Grosvenor House

Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Grosvenor House 1 Grosvenor House 1 Grosvenor Road, Wallington, Surrey SM6 0EG Monitoring visit

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre is privately owned. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for five families. Families benefit from having their own rooms in a large residential property.

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre was registered with Ofsted in January 2020. The registered manager was registered with Ofsted at the same time. The registered manager left in May 2020.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted was initially informed by a local authority that the registered manager had left their employment with the centre. Ofsted also received two complaints, which highlighted concerns that poor leadership and management at the centre were putting families at risk of harm. The concerns related to safeguarding, staff competence, the use of agency staff, the deputy management arrangements, the lack of staff induction and supervision and the management of incidents and complaints.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken by two inspectors, with one on site and the other undertaking telephone interviews off site. Prior to the visit, the provider was asked to forward relevant documentation to Ofsted. The documents requested included the statement of purpose, residents’ guide, staffing rota and family placement plans. The complaints record, incident record and register of families were also requested; however, the provider failed to produce these. During the on-site visit, an inspector held individual interviews with four of the five families currently placed at the centre. The inspector also examined staff recruitment records, the staff training matrix, staff induction and supervision records, the Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Grosvenor House 2 accident record, letters of instruction, family placement plans, midway reports, family weekly planners and resource packs and assessed the work undertaken with

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This monitoring visit

Telephone interviews were held with the provider, two social workers whose job descriptions stated they were on the assessed and supported year in employment (AYSE) programme, two family assessment workers, the interim manager and the responsible individual.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager left the service in May 2020. The provider failed to inform Ofsted of this as required. The provider is also the deputy manager. During an interview, the provider stated to the inspector, ‘Tell me what to do,’ and demonstrated a lack of knowledge and understanding of running a residential family centre.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager abruptly leaving the setting has had a detrimental impact. This has disrupted the assessment process, resulting in the drift and delay of placements.

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This monitoring visit

Children are not safeguarded at the centre. An incident occurred in which a baby had been left alone in their parent’s bedroom. The baby subsequently wriggled, leading to a blanket falling over the baby’s face for a number of minutes. The provider confirmed to the inspector that this incident had occurred. Ofsted was not informed of this incident as required. This incident occurred in an area covered by closed-circuit television. Despite this, the incident had not been noticed by staff or managers and therefore, the baby was exposed to the risk of significant harm.

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This monitoring visit

Parents have reported not feeling safe at the centre. They told the inspector that they attribute this to another parent regularly returning to the centre under the influence of alcohol.

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This monitoring visit

Due to a lack of trained staff, strand tests are not carried out in accordance with instructions. This means that parents who should be receiving regular testing regarding their alcohol consumption, have not always had these carried out as required. Staff can therefore not be assured that parents can safely care for their children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff demonstrated a poor level of child protection and safeguarding knowledge. During interview, staff stated that they were unaware of who the designated safeguarding lead is in the centre. Staff also noted that they do not know how to manage a child protection allegation, while other staff also displayed a lack of awareness regarding their child safeguarding responsibilities. Some staff said that they fear parents are manipulating inexperienced staff members, leading to the downplaying of safeguarding concerns. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Grosvenor House 3 The health and safety of families and staff are placed at risk. Staff said that regular fire drills are not held. In addition, not all accidents are recorded in the accident book. This includes unexplained scratches on a child.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are not provided with crucial training in a timely way. Staff only recently completed paediatric first aid training. It is of great concern that the centre had been accommodating families since March, with a large percentage of staff not having received paediatric first aid training. This inaction was a potential risk to children.

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This monitoring visit

Families are not protected from safe recruitment practices. Staff recruitment practices are unsafe. Shortfalls include staff references not being verified and some staff not having two references on file. In addition, gaps in staff employment histories are not explored or recorded, while the outcome of Disclosure and Barring Service checks is not consistently recorded.

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This monitoring visit

Social workers are newly qualified, and they are employed as AYSE social workers. They do not have the skills, experience or professional competence to undertake and write complex family assessments. One AYSE social worker had effectively been in day-to-day charge of the centre until approximately three weeks ago. They did not have the skills and/or experience to work in this role.

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This monitoring visit

Leadership and management of the centre are weak. An experienced interim manager is endeavouring to manage the centre, assess families and undertake specialist domestic violence work with families. However, this individual is working excessive hours, and her post is temporary. The interim manager stated that she is often hampered by the provider when she is trying to be an effective and efficient leader. Such concerns were also confirmed by the responsible individual.

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This monitoring visit

Management oversight of the centre is poor. The responsible individual acknowledged that a stable, experienced manager is urgently needed. The responsible individual stated that if a suitable person is not appointed they would resign.

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This monitoring visit

Several family assessment workers and the deputy manager/provider do not have relevant experience working with children. Some staff members do not have appropriate qualifications and have not been enrolled on the required courses. An example of this is social workers not being enrolled on the AYSE programme.

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This monitoring visit

The lack of experienced staff has had a negative impact as families have not received the level of monitoring and support that they need. Therefore, parents have missed important sessions that should be in place to address significant issues, including the impact of domestic violence. One parent stated that they have missed five weeks of their specialist domestic violence programme.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not receive an appropriate level of training and support for their roles. On starting work at the centre, staff do not receive a comprehensive induction. Not all Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Grosvenor House 4 staff receive regular one-to-one supervision. There are limited opportunities for staff to take part in reflective practice. As a result, they do not have the opportunities to develop important care skills that would help them to work more effectively with families.

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This monitoring visit

Staff undertaking assessments have not had appropriate training to enable them to write complex assessments and subsequently make recommendations to the instructing court. It is also a deficit that staff have had no training specific to their role, such as in relation to domestic abuse, disguised compliance or the effects of drug and alcohol misuse.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not always work well together and sometimes give families conflicting information. Families are not always given clear information about their progress.

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This monitoring visit

Staff fail to work effectively with parents who have a learning need. Despite a specialist assessment model being used, a parent stated they are finding their assessment ‘difficult’. A lack of clear leadership and management of their placement means that he parent and her partner did not know what action is needed to improve their parenting skills.

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This monitoring visit

Family placement plans do not fully address all aspects of the assessment process. There is no accountability, specific measurable outcomes or timescales for action. There is a lack of structured direction. Staff lack clarity in relation to the work they are meant to be undertaking with each family.

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This monitoring visit

The legally required records are not maintained by staff. The centre does not maintain a register of families in accordance with Schedule 4. Most concerningly, the centre does not keep a log of complaints or incidents.

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This monitoring visit

The statement of purpose does not include all the required information. In particular, it does not detail information about the current staff team members or their qualifications.

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This monitoring visit

Some parents said that they are happy at the centre. They noted that they participate in a range of activities and reported that they have found teaching sessions ‘helpful’.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of the significant concerns identified, Ofsted took urgent enforcement action and suspended the registration of the centre on 10 July. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Grosvenor House 5

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Statutory requirements

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

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Requirement Due date

Arrangements for the protection of children

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must have in place and implement procedures which are intended to safeguard children accommodated in the residential family centre from abuse or neglect. (Regulation 12 (1) (a)) 01/10/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that there is, having regard to— the statement of purpose of the residential family centre, its size and the numbers and needs of its residents; and the need to safeguard and promote the health and welfare of residents, a sufficient number of suitably qualified, competent and experienced persons working for the residential family centre. (Regulation 15 (a) (b)) 01/10/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the parents’ capacity to respond to the children’s needs and to safeguard their welfare is monitored or assessed by a suitably qualified person in accordance with the requirements of this regulation. (Regulation 13A (1)) 01/10/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that all persons employed by him— receive appropriate training and supervision. (Regulation 17 (5) (a)) 01/10/2020 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Grosvenor House 6 Fitness of workers

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall not— employ a person to work at the residential family centre unless that person is fit to work at a residential family centre; or allow a person to whom paragraph (2) applies, to work at the residential family centre unless that person is fit to work at a residential family centre. This paragraph applies to any person who is employed by a person other than the registered person in a position in which he may in the course of his duties have regular contact with residents. For the purposes of paragraph (1), a person is not fit to work at a residential family centre unless— (a) he is of integrity and good character; (b) he has the qualifications, skills and experience necessary for the work he is to perform; (c) he is physically and mentally fit for the work he is to perform; and (d) full and satisfactory information is available in relation to him in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule

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Requirement Due date

2. (Regulation) 16 (1) (2) (3)) 01/10/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall give notice in writing to the Commission as soon as it is practicable to do so if any of the following events takes place or is proposed to take place— a person other than the registered person carries on or manages the residential family centre; a person ceases to carry on or manage the residential family centre. (Regulation 28 (a) (b)) 01/10/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall after consultation with the fire authority— ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that the persons working at the residential family centre and, so far as practicable, residents, are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire, including the procedure for saving life. (Regulation 22 (1) (d)) 01/10/2020 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Grosvenor House 7 Records

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall maintain in respect of each family accommodated in the residential family centre a record which— includes the information, documents and other records specified in Schedule 3 relating to the members of the family. (Regulation 19 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this refers to the date and circumstances of any serious incident involving any member of the family and the details of any accident sustained by any member of the family while accommodated in the residential family centre. 01/10/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall also maintain the records specified in Schedule 4 in respect of the residential family centre. (Regulation 19 (3))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this refers to the family register and a record of all complaints. 01/10/2020

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Requirement Due date

If, in relation to a residential family centre, any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 takes place, the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table. (Regulation 26 (1)) 01/10/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall compile in relation to the residential family centre a written statement (in these Regulations referred to as “the statement of purpose”) which shall consist of a statement as to the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 4 (1)) 01/10/2020

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Requirement Due date

Complaints 01/10/2020 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Grosvenor House 8 The registered person must ensure that a written record is made of any complaint or representation, the action taken in response, and the outcome of the investigation. (Regulation 20 (6))

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Recommendations

 Ensure staff members left in charge of the centre have relevant experience of working with families and in residential care settings and have successfully completed their induction and probationary periods. (NMS 15.2)  Ensure staff are suitably trained and qualified to provide assessments. (NMS 1.10)  Ensure staff complete a written family placement plan, in consultation with the placing authority and agreed, so far as may be practicable, with the parent(s) and, if age appropriate, the child. The plan should specify the objectives and intended outcomes of the placement, details of training, assistance, assessment, supervision and protection to be provided at the centre, and how the child’s welfare will be promoted. (NMS 9.2)  The family placement plan should incorporate the requirements of any referring agency and, where applicable, the court, setting out how the level of supervision of the family and of parenting will change over time

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Recommendations

dependent on progress. (NMS 9.3)  The family placement plan should set out how the effectiveness of the placement is to be assessed in relation to each major element of the plan. (NMS 9.4)  Ensure there are good-quality learning and development opportunities which staff and volunteers are supported to undertake. These may include induction, post-qualifying and in-service training to enhance individual skills and to keep staff up to date with professional and legal developments. (NMS 16.2)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the residential family centre since its Ofsted registration.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Grosvenor House 9

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: A & S Holder Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: 1 Grosvenor Road, Wallington, Surrey SM6 0EG

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Inspectors

Juanita Mayers: Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Grosvenor House 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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