Foundations Carlton

Inspection report for residential family centre: Foundations Carlton 1 Foundations Carlton Progressive Care Limited Crookes Lane, Carlton, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S71 3BL Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This service is privately run and is registered to provide parenting assessments for up to 13 families.

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Information about this residential family centre

The registered manager is experienced and appropriately qualified. She has been the registered manager for the service since 22 April 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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Information about this residential family centre

We visited this setting on 18 June 2020 and 4 February 2021 to carry out monitoring visits. These reports are published on our website. This is the first full inspection since registration.

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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: not applicable

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Overall experiences and progress of

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

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Staff welcome and immediately reassure and support children and parents as they arrive at the service to undertake their assessment. Parents promptly receive clear written and verbal information about the assessment process. This helps parents to understand the assessment process and to settle in more easily.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The parenting assessments are thorough and analytical. Staff have a clear understanding of the assessment process. Throughout the assessment, attention is given to the child’s needs, the parent’s strengths and their ability to change. As a result of improved oversight and monitoring in this area, the service delivers good parenting assessments and evidence-based final reports.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The staff demonstrate that they know each family well. Staff focus on building positive relationships with children and parents. Having a designated assessing social worker and a key worker helps to build trusting relationships. The staff have a non-judgemental approach and show understanding to each family’s circumstances. The promotion of good parenting is provided through individualised support, guidance and clear direction to each family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

One parent said, ‘I came here and have not been judged. My assessing social worker has been fantastic and a great support.’ Another said, ‘Staff are really supportive and have helped with the language barrier.’ Interpreter services have been accessed for a parent whose first language is not English.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents and children register with local health services on their arrival. The staff and parents liaise regularly with the health visitor, seeking advice and guidance. This ensures that parents follow the latest guidance that supports the health, safety and well-being of their children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

There is recognition of the importance that children and parents have access to education. Several parents have completed a foundation level course in English, maths and reading. In addition, some parents have completed paediatric first aid and food hygiene courses. Older children have also been able to access key stages 1 and 2 education during their stay. This is a developing strength of the service.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

During the COVID-19 pandemic, group activities have been restricted. More recently, leisure activities have started to take place. Children and parents have enjoyed a sports day, bingo, baking, arts and crafts. Children have access to toys, a playroom and an outside garden. Parents said that they enjoy the social interactions and look forward to this continuing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Each family resides in their own apartment, which includes an open-plan kitchen, dining/lounge area, bathroom and two bedrooms. The accommodation is well decorated and furnished. Parents did mention minor repairs that were required. The Inspection report for residential family centre: Foundations Carlton 3 home has a maintenance team to complete repairs when required. Having suitable accommodation positively supports children and parents, removing any additional pressures during their stay.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Overall, children and parents are regularly consulted throughout the assessment. Staff inform them of how well they are doing and where changes are required. However, not all observation record sheets and social work sessions include comments or are signed to indicate that parents have read them and been consulted. A parent said that the final parent assessment report was given to them one hour before it was sent to the placing authority social worker. The parent commented that this was not enough time for them to digest the report or for her comments to be included.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The centre promotes the protection of children throughout the assessment.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

All staff receive training on a range of safeguarding areas. The manager and senior team ensure that the staff are clear about what action to take in response to any concern that occurs. Close monitoring of families, daily shift handovers, staff meetings, supervision and training all assist in keeping children increasingly safe.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Parents confirmed that they receive written and verbal guidance about expectations and behaviour during their stay. This includes the importance of respecting others and the rules and boundaries that need to be followed during the assessment process. In the main, this supports parents to maintain acceptable behaviour.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Individualised support plans and risk assessments identify the precise risks and vulnerabilities that may have an impact on keeping children safe. These may include neglect, physical abuse, domestic violence, substance misuse, mental health concerns and alcohol dependency. The support plans and risk assessments are routinely reviewed. The social work sessions, key work and parenting observations undertaken address all known and developing risks. This assists in protecting children from harm.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Managers and staff are aware of the action to take if allegations of misconduct are raised about staff practice. This ensures that children and families are protected from harm.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Safer recruitment practices are followed when employing staff to work at the service. This includes undertaking references, Disclosure and Barring Service checks and having a full employment history. This ensures that the staff employed to work with children and parents are safe to do so.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

There is appropriate use of closed-circuit television (CCTV), where deemed necessary to safeguard children. This is reviewed regularly and decreased and/or withdrawn in agreement with placing authorities and parents. Inspection report for residential family centre: Foundations Carlton 4 Families are assessed and supported by staff to follow the safe administration and storage of their own medication. On occasion, the home stores medication for families. One deficit has been found. Medication securely stored in the office has not been returned to the chemist after the families have left the service.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The environment is safe, and regular health and safety and fire checks are carried out. One deficit has been found that could compromise the confidentiality of information. Information on notice boards can be seen by any person looking in through the office window.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last monitoring visit in February 2021, the registered manager and senior team have made further improvements to the quality of the service. This has included implementing the requirements and recommendations made at the visit. The manager is clear about the service’s strengths and is aware of areas that require further development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is close oversight and monitoring of all parenting observations and key work and social work sessions that are undertaken, in line with the assessment criteria. There are enough staff employed to deliver the required service. Monitoring systems have been reviewed and enhanced to ensure that the quality of the service and all parenting assessments are carried out to a good standard. The kitchen cupboards in the parent’s apartments have safety catches to ensure that toddlers cannot access dangerous objects or materials.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The majority of staff have relevant experience and hold a level 3 qualification in working with children and young people. Some staff hold a level 4 or 5 qualification. Those without the level 3 qualification are working towards completing this. The staff benefit from undertaking a detailed induction and shadow shifts to support them in completing their duties in line with policies, procedures and the regulations for residential family centres. This includes first aid, physical intervention, parenting assessment work, child development and health and safety. This means that staff are suitably trained to meet the needs of children and parents consistently.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff stated that they are well supported, communication systems are effective, managers are approachable and good teamwork exists to support children and parents consistently. Staff receive regular formal supervision, staff meetings take place monthly and there are detailed daily shift handovers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals confirmed that there is good partnership working, with positive communication and information sharing. The health visitor stated that the staff are proactive in seeking advice and guidance to ensure that parents are caring for their children safely. Inspection report for residential family centre: Foundations Carlton 5 Referrals to the service are reviewed before a decision is made to accept the family. However, the written impact risk assessment does not record in detail all the considerations made for the new family referred, along with those already in residence. This does not demonstrate that this process has been undertaken thoroughly, to ensure that the needs of all families can be met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The service has notified the authorities and other agencies of serious incidents relating to children and parents, including Ofsted. When decisions are made, the rationale for the decision not to notify is not always clear.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The quality of the external monitoring of the service is thorough. The internal monitoring has improved with additional checks and measures being added since the service opened. The senior team has delegated areas of responsibility to carry out a number of audits on a regular basis. There is weekly oversight of the progress of each family’s assessment. The deficits detected are addressed. This assists in maintaining the delivery of good-quality parenting assessments and an effectively run service. Inspection report for residential family centre: Foundations Carlton 6

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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

The registered person shall prepare and implement a written child protection policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the residential family centre from abuse or neglect. (Regulation 12 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that an impact risk assessment is completed in detail at the point of admission that sets out clearly how the family’s needs will be met along with those of families already in residence, including the safety measures in place to keep everyone safe. 28 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall make suitable arrangements to ensure that the residential family centre is conducted—

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Requirement Due date

in a manner which respects the privacy and dignity of residents. (Regulation 10 (1) (3)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the notice board in the staff office containing confidential information relating to parents cannot be viewed from the office windows. 8 August 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that there is a private and secure record for each family. Parents and children understand the nature of records maintained and, where possible, read their files, correct errors and add personal statements (NMS 20.3). Ensure that all parents are able to consistently feedback in parenting and social work sessions and that parents have sufficient time to read, digest the information in their mid-way and final assessment reports to allow them to verbally and in writing make comment on the reports. Inspection report for residential family centre: Foundations Carlton 7  The registered person should ensure that there is an effective policy on the safe management of medicines, which includes a written record of all medication, treatment and first aid given to parents and children during their placement. All staff and parents should be aware of the policy (NMS 6.6). The home must safely

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Recommendations

dispose of old medication in line with the home policy in a timely manner.  The registered person should ensure that there is an effective system in place to notify the appropriate authorities within 24 hours of the occurrence of significant events in accordance with regulation 26. The system should include what to do when a notifiable event arises at weekends (NMS 21.1). This should include the detail of the rationale in instances when decisions are made not to report a particular incident.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and parents 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: Foundations Carlton 8

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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 S9 2AE

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Residential family centre details

Email address: info@progressivecare.co.uk

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Inspectors

Debbie Foster, Social Care Inspector Jacqueline Malcolm, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Foundations Carlton 9 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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