Resolve Care

Inspection report for residential family centre: Resolve Care 1 Resolve Care Resolve Care Limited 13 Coventry Road, Ilford, Essex IG1 4QR Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

Resolve Care Ltd is a privately owned residential family centre registered to accommodate nine families. The centre is able to provide community, semi- independent and residential assessments for families where there are risk-related concerns.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and parents, taking into account good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and parents are helped and protected good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The residential family centre provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of previous inspection: 30 June 2015

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report for residential family centre: Resolve Care 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This residential family centre is good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff successfully work with parents, enabling the vast majority of them to leave with their children.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Parents are happy here. Staff know each family well and actively promote their welfare.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Children and parents engage in a range of social, educational and recreational activities within the centre and in the local community.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff help parents develop a positive identity. Parents explore their feelings, which enhances their self-esteem.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Parents are able to enhance their independent living skills through cooking sessions, budgeting and debt management advice.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff assist with benefit advice, applying for healthy start vouchers and the purchasing of a buggy and household equipment.

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Key findings from this inspection

 There is a good understanding of equality and diversity. Staff respond effectively to age, disability, ethnicity, faith, core beliefs and language needs.

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Key findings from this inspection

 A strength of the centre is its transition service. This provides supportive accommodation in the adjoining property.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Parents receive support to be charitable, be aspirational and continue with their education. They have access to online courses.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Children and parents benefit from effective safeguarding arrangements. There are good links with the local safeguarding personnel and the neighbourhood police.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Leaders and managers are highly experienced and they have the capacity to take forward the required improvements.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Families benefit from a competent and culturally diverse staff team, which feels valued.

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Key findings from this inspection

The residential family centre’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Leaders and managers do not request feedback from parents, children (when of appropriate age) or professionals following the completion of each assessment.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff do not record information relating to each family in a consistent manner. Inspection report for residential family centre: Resolve Care 3  There is no management oversight of the record-keeping and other records kept by the centre.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The quality assurance system does not fully meet the regulatory standards. Quality of care reviews have not been undertaken.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Some parents have mental health needs. Staff have not received training that specifically covers mental health.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Not all staff have had the benefit of regular formal individual supervision and performance appraisals. Inspection report for residential family centre: Resolve Care 4

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Residential Family Centre Regulations 2002 and the national minimum standards. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Statutory requirements

Requirement Due date The registered person shall ensure that all persons employed receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal. (Regulation 17 (5)) The training refers to increasing knowledge of working with parents who have mental health needs. 01/01/2018

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Statutory requirements

The registered person shall establish and maintain a system for– reviewing at appropriate intervals: and improving,

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Statutory requirements

the quality of care provided at the residential family centre. (Regulation 23 (1) (a) (b)) 01/01/2018

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Recommendations

 The registered person should seek feedback following a placement from parents, children (when of appropriate age) and professionals as part of the quality assurance process. (NMS 1.15)

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Recommendations

 The manager regularly monitors, in line with the Residential Family Centre Regulations 2002 as amended, all records kept by the centre. (NMS 19.1)

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Recommendations

 The centre implements an effective policy that clarifies the purpose, format and content of information to be kept on the parents’ and children’s files. (NMS 20.1) Inspection report for residential family centre: Resolve Care 5

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents say that they are ‘happy here’. A parent describes their experience as ‘phenomenal’, and that they are grateful for ‘getting a second chance’. A care professional stated, ‘I feel that the model of working with clients is supportive and promotes the building of confidence and self-esteem.’ The centre successfully works with parents, enabling the vast majority of them to leave with their children. Of the nine assessments completed during the past year, eight resulted in families returning home together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Assessments appropriately focus on children’s needs, each parent’s strengths and their capacity to change. Recommendations comprehensively highlight the range of support required if children are to remain with their parents. Parents are involved throughout the assessment process and are aware of their areas for further development. However, following each assessment staff do not routinely obtain feedback from involved professionals. This would contribute to improving the service.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Children and parents build trusting and secure relationships with staff. An example of this is a parent feeling able to disclose issues regarding her partner. Parents positively highlight the fact that staff ‘listen’. Staff know each family well and actively promote their welfare. Staff sensitively work with parents, providing them with individualised support suitable to their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents learn to take responsibility for their lives, devising their weekly planners with staff. Their routines include daily child-focused activities and, during the week, parenting capacity assessment sessions. Parents engage in a range of social, educational and recreational activities within the centre and in the local community. An example is attending the nearby children’s centre. A parent highlighted that they have ‘learned a lot’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents benefit from individualised key-work sessions. They learn the importance of routine, nutrition, emotional warmth, playful stimulation and basic childcare and development. Parents are able to take baby massage courses. A social worker highlighted that ‘key workers are skilled and balanced in the way they work with families’. Staff help parents develop a positive identity. Parents benefit from exploring their feelings about themselves, which enhances their self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

There is a good understanding of equality and diversity. Children and parents are treated with dignity and respect. They benefit from a service that is sensitive to their age, disability, ethnicity, faith, core beliefs and language needs. Families receive support to celebrate religious festivals, such as Eid. A parent highlighted that staff helped with finding a church, enabling her to baptise her child. Staff use Inspection report for residential family centre: Resolve Care 6 interpreters where needed. Parents can also benefit from a key worker who shares the same language. Staff have also assisted a parent with enrolling on an English as a second language course.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Children and parents benefit from good health arrangements. They have access to local health services and promptly register at the nearby medical centre. Children and parents have regular visits from the health visitor and receive Healthy Start vouchers. Where parents have substance misuse problems, staff are able to make referrals to a local drug and alcohol programme. Parents receive encouragement to exercise with their children. Popular pastimes are going to the park and swimming.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Children and parents who are new to the centre are made to feel welcome. A parent proudly stated that staff had bought them a buggy and provided them with cooking utensils. Where possible, families, children and parents leave the centre in a positive manner. A strength of the centre is its transition service. This provides supportive accommodation and enables parents and their children to stay on if they have not found suitable housing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents are able to enhance their independent living skills through cooking sessions, budgeting and debt management. They receive assistance to access useful resources within the community, an example being the Citizen’s Advice service. They also receive help to extend their network of support. Parents receive encouragement to express their compassionate side. An example is baking to raise funds for a charity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents receive support to be aspirational and continue with their education. They have access to online courses and those within the community, such as a parent completing a food hygiene course to pursue a catering career. A parent highlighted that their time at the centre ‘has enriched me’ and ‘made me a better person’.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Children and parents benefit from effective safeguarding arrangements. A professional highlights that ‘children are safe’. The strong links with the local authority safeguarding board ensure that staff benefit from regular training. This enables them to actively respond to concerns related to risk or harm.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Parents know how to complain. Their complaints are treated seriously and are responded to promptly. They also benefit from regular house meetings where they can collectively discuss issues. Staff efficiently resolve any conflicts between families.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Parents are aware of the rules and expectations regarding their behaviour. Staff promote positive behaviour effectively. The registered manager prides himself on his approachability and being available to parents. Inspection report for residential family centre: Resolve Care 7 Each family has a risk assessment that identifies their specific vulnerabilities. Parents receive help to keep themselves and their children safe. They learn the importance of healthy relationships. Staff also make referrals to a specialist domestic violence programme to assist those in need of specialist support. The good working relationship with the neighbourhood police additionally assists with supporting and protecting children and parents.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff working within the centre know and follow procedures for responding to concerns about the safety of a child or parent. Leaders and managers appropriately notify all parties of significant events relating to the protection of children and parents. There are no current issues with parents going missing, being exploited, self-harming, bullying or being at risk of radicalisation.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Parents and children are protected by the organisation’s recruitment system. Leaders and managers do not employ new staff unless all the necessary checks have been received. This helps to prevent unsuitable persons from working at the centre.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The environment is well maintained, physically safe and has appropriate security. Engineers regularly check the fire safety, gas and electrical supplies to ensure that the centre meets health and safety requirements. The employment of a cleaner ensures that the cleanliness of the centre is of a high standard.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The physical environment for children and parents is safe and secure and protects them from the risk of harm. Risk assessments for the physical environment are regularly reviewed and updated. The centre is well-maintained and has up-to-date health and safety certificates. There is guidance regarding the use of closed circuit television. This monitoring aims to safeguard and minimise risks to children.

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good

Organisational changes have had an impact on the leadership and management of the centre. The main factors are an increase in the number of families, the deputy manager vacancy and the introduction of a computerised recording system. Leaders and managers are strongly aware of the shortfalls. These have not had a negative impact on the overall quality of care. Leaders and managers are highly experienced and have the capacity to take forward the required improvements. The service development plan appropriately highlights their vision and future ambitions.

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good

Leaders and managers have introduced an electronic recording system. However, staff do not record information relating to each family in a consistent manner. Several staff highlight having insufficient time to keep records up to date. The registered manager hopes that having dedicated hours to maintain records will address this concern. Staff also highlight the issue of duplication and the fact that Inspection report for residential family centre: Resolve Care 8 there is not a standardised recording system. Several care professionals also highlighted that there is an issue with communication. This is linked to the inconsistent recording system. There is no management oversight of the record- keeping. This results in a lack of direction concerning the required expectations.

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good

The quality assurance system does not fully meet the regulatory standards. Quality of care reviews have not been undertaken. Leaders and managers are aware of this issue and there are plans to complete this evaluation. The registered manager does not regularly monitor all records kept by the centre. There is adequate oversight from the responsible individual who undertakes monthly monitoring visits. These visits assist with ensuring that intervention has a positive impact on families’ lives.

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good

The deputy manager vacancy has resulted in a significant gap in the management structure. Not all staff have had the benefit of regular formal individual supervision. In addition, staff appraisals have not been undertaken. This has not affected staff morale as they benefit from informal guidance and team meetings. Staff feel valued and they pride themselves on their effective team working. Senior staff lead on specific areas of responsibility and they are able to make suggestions and use their initiative.

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good

The centre has grown steadily and this has coincided with an increase in the number of parents who have mental health needs. Although staff benefit from regular training, they have not received training that specifically covers mental health. This training will increase their knowledge, provide greater insight and further improve their ways of working.

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good

Leaders and managers have endeavoured to address most of the recommendations from the last inspection. The organisation had employed a psychotherapist to assist with the reflective supervision of staff. However, this person is no longer available.

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good

Assessments are improving and they now provide clear recommendations to inform future planning. Staff have received assessment training and this training is ongoing to ensure that they have the necessary skills. The centre uses a team of independent social workers who work regularly with the service and undertake their assessments. This works for the organisation, but several professionals were critical of this arrangement. A social worker stated that it ‘would benefit families more if the assessor were to be on shift on site’.

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good

The registered manager is suitably experienced and qualified, having worked within social care for approximately 30 years. A parent describes him as ‘fantastic’. A professional stated that, ‘The management is very much on board with any recommendations and changes to the care planning and they alter their service accordingly.’

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good

Families benefit from a competent and culturally diverse staff team, which has a range of skills and experience from working in nurseries, youth services, education, Inspection report for residential family centre: Resolve Care 9 and drugs and alcohol services. Some staff members have also worked within other residential family centres. Leaders and managers encourage further education. Several senior staff members are undertaking a leadership and management qualification. A parent confirms that staff and the registered manager are ‘supportive’. Another parent added that staff are ‘really nice’.

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good

The premises consist of two adjoining properties. Families have their own rooms with en suite or private bathroom facilities. Families living in the main assessment side of the building share a kitchen/dining room, a television lounge with an array of toys and a spacious garden with a patio area. Photographs of families and the word ‘hello’ in an extensive range of languages contribute to the homely and welcoming atmosphere. Families living in the transition unit benefit from their own bedsitting accommodation with a self-contained kitchen.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and parents. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and parents. They watched how professional staff work with children and parents and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Residential Family Centre Regulations 2002 and the national minimum standards. Inspection report for residential family centre: Resolve Care 1

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Resolve Care Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: Northside House, Mount Pleasant, Barnet, Hertfordshire EN4 9EE

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Residential family centre details

Responsible individual: Stephanie Sollosi

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Inspector

Sharon Payne, social care inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Resolve Care 1 to 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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