Tide House

Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Tide House 1 Tide House 21 High Street, Bideford, Devon EX39 2AA

p.1

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre is operated by a private provider. It was registered with Ofsted in October 2014 to provide accommodation for up to four families at any one time. At the time of this visit, four families were being assessed at the centre.

p.1

Information about this residential family centre

The service provides 24-hour evidence-based parenting assessments, in line with the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families. Assessment usually takes place over a six-week to 12-week period. The centre offers accommodation to one or more children and single or two-parent families.

p.1

Information about this residential family centre

The service is located within a town centre and therefore has good access to a range of local services and community facilities, such as nurseries, health centres and parks. Each family is accommodated in a fully self-contained flat on either the ground floor or first floor of the building.

p.1

Information about this residential family centre

The registered manager has been the manager of the centre since 2016.

p.1

Information about this residential family centre

Date of previous inspection: 17 September 2019

p.1

This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place due to the length of time since the previous inspection and following information from monitoring reports sent to Ofsted by the responsible individual.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The visit was conducted virtually, by a combination of telephone calls, video conversations, tours with parents and staff and scrutiny of photographs and documentation.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The impact on the centre of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has been Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Tide House 2 significant, due to the increased restrictions placed on community facilities and face- to-face contact. The pandemic has also affected the timescales of some assessments, due to self-isolation requirements. At times, there have been staff shortages due to these requirements and ill health. Managers have dealt with this well and have taken action to keep people as safe as possible in line with Public Health England advice.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Insufficient management arrangements have had a negative impact on the running of the centre. Several requirements and recommendations have been addressed but some are repeated.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Management oversight and quality assurance is lacking. Limited recorded management data and evaluation was available to the inspectors. Examples include: half of the expected timescales of assessments were extended but limited scrutiny of this delay had been completed; body-map records of marks and bruises to children do not contain enough detail and have not been properly reviewed; and health and safety systems, although improved, are not checked regularly by managers so that they know when issues are resolved.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The registered manager is the lead assessor and report writer and is, therefore, over-stretched in her capacity to manage the centre in addition to these tasks. The registered manager fully acknowledges this issue and welcomes the appointment of a new manager to enable her to focus on the lead assessor role, as is her preference. The responsible individual has already started the recruitment process for the role.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Managers have responded to the pandemic by carrying out assessments of parents who are assessed to present a lower direct risk to children. This means that staff spend less time in the accommodation and make more use of the surveillance system. However, on occasions, there are not enough staff on duty to comfortably monitor and assess families. Some families require a high level of monitoring and, although no children have come to harm, this is a potential safeguarding risk. Managers have recognised this concern and are in the process of appointing and inducting new staff.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Not all staff and managers receive adequate training and supervision for these specialist roles. Managers do receive external reflective supervision but do not have internal management supervision to assist them in running the centre. The regular case discussions and team meetings that were being held prior to the pandemic have reduced significantly. Virtual meetings to ensure these continue have generally not replaced these meetings.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The centre’s monitoring reports have not always included the visitor’s discussions with staff and parents. When feedback is available, recommendations to resolve any issues are not included in a plan to improve the centre.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Assessment reports sampled were analytical, concise and to a high standard. The Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Tide House 3 child’s experience is presented carefully and vividly. Reports contained clear and helpful recommendations to assist with children’s future decision-making and planning. Guardians spoken to praise the centre and the work carried out.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Parents commented to inspectors that staff are warm and welcoming. Parents are helped to understand the assessment process when they arrive at the centre. They report that they get regular verbal feedback to help improve their parenting and to inform them of how their assessment is progressing. One parent said, ‘I have learned a lot from this process,’ and another said, ‘I couldn’t really fault my key worker.’ Prior to the inspection, managers had identified that formal written weekly feedback needs to be timelier, so that families have more opportunity to digest information and add comments.

p.3

This monitoring visit

Placement plans are now better quality and handovers are now effective and thorough. However, the letter of instruction detailing what questions need to be answered on behalf of the assessment commissioner is rarely obtained at the outset of the assessment. Staff partly address this omission by helping parents to understand what the concerns are when the placement planning meeting is held. Three of the families in the centre had not received information about the centre beforehand. However, a family guide is on the organisation’s website and the manager normally contacts parents to reassure them and explain the process.

p.3

This monitoring visit

A staff file sampled indicated that a previous requirement about recruitment is now met. Fire drills now take place regularly and families are clear about what they need to do in an emergency.

p.3

This monitoring visit

The flats are well furnished and parents say that they have everything they need. However, the listed building’s windows need repairing as they create a lot of noise and the floorboards, in places, are creaky. Safe Wi-Fi facilities are provided but there is poor signal in two of the flats which affect mobile phone and Wi-Fi use. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Tide House 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The procedure under paragraph (1)(b) must in particular provide for— consideration to be given in each case to the measures which may be necessary to protect children in the residential family centre following an allegation of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 12 (2)(e)) In particular, ensure that body maps of marks to children include the necessary detail and review. 26 February 2021

p.4

Requirement Due date

Subject to regulation 4(6), the registered person shall provide facilities and services to residents in accordance with the statement of purpose. The registered person shall having regard to the size of the residential family centre and the number and needs of residents— provide telephone facilities which are suitable for the needs of residents, and make arrangements to enable residents to use such facilities in private. (Regulation 14 (2)(a)) In particular, review and where possible, improve the telephone and Wi-Fi service provided in two flats. 8 March 2021

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that there is, having regard to— 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(b)) In particular, ensure that there are sufficient numbers of staff on duty at all times. 15 February 2021

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that all persons employed by him— 29 March 2021 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Tide House 5 receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal. (Regulation 17 (5)(a))

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that— the premises to be used as the residential family centre are of sound construction and kept in a good state of repair externally and internally. (Regulation 21 (2)(b)) In particular, a ccelerate the process required to make the windows good , and examine floorboards and reduce the creakiness where possible. 29 March 2021

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person shall establish and maintain a system for— reviewing at appropriate intervals; and improving, the quality of care provided at the residential family centre. The system referred to in paragraph (1) must provide for adequate consideration of matters raised under regulation 18 by persons working at the residential family centre. The registered person shall supply to the Commission a report in respect of any review conducted by him for the purposes of paragraph (1), and make a copy of the report available to residents. The system referred to in paragraph (1) shall provide for consultation with residents. (Regulation 23 (1)(a)(b)(1A) (2) (3)) 29 March 2021

p.5

Requirement Due date

Where the registered provider is an organisation or a partnership, the residential family centre shall be visited in accordance with this regulation by— the responsible individual or one of the partners, as the case may be; another of the directors or other persons responsible for the management of the organisation or partnership; or an employee of the organisation or partnership who is not directly concerned with the conduct of the residential family centre. Visits under paragraph (2) shall take place at least once a month and may be unannounced. The person carrying out the visit shall— interview, with their consent and in private, such of the residents and persons working at the residential family 8 March 2021 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Tide House 6 centre as appears necessary in order to form an opinion of the standard of care provided in the residential family centre;

p.5

Requirement Due date

inspect the premises of the residential family centre, and records of any complaints; and prepare a written report on the conduct of the residential family centre. (Regulation 25 (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b)(c))

p.6

Recommendations

 The assessment and final report should be clearly linked to the court instruction and/or local authority requirements and should be delivered to the timescales specified. (Residential Family Centres NMS 1.4)  Parents are engaged in the process and provided with regular feedback. The engagement is reflected in the written assessment. (Residential Family Centres NMS 1.8)  The registered person should seek feedback following a placement from professionals involved as part of their quality assurance process. In particular, additionally, explore why parents are not helped by their advocates and professionals to access the centre’s easily accessible family guide prior to moving into the centre. (Residential Family Centres NMS 1.15)

p.6

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 last Ofsted inspection.

p.6

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

p.6

Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: 21 High Street, Bideford, Devon EX39 2AA

p.6

Residential family centre details

Registered manager: Marguerite Hepworth Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Tide House 7

p.6

Inspectors

Sarah Canto, Social Care Inspector Polly Soper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Tide House 8 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.

p.7

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8