Foundations Wigan

Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Foundations Wigan 1 Foundations Wigan

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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 can 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

There is currently no registered manager in post. The provider is in the process of recruiting a new manager for the setting.

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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. This setting was last visited 31 March 2021 for a monitoring visit.

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Inspection date: 26 May 2021

Date of previous inspection: 31 March 2021

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place to monitor compliance with two notices that were served following the centre’s monitoring visit on 31 March 2021.

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This monitoring visit

A compliance notice was served in relation to the leadership and management of the setting. The centre’s former manager is no longer employed by the provider and is therefore no longer managing the centre. Management arrangements have been strengthened. A strong deputy manager is now in post. Additional support is being provided by both a senior manager within the company and a manager from another unit. Managers have worked care shifts in order to get to know the residents and the staff team. This helps to promote positive relationships and also enables managers to get a better understanding of how the centre is running on a day-to-day basis.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have made changes to the leadership culture by being more visible in the centre. Staff and families spoken to as part of this inspection said they felt listened to. They felt that managers were available to them and were approachable. This has Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Foundations Wigan 2 resulted in staff and residents feeling more positive about the managers’ role in their work and lives.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have developed numerous ways of consulting with residents and staff to gather their views. Residents spoken to said that they were happy with the management changes that had been made. They spoke positively about the support they get from current managers and compared this favourably to their interactions with the previous manager. Likewise, staff felt they had been consulted and that managers were responsive to their views. Morale amongst the staff team was much better than at the previous monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

The on-call system for staff to access management support is now working effectively. Recording sheets have been implemented for both the member of staff requesting management support and the manager providing that support. This provides clear lines of accountability and an audit trail. It also enables managers to monitor the effectiveness of the advice and support offered. Staff members spoken to, who had used the on-call system, reported that it worked well and that managers had been available to take their calls.

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This monitoring visit

The second compliance notice related to staffing sufficiency and consistency. Several new staff have started since the last inspection. The increased staff numbers have alleviated some pressure on staff to work additional shifts and excessively long hours. Recruitment is ongoing and the centre is not yet fully staffed; however, there are sufficient staff to ensure that the centre operates effectively.

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This monitoring visit

Consistency of staffing has improved as a result of the recruitment of additional staff. There is less reliance on ‘borrowing’ staff from other settings. Residents said they were familiar with all staff members now and had already developed positive relationships with the new staff. Residents felt that there were sufficient staff to meet their needs.

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This monitoring visit

Further progress has been made in relation to consistency via an ‘expectations’ document. This document provides a clear set of expectations so that residents and staff know exactly what is expected of them. This avoids confusion and inconsistency. Residents and staff spoken to were familiar with this document and said that it was useful to have a set of defined expectations that everyone was working to.

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This monitoring visit

Both compliance notices are deemed to have been met following this inspection. The requirements not subject to compliance and recommendation made at the previous inspection were not considered during this monitoring visit, and therefore remain in place until the centre’s next full inspection. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Foundations Wigan 3

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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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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 procedure under paragraph (1)(b) must in particular provide for—

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Requirement Due date

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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the referral to the designated officer of any incidents of serious staff misconduct. 21 May 2021

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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)

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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. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Foundations Wigan 4

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Progressive Care Ltd

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: Progressive Care Ltd, 51 Attercliffe Common, Sheffield S9 2AE

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Inspector

Charlie Bamber, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Foundations Wigan 5 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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