Tavistock Relationships

Inspection report for adoption support agency: Tavistock Relationships Tavistock Relationships The Tavistock Institute of Medical Psychology

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this adoption support agency

Tavistock Relationships is part of the Tavistock Institute of Medical Psychology. The agency is a voluntary organisation which received direct funding from the Department for Education to undertake an innovative programme of work that included the development of a new post-adoption service for couples.

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Overall experience and progress of

service users, taking into account: good

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Overall experience and progress of

How well children, young people and adults are helped and protected good

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Overall experience and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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Overall experience and progress of

The adoption support agency provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Overall experience and progress of

Date of last inspection: 13 September 2016

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Overall experience and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Overall experience and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for adoption support agency: Tavistock Relationships

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Overall experiences and progress of service users: good

This agency was registered with the purpose of providing therapy groups and therapy sessions to adoptive parents. The Department for Education provided time- limited funding to meet specific objectives. These objectives have been met to a high standard over the past four years.

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Overall experiences and progress of service users: good

The agency’s funding has now ended. The agency has continued to offer some services to a small number of adoptive couples. The number of adoptive couples that the agency is working with has reduced from 33 to just two over the past two years. Despite best efforts, there is no ongoing funding stream to continue this service. Therefore, the agency proposes to deregister with the hope that, if further funding becomes available, it can re-register in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of service users: good

Adoptive couples receive clear information about the agency and an individual assessment of their needs. These assessments are undertaken by highly qualified and professional staff who know their service well. The staff provide a good experience for couples in therapy and indirectly support their adopted children.

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Overall experiences and progress of service users: good

Independent evaluation of the agency’s data indicates positive outcomes. Improvements were reported in parents’ ability to manage psychological distress, the quality of parents’ relationships and significant improvements in parents’ perceptions of their children’s problems with adjustment.

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Overall experiences and progress of service users: good

Recent surveys conducted by the agency indicated a high satisfaction rate by service users and their wish to continue to receive services. The only issues raised by service users concerned the discontinuation of this agency and subsequently of the services that they value.

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Overall experiences and progress of service users: good

Through the project, the agency has provided a wide range of professionals with training. This training has raised awareness of the impact of the couple’s relationships within adoption placements. The agency is well known and has positive working relationships with local authorities and other professional agencies.

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good

Risks are evaluated at the beginning of any work with couples. Assessors meet with couples both individually and together, and complete two questionnaires, the clinical outcomes in routine evaluation and the couple’s satisfaction index. Any risks that emerge at this, or any other, stage of the work are considered and discussed to ensure everyone’s safety. Inspection report for adoption support agency: Tavistock Relationships Staff receive safeguarding training, and the agency has key policies in place to give staff guidance on the process of referrals to outside agencies if needed. There is a designated safeguard lead within the agency, and the safeguarding policy and staff training have been recently updated.

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good

The agency provides a safe space for couples to think about their relationships and the impact that the adoption task has had on them. There are clear expectations and boundaries set at the start of therapy. Couples are told that abuse will not be tolerated and that if disclosures are made which impact on the safety of others these will be reported to the appropriate authorities.

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good

Work with couples focuses on their joint responses to their children, their parenting approaches and how these can be changed and improved for the benefit of their families.

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good

This agency does not work directly with children. However, if staff come across situations in which they hear about risks to children, they support parents with strategies or refer to the appropriate agency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency is managed by an effective registered manager who knows the service well. She has considerable experience in adoption and adoption support as well as other areas of children’s services and safeguarding. She has also established a good network of professionals within the wider adoption community. The registered manager is closely supported in her role by the responsible individual.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers support children and young people by supporting adoptive parents to resolve issues within their couple relationship. Case records showed progress for couples in their relationships and improvements in their support and interactions with their children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have obtained professional qualifications in their respective field and are registered with relevant professional organisations. Therapists have fortnightly group supervisions as well as their own practice-based clinical supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency is a learning environment in which research and evaluation are regularly shared. Many therapists are working in other complementary fields of practice involving children and adults in adoption. Their supervision group provides excellent opportunities to share knowledge and ideas.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers understand the strengths and shortfalls of this agency. They have worked very hard to tailor the programme to meet the needs of the couples who have used it. Leaders and managers have learned from service user feedback and changes have been made to the process. Similarly, leaders and managers have acted on the one requirement and one recommendation made at the last full Inspection report for adoption support agency: Tavistock Relationships inspection to improve the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and manages actively promote tolerance, equality and diversity. This is reflected through case records, staff supervision notes and employment files. The agency has been awarded a ‘Disability confident committed’ certificate and it offers accessible services to all that require them, where possible.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The agency is working to its statement of purpose, which was revised earlier this year. The agency is thinking about how it will close its adoption support service operation and registration over the coming months to minimise impact on existing service users.

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Information about this inspection

During this inspection, inspectors looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, young people and adults. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children, young people and adults. They watched how professional staff work with children, young people, adults and each other and discussed the effectiveness of the help provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people, adults and their families. In addition, inspectors have tried to understand what the adoption support agency knows about how well it is performing and what difference it is making for the children, young people and adults whom it is trying to help.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, to assess the effectiveness of the adoption support agency, how it meets the core functions as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Adoption Support Agencies (England) and Adoption Agencies (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2005 and the national minimum standards. Inspection report for adoption support agency: Tavistock Relationships

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Adoption support agency details

Registered provider: The Tavistock Institute of Medical Psychology

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Adoption support agency details

Registered provider address: Hallam House, 56–60 Hallam Street, London W1W 6JL

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Adoption support agency details

Responsible individual: Mr Andrew Balfour

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Adoption support agency details

Email address: honor.rhodes@tavistockrelationships.org

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Inspector

Christine Kennet, social care inspector Inspection report for adoption support agency: Tavistock Relationships 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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