of inspection Full

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Setting address 4 Elliscombe Road, London SE7 7PY

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Telephone number 0208 3051737 Email davidplant52@hotmail.com Registered person South London Adoption Counselling & Consultation Service LLP Registered manager David Plant Responsible individual Kathleen Pring Date of last inspection 16/4/2014 Website: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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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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Brief description of the service

The South London Adoption, Counselling and Consultation Service (SLACC) provides an independent and confidential counselling service to people who are involved with or affected by adoption. The service is offered to birth parents, birth relatives, adoptive parents and adopted individuals. The agency is registered to provide a service to both children and adults. The agency received 38 new referrals for support between the period from 8 July 2015 to 9 July 2016.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : a service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements Good : a service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements Requires improvement : a service that only meets minimum requirements Inadequate : a service that does not meet minimum requirements

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness

There are shortfalls found in leadership and management, and in some of the arrangements relating to the safeguarding policy and procedures, although there were no shortfalls found in safeguarding practice.

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Overall effectiveness

Service users’ views are sought. However, the agency does not routinely monitor or evaluate views to inform service delivery, staff development or strategic thinking. For example, there is no regular oversight or analysis of who is using the service, who might need a service and how to target or reach these people. There is no overall development plan for the agency.

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Overall effectiveness

Associates working on behalf of the agency are skilled and experienced workers, qualified to undertake their work. They are registered with their respective professional bodies. However, associates do not receive supervision or appraisal of their practice via the agency. The registered manager therefore has limited knowledge of decision making and practice on these cases.

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Overall effectiveness

The agency operates as four independent practitioners working under the umbrella of a combined agency. This raises concerns as to how practice is overseen and monitored. The partners and associates meet once every four months, when they discuss some of the cases.

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Overall effectiveness

The recruitment process for associates is not robust, although the safety of children or other service users has not been adversely affected.

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Overall effectiveness

Not all the venues used by service users are adequately risk assessed. Although this has not created any significant problems, the agency is not aware of the possible risks which they may present to health and safety. The statement of purpose sets out the aims and objectives of the agency, but does not set out the qualifications of everyone working on behalf of the agency. There are no formal arrangements for people to access this document and it is not available on the agency website. The children’s guide is routinely given to children and young people or their representative. This document is not available in an accessible format for younger children or those with learning difficulties, as the information is written in an adult style.

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Overall effectiveness

The agency is not displaying its certificate of registration, and it is an offence not to do so. It is also in breach of regulation under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Overall effectiveness

There have been breaches of regulation, some of which the agency has acted upon and resolved. Previous requirements and recommendations have not all been met, and a theme of organisational and administrative failing is emerging.

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Overall effectiveness

The agency does not fully understand its weaknesses and struggles to provide good leadership and management.

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Overall effectiveness

The agency has effective working relationships with its commissioning agencies. It provides quick and helpful responses to referrals. Sessions are well planned and agreed with service users. Service users sign contracts indicating expectations, confidentiality and expected outcomes. When sessions come towards an end, further work is agreed or planned endings take place.

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Overall effectiveness

All service users spoken to provided very positive feedback about their sessions with the agency. At times, the sessions were described as ‘a difficult journey’ and ‘emotional’. Despite this, service users were positive about how the service had helped them to come to terms with difficult past experiences and given them a new and refreshing perspective. For example, one service user said, ‘they are really good at coming at things from a different angle.’ Commissioning agency social workers were also positive about the work of the agency. They felt that the work undertaken was professional and that the workers were experienced. One social worker said, ‘I have found the input from the agency to be extremely helpful, supportive and constructive. My dealings with the workers have always been professional and with clear boundaries.’

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Overall effectiveness

Assessments are effective and involve young people, where appropriate. For example, they have a say in how sessions will take place, what materials they will use and who will be present at them. Practitioners understand the lifelong implications of adoption and are extremely experienced in all areas of adoption work.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meet the Care Standards Act 2000, the Adoption Support Agencies (England) and Adoption Agencies (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2005, and the national minimum standards. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due Date

(2005) Ensure that the safeguarding policy includes arrangements for persons, as detailed in the regulation, to have information that would enable them to contact: the local authority in which the agency is situated; any other local authority on whose behalf the agency is providing support services; and Ofsted, regarding any concern about child welfare or safety. (Regulation 12(2)(c)(i)(ii)) 31/10/2016

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Reg. Requirement Due Date

(2005) The registered person shall compile in relation to the agency a written statement which shall consist of a statement as to the matters listed in Schedule 1 ('statement of purpose'). (Regulation 5(1)) 31/10/2016

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Reg. Requirement Due Date

(2005) The registered person shall not use premises for the purposes of the agency unless the premises are suitable for the purpose of achieving the aims and objectives set out in the statement of purpose. (Regulation 23(1)) 31/10/2016

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Reg. Requirement Due Date

(2005) The registered person shall ensure that all persons employed by the agency receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal. (Regulation 20(2)(a)) 31/10/2016

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Reg. Requirement Due Date

(2005) The registered person shall ensure that a person is fit to work for the purposes of an agency by ensuring that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to him in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 2. (Regulation 19(2)(d)) 31/10/2016

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Reg. Requirement Due Date

(2005) The registered person shall maintain and keep up to date the records specified in Schedule 3 and shall retain them for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 22(1)(2)) 31/10/2016

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Reg. Requirement Due Date

(2005) The registered person and the responsible individual (if any) shall, having regard to the size of the agency, the statement of purpose and the number and needs of those receiving adoption support services from the agency, carry on or manage the agency with sufficient care, competence and skill. (Regulation 10(1)) 31/10/2016 (2000) The registered person must display a certificate of registration, as it is an offence not to do so. (Section 28 CSA2000) 31/10/2016

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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 there is a system for keeping records of all complaints made and for handling these confidentially and securely. (National minimum standard 27.5)  Ensure that appointees to the post of manager who have no management qualifications enrol on a management training course within six months and obtain a relevant management qualification within three years of appointment. (National minimum standard 19.4)  Ensure that the children's guide is appropriate to the child's age and understanding, includes a summary of what the service sets out to do for children and is given to all children and/or their representatives. (National minimum standard 18.6)  Ensure further the arrangements for monitoring the agency; with specific reference to embedding service users’ views fully into the arrangements for

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Recommendations

the development of the agency. (National minimum standard 25.2)

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users

The agency helps service users to understand and agree how the work will be carried out with them. It gives them space to determine how they will use the sessions available. The timing and location is within their control and helps them to influence how they receive their service, for example different geographical locations can be offered, appointments at different times of the day or meetings via on line communications when service users cannot attend in person. This helps them to plan individually what suits them and provides the best chance to gain engagement and attendance.

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users

Children and young people are helped via a range of interventions such as life-story work or play therapy to begin to understand their feelings and emotions. Parents can attend sessions with their children if young people request this. Play therapy sessions work with the whole family. Children and young people are helped to regulate their feelings and cooperate and engage better with adults. The focus on helping children and their families to understand their past and deal with loss helps to build attachments and resilience. One service user said, ‘They helped me to cope with the reality of this. They were magnificent. They also supported my husband; they were actually helping the whole family.’ There are many examples of where interventions have helped attachments within families and prevented families from breaking down.

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users

Skilled work also takes place with adult service users following initial assessment and careful planning. Adults spoken to said that they felt the service had helped them to come to terms with the situations that they faced and helped them to move on and manage or understand their feelings. One person using the service said, ‘I’ve found the specialist service an essential part of my support to survive and recover hope.’ Another said, ‘They have been super helpful. That session is a golden moment.’

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Quality of service provision

As soon as referrals reach the agency, the service is prompt and welcoming. Service users, commissioners and social workers have all stated how professional and experienced the service is. For example, one service user said, ‘The referral was just in time, My family was just about to fall apart. They were so experienced, they have seen this work from all angles. You can’t improve on experience like that.’

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Quality of service provision

Clear plans and objectives set out the work with services users and the commissioning authority while maintaining good confidentiality. The service is inclusive and flexible. For example, it has several counselling rooms, some accessible by wheelchair, and offers appointments at different times of the day or in service users’ homes. Feedback is given to commissioning agencies without breaching confidentiality and clearly written reports are concluded in a timely way, when relevant. Staff qualifications confirm well-qualified workers, trained and experienced in adoption matters and who have a good understanding of the issues involved. The service that they provide is making a difference to lives and helping people to understand, even when the reality is not what they wanted or expected. For example, one service user said, ‘They saw what would be the likely path and prepared me, which helped me to cope.’

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Quality of service provision

The agency engages and includes children and young people appropriately. It is children’s choice if they want to have someone else with them during sessions. Any special needs are taken into account in the planning of sessions and the materials used. An advocate is always considered when children and young people have special or complex needs. Different techniques to support young people are employed effectively. For example, workers will seek out the best tools for each individual and use whatever engages young people most. The agency has continued good professional networks with referring agencies and works closely with them during the referral process. This helps them to understand what is required and what the expected outcomes are. A social worker said, ‘They are knowledgeable and effective in their work. We find their service to be good, and they are happy to liaise with us and do this effectively.’

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families

The agency has policy and procedures relating to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. The designated officer of the host borough informs these and the Local Children’s Safeguarding Board has a copy. The agency understands child protection in respect of allegations and reporting safeguarding issues. Although I was only able to speak with one associate, these policies are accessible for all staff. These procedures still do not include details advising interested parties how to contact the regulator or the respective local authorities that the agency works with, in the event they have concerns about children or vulnerable adults. The policy also fails to advise how to make referrals directly to the local authority designated officer if there are concerns about any person working with a child. It is not clear whether associates understand or have this information, therefore it remains unclear when

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families

and how any concerns would be reported. Although the agency states that associates are up to date with safeguarding training, there is no record of them receiving this through the agency. These shortfalls have not had an adverse impact on a child, young person or vulnerable adult. The arrangements for recruitment of staff are not as robust as they should be. All staff have disclosure and barring service checks carried out, and some employment checks. Two references are taken up but are not verified by the manager. Evidence of identity and applicant’s qualifications are not available on personnel files. All current staff are registered with their relevant professional bodies, which requires them to evidence suitability for registration. Therefore, the impact on service users is minimal. Despite this, the agency does have a duty to ensure all checks, as set out in the regulations, for any one carrying out the work of the agency. There is also a

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families

requirement to ensure recording of such information and retaining this for a specified period. These regulations ensure that anyone working for the agency is suitable to carry out the work required. Associates gain supervision from their respective professional bodies, but they do not receive this from the agency. It is, therefore, difficult to establish what oversight the manager has of the work that they are undertaking on behalf of the agency. There is a detailed complaints policy, and how to complain is included within the children’s guide. The complaints policy does not advise service users what to do if they are not happy with the outcome of the complaint and whether the agency would refer the complaint to an outside independent investigator or advocate, in this scenario. Therapy takes place on various sites. Mainly children are seen in their own homes with their parents. When service users attend therapy sessions in associates’ homes,

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families

there is no risk assessment of the venues’ suitability. The registered manager has a responsibility for ensuring the health and safety of any service users using the service. Case records show a deep and insightful knowledge of the impact of children’s past traumas and experiences on their behaviour. Parents are helped to understand how these experiences can manifest in their children’s presenting behaviours. They learn how to be the best parents that they can be. One parent said, ‘We have been given a new game plan. Instead of being reactive, we are helped to be thoughtful and proactive.’ No safeguarding concerns have been raised since the last inspection. The responsible individual and the registered manager have a good understanding of the processes. The agency has developed a relationship with the designated person in the host authority and good partnership working with various other authorities.

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families

These relationships are open and transparent.

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Leadership and management

The agency is operating as a consortium of workers under the umbrella of an adoption support agency, rather than leaders and managers taking any steer or close monitoring role. Reviews of the service delivery are therefore limited and do not give insight into whether the agency is meeting national minimum standards or not. The leaders and managers know the strengths of the agency, but the weaknesses are not effectively analysed to improve service provision. For example, service user feedback about consulting rooms and materials used has not resulted in any changes to these facilities. Despite their experience the registered manager does not hold the recognised management qualification. The service development plan, completed after the last inspection, has not been updated or revised. This does not show the basic details of who is using the services, or staff training and development. There are some feedback and views gathered.

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Leadership and management

However, these do not inform the development of plans for service provision. The manager’s six-monthly monitoring and reporting is limited and does not give any indication of overall progress or audit of the work of the agency. Views expressed by service users or commissioning agencies do not inform or affect service provision. Although some progress has been made not all of the requirements and recommendations from the last inspection are met,. The statement of purpose is informative, but does not have the qualifications of the workers in the agency. The statement of purpose is not on the agency website and service users spoken to were unaware of it, although they did feel that they had enough information from other sources. The children’s guide information includes how to contact advocates and Ofsted. However, it is in a format more accessible to young children and children with communication or learning disabilities.

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Leadership and management

The agency uses two associates for the purposes of its work. They have regular outside supervision as psychotherapists. They do not receive regular supervision or appraisal from the agency. The associates attend four-monthly meetings, but there is no recording of this for the purpose of group supervision. The registered manager therefore has limited oversight of all casework. Appraisals and staff development were included in the agency development plan, but have not been completed or updated. This does not allow the registered manager to ensure that poor practice is addressed, strengths are built on or staff development progressed. The agency shows a strong commitment to providing therapeutic support to the children, young people and adults using the service. This is the agencies priority. There is effective, well-planned work which improves the lives of those using it. Records seen are clear and up to date. They give a good indication of the direction of

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Leadership and management

work and desired outcomes. Records stored in the associates’ homes were not seen, although the registered manager recognises the need for secure and confidential storage. Each associate has signed a contract with the agency. This covers insurance, supervision and professional development. Although the associates are highly experienced and the impact of limited oversight is minimal, it is the agency’s responsibility to ensure good practice and overview in all these areas to comply with regulation. The agency has decided, as a result of these responsibilities being raised, that it no longer intends to use associates in the future. The responsible individual and the registered manager have had theraplay training and keep abreast of current thinking in adoption. The agency is a member of the consortium of adoption support agencies. Such training and professional membership enable the agency to keep in touch with the overall agenda for adoption services and

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Leadership and management

to inform their practice through research.

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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 adoption support agencies.

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