Foundations Wigan

Inspection report for residential family centre: Foundations Wigan 1 Foundations Wigan Progressive Care Limited (Formerly Pollcrest Ltd) 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 has appointed a manager who has applied for registration.

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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. We last visited this setting on 26 May 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and parents, taking into account inadequate

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and parents are helped and protected inadequate

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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Overall experiences and progress of

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and parents are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and/or the care and experiences of children and parents are poor.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of previous inspection: 17 January 2018

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

The centre was visited on 31 March 2021 for a monitoring visit. Two compliance notices were served relating to leadership and management at the centre and to Inspection report for residential family centre: Foundations Wigan 2 sufficiency and continuity of staff. Both notices were deemed to have been met at a subsequent monitoring visit on 26 May 2021. Inspection report for residential family centre: Foundations Wigan 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

Progress for residents at the centre is mixed. Inspectors received both positive and negative feedback. Residents raised concerns about the standard of accommodation. The shower in one flat is unusable due to water temperature fluctuation. This means that up to five families must share the same shower and bath in the communal bathroom. The toilet seat was also broken and had been removed from the toilet. Other issues such as draughty bedrooms, insufficient/irregular heating, unstable furniture and loose cabling were also observed by inspectors.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

Residents said that staff were not always consistent in their advice and expectations around baby care. This had left them confused and unsure whose advice to follow. They felt that this was unfair and may have a negative impact on their assessment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

A child was admitted to the centre with significant health needs. The centre had not written a healthcare plan or a placement plan for the child. Staff were reliant on the child’s mother having the capacity to meet his health needs. Staff were not trained either to meet the child’s health needs themselves, or to oversee the child’s mother in meeting his health needs. This resulted in the child’s health needs going unmet.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

The centre employs three qualified social workers to undertake family assessments. The social workers are supervised, and their work overseen by a senior social worker. These arrangements ensure that social work assessments are balanced, well written and make clear recommendations. One social worker spoken to gave positive feedback about the placement and the quality of the assessment report.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

The centre does not routinely hold the letter of inspection from the court detailing the specifics of the commissioned assessment. This is a key document which should be used to guide the focus of the assessment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

A parent was admitted to the centre while her child was cared for in hospital. This was due to her need for accommodation and so that she could register with a general practitioner and access support for her mental health. This is not within the centre’s statement of purpose. No assessment was done in relation to the impact this admission may have on the other residents.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

The admission of one child was not properly risk assessment. The child was admitted without clear evidence about the mother’s mental health risks. There was conflicting information provided to managers about whether the parent could meet the child’s complex health needs.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

As stated above, staff were not trained to meet the child’s health needs. This posed a risk to the child when his mother did not attend to his health needs. Staff were Inspection report for residential family centre: Foundations Wigan 4 unable to check that the child’s needs were being met. As a result, he went without oxygen for a period of approximately 24 hours.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

The admission of the parent noted above had not been risk assessed for any risk she may have posed to other resident adults or their children. The parent was believed to have consumed alcohol on her admission. She was still permitted to enter and remain at the centre with the other families.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Matching of parents to other residents is poor. Information is copied from one assessment into another. This includes information about families who are no longer residing in the centre. The information is not analysed or evaluated to determine whether families are compatible.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Arrangements for fire safety are inadequate. A fire door separating the kitchen from the dining area was propped open with a book. Issues with the fire door retainer had been reported for several months. The door retainer had been removed but not replaced. Residents do not always take part in a fire drill when they are admitted. One resident was close to the end of her placement before a fire drill was undertaken. This does not constitute an adequate response to fire safety.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Staff respond well to incidents when parents go missing from the centre with their children. Relevant agencies are informed. Appropriate safeguards are put in place if a parent returns to the unit under the influence of substances.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Staff spoken to felt confident about their knowledge of risks relating to individual families. They believed that they could safeguard against risks. There are few safeguarding incidents recorded. This suggests that staff are usually able to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have not always made good decisions about who is admitted to the centre. This resulted in the serious safeguarding incident as described above. Managers did fully and robustly satisfy themselves that the pre-agreed criteria for admission had been met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers reported they had reflected on this placement and the safeguarding incident. However, there was no ‘lessons learned’ exercise completed. Their reflections focused on what staff could have done better rather than what managers could have done better.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The centre previously had a very high turnover of staff. While this seems now to have settled, the staff in place are a new team and most are still in their probationary period. Staff spoken to were positive about their work and felt that managers were visible and on hand to offer support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Senior managers have continued to support the new manager in post. This has helped the new manager to develop in her role as manager of the centre. The Inspection report for residential family centre: Foundations Wigan 5 manager knows the families well and understands the progress they are making. She is knowledgeable about the strengths and shortfalls of the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

An independent visitor visits the centre each month. The reports prepared from this visit are not always shared with the manager in time for her to act on any identified shortfalls. This hinders the manager’s ability to monitor and make improvements to the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Three compliance notices were served following this inspection under regulations 8, 12 and 21. These will be monitored at a further visit to the centre. Inspection report for residential family centre: Foundations Wigan 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 compile in relation to the residential family centre a written statement (in these Regulations referred to as "the statement of purpose") which shall consist of a statement as to the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6) the registered person shall ensure that the residential family centre is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 4 (1)(5)) 28 November

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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 man-age the centre (as the case may be) with sufficient care, competence and skill. (Regulation 8 (1)) 28 November

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that the residential family centre is conducted so as to—

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Requirement Due date

promote and make proper provision for the health [(including physical, mental and emotional health)] and welfare of residents;

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Requirement Due date

make such provision for the care, treatment, education and supervision of residents as is appropriate to their age and needs. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)) 28 November

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall make arrangements, by training persons working at the residential family centre or by other measures, to prevent residents being harmed or suffering abuse or being placed at risk of harm or abuse. (Regulation 11 (5)) 28 November Inspection report for residential family centre: Foundations Wigan 7 *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)) 28 November

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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)) 28 November

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Requirement Due date

[Subject to paragraph (1A) the registered person] shall after consultation with the [fire and rescue authority]—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment;

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Requirement Due date

ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that the persons working at the residential family centre and, so far as practicable, residents, are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire, including the procedure for saving life. (Regulation 22 (1)(a)(e)) 28 November

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider shall supply a copy of the report required to be made under paragraph (4)(c) to—

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Requirement Due date

the registered manager. (Regulation 25 (5)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the report should be provided to the manager in a timely manner so that action may be taken in relation to any recommendations made by the visitor. 28 November

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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 Wigan 8

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Progressive Care Limited (Formerly Pollcrest Ltd)

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: Progressive Care Limited, 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

Charlie Bamber, Social Care Inspector Natalie Bennett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Foundations Wigan 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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