Daffodil Family Centre

Inspection report for residential family centre: Daffodil House 1 Daffodil Family Centre Trevi House Ltd 10 North Road East, Plymouth, Devon PL4 6AS Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre offers strengths-based parenting assessments that aim to support parents to identify what changes they need to make in order to keep their children safe. Assessments usually take place over eight to 12 weeks.

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Information about this residential family centre

Daffodil Family Centre uses a psychologically informed approach to address the complex and often long-standing underlying issues that may have interrupted safe parenting. The service can accommodate up to five families, one of which can be accommodated in a self-contained flat.

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Information about this residential family centre

The manager is suitably qualified and has been in post since the service was first registered in January 2020.

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Information about this residential family centre

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Information about this residential family centre

On 27 January 2021 we completed a monitoring visit at the centre. The report from this is published on the Ofsted website.

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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. Inspection report for residential family centre: Daffodil House 2 Date of previous inspection: 27 January 2021

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: first full inspection

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Overall experiences and progress of

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

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The service has managed the impact of COVID-19 well. Leaders and managers have put in place measures that have kept families and staff safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Overall, families have good relationships with staff. Parents were seen to be relaxed and to engage well with staff. There is a nurturing ethos which is embedded at the centre. This is balanced with staff appropriately challenging parents when there are concerns. Some parents appreciate why staff raise concerns with them during the assessment process.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Many documents viewed are accessible for families. Adapted versions of documents in line with parents’ needs are provided to help them process important information. Parents can share any concerns or worries they may have. They are also provided with regular feedback regarding their assessments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Court reports are of a good standard they provide evidenced-based clear analysis. Recommendations are clear and next steps in the assessment process are consistently outlined. This ensures that parents and professionals know what is required for the remainder of the assessment period. Furthermore, assessments are balanced and inclusive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Viability assessments do not always provide a clear rationale regarding the staff team’s capacity to meet the needs of families, and any special requirements which may need to be considered.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Placement planning meetings do not always cover the information that parents need to know when they start their assessment. Records of these meetings do not show if parents have had the opportunity to ask questions or share concerns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The environment at the centre is warm and welcoming. However, due to the high volume of placements, the appearance in several areas needs refreshing. Refurbishment works have started and are planned to continue, however not all facilities are of a good enough standard. A health and safety issued was known by staff and actively being dealt with. However, there is no system in place to address maintenance issues in a timely way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents spoke highly of the facilities and the support which they are provided.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Safeguarding concerns are well managed, reflective practice is promoted and learning is continual. Practice guidance is developed and shared with the staff team in line with any learning from significant incidents. Inspection report for residential family centre: Daffodil House 4 There is no standalone log in place for the management and monitoring of safeguarding concerns. This means that any action taken, or any required actions, are held by the manager. This does not promote effective oversight should the manager be away.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The health and well-being of infants is closely monitored. Some of the babies and infants have health needs. Medical advice and treatment are sought promptly when required. Health visitors regularly visit the centre and work closely with the staff team.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Advice and guidance provided by staff to parents regarding parenting is intrinsic to their time at the centre. Some parents spoken with feel they have learned a great deal during their assessments.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The reduction in the supervision of parents with their children both at the centre and in the community is well structured and appropriate to the safeguarding needs of families. This is helping to prepare families for moving on well.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

There are no temperature gauges in the families’ fridges, which means that oversight of safe food storage temperatures is lacking. These temperature gauges were purchased during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager promotes a strong learning culture. Reflective practice is embedded, and the many staff spoken with highlighted this. Several staff told the inspector that they feel well supported and are able to seek advice, day or night, from the registered manager. Staff are passionate about their roles and this is reflected in their work with families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are provided with a good standard of supervision and are supported to learn so that practice continually evolves. Reflection on all areas of practice is promoted well. Difficult placements and all safeguarding concerns are analysed and learning from these is used to inform practice development effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is highly skilled, with many staff members having a breadth of experience in social care and associated roles. There is a high level of therapeutic input with the recent introduction of a full-time psychologist. This standard of skill is providing a holistic approach to both support and assessment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is a strong advocate for families and has challenged other agencies on multiple occasions. This has led to some families being able to demonstrate the requirement improvements within children’s timescales. Inspection report for residential family centre: Daffodil House 5 No significant concerns were identified regarding recruitment processes. However, enhanced scrutiny of information supplied by applicants is at times lacking.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Throughout families’ assessment, expectations are clear, and boundaries are applied well. However, some families feel that the registered manager is their only port of call for all decisions and for actions to happen. This does not enable staff to exercise their own professional judgement appropriately. Inspection report for residential family centre: Daffodil House 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; and

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of any allegation of abuse or neglect.

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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

written records to be kept of any allegation of abuse or neglect, and of the action taken in response. (Regulation 12 (1)(a)(b)(2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, a log of any safeguarding concerns should be kept with a clear system for highlighting any required follow- up actions and the closing of matters which have been addressed. 6 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall, before providing a family with accommodation in the residential family centre, or if that is not reasonably practicable, as soon as possible thereafter, draw up in consultation with the placing authority a written plan (in these Regulations referred to as "the placement plan") setting out, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

the facilities and services to be provided during the course of the placement;

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Requirement Due date

the objectives and intended outcome of the placement.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall keep under review and revise the placement plan as necessary. 6 January 2022 Inspection report for residential family centre: Daffodil House 7 In preparing or reviewing the placement plan the registered person, so far as practicable—

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Requirement Due date

seek and take account of the views of family members.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, placement planning meetings should comprehensively set out expectations on both families and the staff team. There should also be consistent opportunities to ask questions or to share any worries they may have in respect of their assessment.

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Requirement Due date

Viability assessments should also fully consider the capacity of the centre to meet the needs of individual families.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to regulation 4(6), the registered person shall not use the premises for the purposes of a residential family centre unless—

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Requirement Due date

the premises are suitable for the purpose of achieving the aims and objectives set out in the statement of purpose.

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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 n state of repair externally and internally.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the living accommodation should be kept in a good state of repair. A clear system for the logging and required action to address maintenance issues should also be in place. 6 January 2022

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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: Daffodil House 8

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: 29 Sutherland Road, Plymouth, Devon PL4 6BW

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Residential family centre details

Email address: Hannah.shead@trevi.org.uk

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Inspectors

Polly Soper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Daffodil House 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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