OneOneCoCo

Inspection report for residential family centre: OneOneCoCo 1 OneOneCoCo Oasis Places Limited 46 Britannia Road, Ilford, Essex IG1 2EQ Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

The service is run by a privately owned company which specialises in providing independent assessments of parenting capacity and risk assessment support. The centre is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two families.

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Information about this residential family centre

Families also have access to additional support from a health visitor, a family therapist and a psychologist. Alongside residential family assessments, the organisation offers day assessments, community-based assessments and semi- independent family and outreach support.

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Information about this residential family centre

This centre was registered with Ofsted in October 2012. The registered manager post has recently become vacant.

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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 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: 13 December 2016

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for residential family centre: OneOneCoCo 2

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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 Use of surveillance

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Statutory requirements

The registered person must ensure that any use of devices is subject to the following conditions: its use is no more intrusive than necessary. (Regulation 21A (2)(a)) 01/09/2019

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Recommendations

 Improve the policy on the use of surveillance in parenting assessments. (NMS 10.1) In particular, the policy should reference the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) surveillance camera code of practice.

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Recommendations

 Ensure there are good quality learning and development opportunities, these may include induction training. (NMS 16.2) In particular, ensure that the staff induction is signed off and it includes the relevant regulations and national minimum standards.

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Recommendations

 Ensure the registered person works with the responsible authority to share information held in the centre’s records about the parent or child. (NMS 20.1) Inspection report for residential family centre: OneOneCoCo 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The centre’s effective assessment process provides parents with the opportunity to maximise their potential. Final reports are concise and are underpinned by relevant theories. They contain detailed recommendations and focus on parenting strengths, their capacity to change and areas for further development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The individual and diverse needs of each family member are identified, and additional resources are provided to ensure that they receive an appropriate assessment. Staff work creatively with parents who have learning disabilities and a variety of cultural and linguistic needs. Assessments are adapted for communication and learning preferences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Assessment methods include the use of a specialist software programme for parents with a learning disability. The organisation’s ‘Nurturing Parenting Programme’ promotes healthy attachments between parents and their children. Families also benefit from reflective individual sessions, group workshops and sessions at the local children’s centre, library and community groups.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents influence their assessment and they receive regular feedback in the format of their choice. House meetings provide an opportunity for parents to meet and discuss any issues and life at the centre. Parents also use the complaints procedure to formally raise concerns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents learn essential life skills, such as budgeting and cooking. Parents also receive help to develop as a person by conquering their fears and phobias, and by improving their literacy skills. They can also access online courses and employability support to enhance their future job prospects.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Leaders and managers understand the stressful nature of parenting assessments and they offer baby-sitting and free fun activities to combat this. Within the home, families enjoy arts and crafts sessions and they have a takeaway every Friday. Families also enjoy trips to the park, farms, pottery workshops and going out for meals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Families receive support from staff to lead healthy lifestyles. A popular initiative is ‘healthy Wednesdays’ where families are given a budget to prepare a nutritious group meal. Families are also able to attend a local health club, where popular activities include swimming with their children.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The centre succeeds in its aim of securing the well-being and safety of children. Staff are trained in a programme which focuses on the impact of domestic violence. This programme helps parents to understand how domestic violence affects their Inspection report for residential family centre: OneOneCoCo 4 children and themselves.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The staff team works diligently with parents to help them to keep their children safe. There have been no allegations made against staff or others since the last inspection. Staff benefit from a wide range of safeguarding training and they appropriately notify Ofsted and other professionals of significant events.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Parents can obtain qualifications related to health and safety, such as first aid and food hygiene certificates. They also learn how to problem-solve, manage stress and develop coping strategies. A parent stated, ‘I do not know where I would be without them. This is the first time I can say I am proud of myself.’

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

All families are promptly registered with local primary care services and the centre has good links with health visiting and mental health professionals. Parents receive support regarding their sexual health and any substance misuse issues. They can also receive counselling support from the organisational psychologists.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff use closed circuit television to observe parents. The surveillance methods are accepted by parents. However, some parents find this intrusive. Staff are extremely vigilant in their efforts to protect children. In one case, a camera was directed at the parental bed. Although this decision was made in partnership with the placing authority, it had an impact on the parents’ intimacy and privacy.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

As part of the assessment process, parents sign their consent to the use of surveillance systems. However, the surveillance policy does not include the closed circuit television code of good practice. Best practice guidance also highlights that it is not acceptable to operate surveillance devices on a ‘just in case’ basis.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

There are good health and safety arrangements in place, which ensure that families live in a safe environment. The risk management system ensures that hazards and concerns are regularly reviewed. Families are supported by a suitably vetted staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are ambitious for families. The responsible individual stated ‘we want the best for them’. The service is continually evolving to meet families’ needs; an example of this is the ‘step-down’ service, which offers semi-independent accommodation to families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Until recently, the responsible individual was also the registered manager. The new manager is an experienced registered manager from another centre within the organisation. This individual is a qualified social worker and has spent the last six years working for the company.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children and their parents receive assistance from a culturally diverse staff team. Its members’ qualifications include social work, mental health and clinical psychology. Inspection report for residential family centre: OneOneCoCo 5 There are plans in place to ensure that all staff have the required vocational training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff appreciate being able to discuss their feelings during reflective supervision with a psychologist. Leaders and managers aim to have a staff team whose members are encouraging, are non-judgemental and who want the best for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff skills are enhanced by a range of training opportunities. New staff confirmed that they completed an adequate induction; however, not all inductions were signed off. Inductions did not always refer to the relevant regulations and national minimum standards.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Strong partnership arrangements focus on meeting the wide-ranging needs of families. Generally, local authorities report that there is a good communication system. The only issue related to a parent’s social worker highlighting that important information was not always promptly shared with them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The requirement and recommendations from the last inspection have been addressed. This has resulted in improved staff supervision, staff appraisal and quality assurance process. Feedback from local authorities, parents and staff has contributed positively to the development of the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The centre benefits from constructive monthly monitoring visits from an independent person. Leaders and managers are aware of the centre’s strengths and areas for development. There are realistic plans for the future and a desire to provide an outstanding service to families.

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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: OneOneCoCo 6

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Oasis Places Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: 7 Clements Court, Clements Lane, Ilford, Essex IG1 2QY

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Inspector

Sharon Payne, social care inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: OneOneCoCo 7 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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