Foundations Wigan

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC482588 1 SC482588

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Progressive Care Limited

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre is registered to accommodate up to six families at any one time. The centre provides residential assessments that assist local authorities and courts in making decisions which promote the welfare of children.

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Information about this residential family centre

The manager was registered by Ofsted in May 2020.

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Information about this residential family centre

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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This monitoring visit

Three complaints were received by Ofsted within a short period of time which resulted in this monitoring visit being undertaken.

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This monitoring visit

 sufficiency of staff working in the setting  the management culture  staff having to work excessively long shifts and were not allowed sufficient breaks  the availability of the manager when on call  sleeping arrangements for staff and residents, which specifically related to insect infestations in the beds.

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This monitoring visit

The manager reported that there had been an issue with insect infestation in the beds at the centre. Appropriate action had been taken involving a pest-control agency. Representatives from this agency had made several visits to the centre and Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC482588 2 had treated the infestation they identified. They had made further visits to check that the treatment had been successful.

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This monitoring visit

The centre itself is clean and appropriately furnished. Staff and residents are expected to undertake cleaning duties. Staff were observed cleaning in the kitchen as the inspectors arrived.

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This monitoring visit

Managers, staff and residents spoken to during the visit all said that there were some issues around staffing sufficiency and continuity. The centre has recently lost a high number of staff for varying reasons, including several dismissals.

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This monitoring visit

Staff spoken to as part of this inspection reported having to work excessively long hours. They said they were not given a choice in this, that the manager put them on the rota and they were expected to do their shifts. Inspectors reviewed the rota sheets which confirmed that some staff had been working excessive hours.

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This monitoring visit

Senior managers have brought staff in from other settings owned by the company. Whilst this alleviates the immediate problem, it does not provide residents with continuity of care. Several residents commented on this. One family member said they were reluctant to use the communal areas of the centre because they did not know the staff. Another said that all the staff members with whom she had a trusting relationship had left. One resident said that there were insufficient staff. This meant that staff were not always available to come and observe the resident doing basic care tasks, such as changing nappies. This meant that their baby had to wait until staff were available to observe the change of nappy.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors identified that a serious incident had occurred in the centre. Staff had not followed management instructions relating to observing basic care tasks for one family. The residents were on ‘full observations’, meaning that all care tasks had to be physically observed by staff. Staff had failed, on several occasions, to be physically present and observe such tasks. Managers identified this and took action to address the issue with the staff involved. The manager did not refer to the designated officer and the disciplinary process was concluded without their knowledge or input. Ofsted was not notified of the incident as required by regulation.

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This monitoring visit

A further incident had occurred when a staff member had felt insufficiently experienced to deal with a safeguarding situation. The on-call manager reported that she gave telephone advice to staff about how to manage the incident. The records do not reflect that the manager was consulted, nor what advice was given.

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This monitoring visit

Staff and residents raised concerns about the centre’s manager. Residents reported that they did not have a positive relationship with the manager. They did not feel she was approachable and some stated that they felt that she was overly concerned with them attending to their cleaning tasks with less focus on the care of their babies.

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This monitoring visit

Several staff reported that they did not feel well supported. They said that on a number of occasions the manager was uncontactable while on call. This meant that Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC482588 3 they could not get advice when it was urgently needed. There were no records relating to staff contacting managers on call, so it was not possible to verify this. Staff alluded to a divide between the few remaining members of the staff team and the manager. The issues identified have led to staff leaving and to low staff morale.

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This monitoring visit

This inspection has resulted in several requirements and one recommendation being made. The shortfalls identified have led to two compliance notices being served on the company responsible for the home. The requirements and recommendation made at the last full inspection were not addressed at this visit and are therefore carried over to the next full inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

17/01/2018 RFC-Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC482588 4

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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

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)) 21 May 2021

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Requirement Due date

*The registered provider and the registered manager shall, having regard to the size of the residential family centre, the statement of purpose, and the number and needs of the residents, carry on or manage the centre (as the case may be) with sufficient care, competence and skill. (Regulation 8 (1)) 21 May 2021

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Requirement Due date

The procedure under paragraph (1)(b) must in particular provide for— the prompt referral to the local authority in whose area the residential family centre is situated, of any allegation of abuse or neglect affecting any child accommodated in the residential family centre. (Regulation 12 (2)(b)) In particular, the referral to the designated officer of any incidents of serious staff misconduct. 21 May 2021

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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)) Specifically, that there is a sufficient number of staff recruited to work at the centre and that high turnover of staff does not have a detrimental impact on the residents’ experience in the residential family centre. 21 May 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC482588 5 *These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered manager should ensure that staff complete a written family placement plan. 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. Plans should be reviewed, kept up to date and written in consultation with families. (NMS 9.2)  The registered manager must exercise effective leadership of the centre’s staff and operation, so that the centre is organised, managed and staffed in a manner that delivers the best possible outcomes for parents and children. (NMS 12.4)

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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 last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Progressive Care Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: 51 Attercliffe Common, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S9 2AE

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Inspectors

Charlie Bamber, Social Care Inspector Natalie Bennett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC482588 6 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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