Duckett Road RFC

Inspection report for residential family centre: Duckett Road RFC 1 Duckett Road RFC Twenty Four-Seven High Support Accommodation For Young People Limited 13 Duckett Road, London, Middlesex N4 1BJ Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre is a privately owned company, which specialises in providing independent parenting assessments and support. The centre provides care and support for up to five families. This is the centre’s first inspection following its registration with Ofsted in May 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and parents, taking into account requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and parents are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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Overall experiences and progress of

The residential family centre is not yet delivering good assessments, help and care for children and parents. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of previous inspection: This is the centre’s first inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: n/a

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection none Inspection report for residential family centre: Duckett Road RFC 2

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improvement to be good

There has been a high turnover of staff who work at the centre. This has had a detrimental effect on the stability of the staff team and, some staff said, on staff morale. Some parents spoke very positively about their relationships with staff, while other parents said negative things about some staff members.

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improvement to be good

Most families indicated that their arrival at the centre was made warm and welcoming by staff, while others felt differently. One parent said that they knew little about the centre before they arrived there and, even then, staff did not take the time to go through the welcome booklet with them. This document contains important information about the centre, and so it is essential that families understand it, particularly parents who may have difficulties with reading and writing.

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improvement to be good

The centre has very good links with healthcare professionals, such as health visitors and GPs. However, staff do not always complete children’s healthcare plans to ensure that action is taken to address any healthcare issues that children may have. In addition, staff’s management of medicine administration needs to be improved, as a recording error was identified during the inspection on one parent’s medication record.

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improvement to be good

Families know how to make complaints, but do not do so. The centre has received no complaints. Staff deal with problems that arise between families quickly and sensitively. Families receive guidance and support to help them manage difficult feelings and their own conflicts. Despite this, some parents said that they do not make complaints as they felt that staff would not take any action.

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improvement to be good

Staff encourage parents to live healthy lifestyles and learn new skills. They also encourage parents to do the same with their children. This includes helping parents to improve their basic care skills and provide their children with a healthy diet

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improvement to be good

The centre provides families with good support through a range of parenting sessions and programmes. These are tailored to meet the assessment needs of families.

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improvement to be good

Programmes explore concerns that the courts or placing authorities have about parents’ safe care of children. Staff make good use of community-based services to support their work with families. These include local children’s centres, drug and alcohol services and health and counselling resources.

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improvement to be good

Staff place the well-being of children and parents at the centre of all they do, and families said that they felt safe at the centre. Staff meet the day-to-day needs of Inspection report for residential family centre: Duckett Road RFC 3 families well, in often very creative ways. For example, parents who have difficulty reading can access important information through staff’s use of pictures.

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improvement to be good

Families who do not speak English as their first language are helped by staff to make good use of translation apps and interpreters to ensure that families understand what is happening.

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improvement to be good

Families benefit from staff completing good-quality parental assessments. These reports, along with the final assessment reports, are based on comprehensive, clear evidence and are analytical.

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improvement to be good

Assessments show that staff have a clear understanding of families’ case histories, and any risks. There is careful evaluation of parents’ ability to care for their children safely.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that assessments are compliant with local authority and court instructions. One local authority representative stated in one of the centre’s feedback forms, ‘Your assessments are very thorough, and I have seen first-hand how staff have worked well with my two clients and their newborn babies.’

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improvement to be good

Staff recruitment information is poor. Staff records are kept at the organisation’s head office and most were not made available to the inspector. As a result, it is not possible to confirm that staff are safely recruited or that all the required vetting information had been obtained prior to staff working at the centre.

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improvement to be good

Most families said that staff listen to them and take their views and opinions seriously. Staff provide families with regular opportunities to comment on what has been said about their progress. Staff encourage families to share their views in residents’ meetings. However, there are very few records to confirm that these meetings are being held regularly.

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improvement to be good

The centre’s use of CCTV in bedrooms is sometimes intrusive and does not promote privacy among parents. The centre’s surveillance policy needs to be amended to ensure that staff, parents and others have accurate information about the centre’s use of CCTV. Furthermore, staff have limited training in the use of CCTV at the centre. This is not in children’s and parents’ best interests.

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improvement to be good

The centre’s building is safe and secure. The centre’s staff protect children and their parents from harm, abuse and neglect and no referrals have been made to children’s services. Staff understand and act in accordance with the centre’s child and adult protection policies and procedures. This helps to keep families safe.

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improvement to be good

Staff complete safeguarding training, and the protection of children and their parents remains central to all staff’s work. There have been no instances of families going Inspection report for residential family centre: Duckett Road RFC 4 missing from the centre and no allegations have been made against staff.

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improvement to be good

Staff complete comprehensive risk assessments that include known and anticipated risks that may harm children or their parents. Risk assessments include strategies for staff that help reduce, or put an end to, behaviours that could cause harm. Parents receive help and support to manage their own behaviour and that of their children. Staff promote positive behaviour.

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff work in very close partnership with other professionals, especially those with a lead in safeguarding. Staff’s communication with placing authorities, the courts, guardians, health professionals and others is consistently good. This ensures that external agencies are kept well informed of families’ progress and that families receive the external support they require.

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improvement to be good

A child’s guardian told the inspector, ‘Staff’s communication with me is good. Updates are provided, and all staff are professional. They are insightful into the behaviour of families. Risk assessments are good also. Staff reinforce with families concerns professionals have and encourage parents to be reflective.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The effectiveness of the management and leadership of the residential family centre is poor. This is partly due to the high staff turnover since the centre opened. The home’s registered manager resigned a few days prior to this inspection. Other key staff have also recently handed in their resignations. Therefore, families have not had the benefit of a consistent, stable staff and management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The organisation of staff personnel information is of concern. Centre staff and senior leaders were unable to produce the majority of staff personnel files for the inspector to review. In addition, not all staff training information, and little in the way of staff supervision records, was available.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The absence of a stable management team has had a negative impact on how well managers review the quality of the service. While leaders said that they have ambitious plans and aspirations for the service, there is no written development plan to structure improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The quality of record-keeping is inconsistent. Although some file audits have taken place, this is not the case for all files. One family’s case file contained essential records that had not been dated or signed. In addition, the baby’s healthcare plan was blank, consent forms were missing and staff weekly reports had not been kept up to date.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff are passionate about their work at the centre and enjoy working with families. However, some staff said that the volume of their work is unrealistic and, at times, unmanageable. Inspection report for residential family centre: Duckett Road RFC 5 Currently the centre has one social worker who is experienced in writing final assessment reports. This social worker is due to leave the service shortly. This situation is untenable.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Just one member of the staff team has completed specialist parental assessment training. Furthermore, a family support worker has not been enrolled onto the required childcare training course, despite her being in post for over six months.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

In general, the provider provides staff with useful, relevant training and learning opportunities. Most of these are through e-learning and workshops run by centre staff and managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

One parent said of the centre, ‘It does work. I’m not the same person that I was when I first came here. I need to keep up the good work when I leave. I’ll have to take the staff out to dinner as a reward for working so hard with me. They even gave me a male worker; that made me feel special and provided me with a male outlook on life.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff said that they felt well supported by managers within the organisation. One staff member noted, ‘Supervision and support is good here. The best thing about my job? I love working with the families. It’s tough for them, but I like having jokes to lighten things and getting into mummy mode. I like doing what I do.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The centre is financially viable, and the provider has plans to expand post- assessment services to families. The statement of purpose and residents’ guide both contain good information about the centre.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The building is well maintained, well equipped and comfortable. There are no health and safety concerns or issues relating to families’ sharing of communal spaces and facilities. Inspection report for residential family centre: Duckett Road RFC 6

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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 the residential family centre is conducted so as to—

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Statutory requirements

promote and make proper provision for the health and welfare of residents. (Regulation 10(1)(a))

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Statutory requirements

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff devise healthcare plans for children. 01/07/2019

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Statutory requirements

The registered person shall make arrangements for the recording, handling, safe keeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the residential family centre. (Regulation 11(2)) 01/07/2019

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Statutory requirements

The registered provider shall appoint an individual to manage a residential family centre if—

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Statutory requirements

there is no registered manager in respect of the residential family centre. (Regulation 6(1)(a)) 01/08/2019

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Statutory requirements

Where the following conditions apply, the registered person may permit a person to start work at the residential family centre notwithstanding paragraph (4)(b)—

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Statutory requirements

the registered person has taken all reasonable steps to obtain full information in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 2 in respect of that person, but the enquiries in relation to any of the matters specified in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 2 are incomplete;

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Statutory requirements

full and satisfactory information in respect of that person has been obtained in relation to the matters specified in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 2. (Regulation 16(5)(a)(b)) 01/07/2019

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Statutory requirements

The registered person shall ensure that all persons employed by him— 01/07/2019 Inspection report for residential family centre: Duckett Road RFC 7 receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal; and are enabled from time to time to obtain further qualifications appropriate to the work they perform. (Regulation 17(a)(b)) The registered person shall make suitable arrangements to ensure that the residential family centre is conducted—

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Statutory requirements

in a manner which respects the privacy and dignity of residents. (Regulation 10(3)(a))

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Statutory requirements

In particular, the registered person must review the CCTV viewing options used in families’ bedrooms and revise the centre’s surveillance policy. 01/08/2019

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Statutory requirements

The registered person must ensure that staff at the residential family centre are appropriately trained and understand the requirements imposed by this regulation before they use any electronic monitoring devices. (Regulation 21 A(4)) 01/08/2019

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Recommendations

 Each centre has and implements a procedure for introducing families to the centre so that their move is managed with sensitivity and care. This includes arrangements for introductions to parents and children already living in the centre. (‘Residential Family Centres: National Minimum Standards’, 7.1) In particular, to ensure that staff provide all families new to the centre with the residents’ guide. Staff go through the guide with parents.  Parents are encouraged to communicate their views, wishes and feelings on all aspects of their placement, assessment and support. Staff take account of these views, wishes and feelings in the day to day running and development of the centre. (‘Residential Family Centres: National Minimum Standards’, 2.1) In particular, staff are to ensure that residents’ meetings are held regularly.  The overall number, competence and deployment of staff, both as a staff group

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Recommendations

and on individual shifts, can fulfil the centre’s statement of purpose and meet the individual needs of all the parents and children resident at the centre. (‘Residential Family Centres: National Minimum Standards’, 15.1)  The registered person has a written development plan, reviewed annually, for the future of the centre, either identifying any planned changes in the operation or resources of the service or confirming the continuation of the centre’s current operation and resource. The views of parents and children at the centre at the time of the annual review are sought and taken into account. (‘Residential Family Centres: National Minimum Standards’, 13.2)  Staff understand the nature of records maintained and follow the centre’s policy for the keeping and retention of files; managing confidential information, and access to files (including files removed from the premises). There is a system in

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Recommendations

Inspection report for residential family centre: Duckett Road RFC 8 place to monitor the quality and adequacy of record keeping and take action when needed. (‘Residential Family Centres: National Minimum Standards’, 20.2)

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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: Duckett Road RFC 9

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Twenty Four-Seven High Support Accommodation For Young People Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: Magic House, 5-11 Green Lanes, London N13 4TN

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Residential family centre details

Email address: sueyatkin@24sevensupport.co.uk

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Inspector

Sandra Jacobs-Walls, social care inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Duckett Road RFC 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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