Tide House

Inspection report for residential family centre: Tide House 1 Tide House Inclusis Limited 21 High Street, Bideford, Devon EX39 2AA Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre is operated by a private provider. It 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.

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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 period of six to 12 weeks. The centre offers accommodation to one or more children and single or two-parent families.

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Information about this residential family centre

The service is located within a town centre and has good access to a range of local services and community facilities, including 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.

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Information about this residential family centre

There is currently no registered manager in post.

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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 carried out a virtual monitoring visit of this setting on the 11 and 12 February 2021. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good Inspection report for residential family centre: Tide House 2 The residential family centre is not yet delivering good assessments, help and care for children and parents. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 17 September 2019

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for residential family centre: Tide House 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents:

The centre needs renovation. In particular, the outside of the building is tired, worn and dirty. There is a need to ensure that the windows are suitable, and that the premises overall provide a warm and welcoming environment for families. These maintenance and improvement works have been overdue for several years. There are plans in place to address this. However, improvement works were seen to be limited during this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents:

Feedback received by inspectors from all the families currently resident at the centre is very positive. They feel that they are fully involved in their assessments and receive regular feedback in a formal way. They are also provided with consistent parenting guidance by staff, which is informed by NHS guidelines. Children, dependent on their age and needs, are accessing local community facilities, such as nursery. This is an important social need for one child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents:

Parents feel that they can share any worries or concerns which they may have without fear that this will impact on their assessments. The families commented on their good relationships with staff, and all are happy with the facilities within their individual flats. One parent expressed her excitement to arrive and be presented with new bedding and towels, which meant a great deal in a difficult situation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents:

We have not spoken to families who have moved on. However, feedback received from one local authority highlighted concerns regarding some assessments completed. These assessments were started by the prior to the current manager commencing work at the centre. More recent assessments were reviewed by inspectors and seen to be of good quality. However, more time is needed for the new manager to embed changes and to complete assessments from start to finish.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents:

The Wi-Fi signal was previously poor in the flats. However, it has now been improved. This provides an important mechanism for families to access the internet, to communicate with their extended families, and carry out activities which are associated with modern day life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents:

Video calling is currently only allowed in the downstairs office rooms. This blanket rule does not reflect the individual needs of each family and may detract from important assessment of everyday life.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected:

There have been safeguarding incidents since the last visit. These were explored in retrospect by the new manager. The appropriate actions have been taken. Learning has also been taken from these. Body maps of bruising and minor injuries of children are completed and reviewed by the manager to ensure that any required action is taken. This ensures important oversight of children’s welfare. Inspection report for residential family centre: Tide House 4 Poor decision-making prior to the new manager’s arrival placed both families and staff at risk of harm. Some families that present with high-risk concerns lived at the centre without robust assessment. There was no clear guidance for staff regarding risk and the centre was already under the strain of the COVID-pandemic. This has been explored in depth and inspectors are reassured that learning has been taken from this. Admissions of new families to the centre are fully considered at the

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How well children and parents are helped and protected:

viability stage. Some assessments sampled were seen to be of good quality.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected:

Staff have not been provided with up-to-date training, including safeguarding. Previous training has not been at the level required to ensure that staff have the skills to meet the complex needs of families. A plan is in place to address this.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected:

Placement planning identifies and considers known risks. However, managers do not provide clear guidance for staff about how to manage risks. The manager acted to address this shortfall during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers:

The responsible individual has repeatedly failed to submit timely monitoring reports, which provide important oversight of the centre. An independent social work professional has now been secured to carry out this function.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers:

Fire drills and regular internal health and safety audits are now consistently taking place. An independent audit of the property is also being considered.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers:

There is currently no registered manager in post. However, the acting manager has submitted the required application to become registered.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers:

The new manager has not had time to embed her practice within the centre. However, changes which she is making are already having a positive impact. These changes include clear assessment plans and an inclusive approach which ensures that families understand what is involved in their assessments.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers:

Letters of instruction are now routinely obtained at an early stage. This ensures that the necessary aspects of the required assessment are fully considered and the legal framework for these assessments is clear.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers:

The staff team is fully involved in the assessment process. Group supervisions are consistently taking place, which provide an important forum to reflect on the needs of families. This was not previously happening.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers:

Several staff members highlighted the positive impact of the much-needed changes. They note that improvements can be seen in respect of the assessments of families, and the overall running of the centre. They feel clearer about their roles, the assessment process and the level of support which they are to provide to families. Staff welfare is also a clear consideration. Inspection report for residential family centre: Tide House 5

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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

Subject to regulation 4(6), the registered person shall provide facilities and services to residents in accordance with the statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall having regard to the size of the residential family centre and the number and needs of residents—

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Requirement Due date

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 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, access to video calling should be enabled in line with the specific needs of each family and in the context of everyday life. 26 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that all persons employed by him—

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Requirement Due date

receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal. (Regulation 17 (5)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, training provided for staff should be regularly updated and ensure that staff are able to meet the complex needs of families. 26 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person is required to provide evidence eq to clarify the following: the structural integrity of the premises. Consideration should also be given to the completion of an external health and safety audit of the building. The windows to be upgraded to 26 August 2021 Inspection report for residential family centre: Tide House 6 ensure that they are in good condition. Creaky floorboards to be in a good state of repair to limit noise. The overall premises need to be cleaned and maintained to provide a welcoming environment for families. This predominately relates to the exterior of the premises.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual or one of the partners, as the case may be;

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Requirement Due date

another of the directors or other persons responsible for the management of the organisation or partnership; or

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Requirement Due date

an employee of the organisation or partnership who is not directly concerned with the conduct of the residential family centre.

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Requirement Due date

Visits under paragraph (2) shall take place at least once a month and may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The person carrying out the visit shall—

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Requirement Due date

interview, with their consent and in private, such of the residents and persons working at the residential family centre as appears necessary in order to form an opinion of the standard of care provided in the residential family centre;

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Requirement Due date

inspect the premises of the residential family centre, and records of any complaints; and

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Requirement Due date

prepare a written report on the conduct of the residential family centre. (Regulation 25 (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b)(c)) 26 August 2021

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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: Tide House 7

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Residential family centre details

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

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Inspectors

Miss Polly Soper, Social Care Inspector Michelle Oxley, Regional Inspection Manager Inspection report for residential family centre: 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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