Newington Manor Family Support Service

Inspection report for residential family centre: Newington Manor Family Support Service 1 Newington Manor Family Support Service Symbol Family Support Services Newington Manor, Callaways Lane, Newington, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 7LU Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This privately owned service is registered to conduct residential assessments for a maximum of 13 families.

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Information about this residential family centre

Parents usually have a learning disability diagnosis, and some have additional mental health needs.

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Information about this residential family centre

Ofsted registered the manager on 11 December 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

We last visited this setting on 8 June 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 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: Newington Manor Family Support Service 2 Date of previous inspection: 7 March 2018

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for residential family centre: Newington Manor Family Support Service 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Planning for families to move into the centre is thoughtfully carried out. Pre- assessment procedures are well documented and, where possible, include a visit to the centre. Parents have time to settle before the full assessment process starts, which helps families adjust to their new environment. Further assessments once a family is at the centre, such as a speech and language assessment, further assist the staff to understand the needs of families and to develop support strategies. For example, the plans are reproduced on coloured paper for one parent whose dyslexia affects their reading skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents generally reported that their relationships with staff are good. They say that staff have helped them to develop their ability to care for their children and that they can talk to someone from the team if they need to. Some parents, however, noted that the staff sometimes give them conflicting guidance about the day-to-day care of children, for example, how to make a feed in a bottle. This confused some parents about how they should care for their child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents’ views are promoted well. Parents’ meetings are regular and detailed records are in place and available to parents. The records demonstrate how parents’ views have been listened to and acted upon. One parent said that they felt that these meetings helped parents to get on while they lived here.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents’ rights are generally promoted well. Records of complaints demonstrate a collaborative and respectful approach to parents’ concerns. The staff talk with parents about the records they are making and what this means for their assessment. However, while parents are frequently updated by staff about their progress, some did not know how they can access their written records. Lack of clarity about their rights to view their written records lessens parents’ ability to challenge the records made, should they wish to do so.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The day-to-day activities of the centre promote parents’ positive relationships with each other and enhance their ability to learn to care for their children. For example, regular storytelling sessions encourage parents to read with their children from an early age. This supports children’s development and engagement in learning. Fun events are organised regularly, such as Halloween activities and regular bingo evenings, which parents enjoy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The whole staff team works together well to assess the parenting skills and needs outlined in the local authority assessment instruction letter. They provide parents with regular opportunities to develop skills and show their parenting abilities and to reflect on personal issues that may have an impact on their ability to care for children. For example, they provide regular one-to-one meetings with the assessment team to discuss issues from the past and how these might affect their care of children. Parents did not find these meetings easy but acknowledged that Inspection report for residential family centre: Newington Manor Family Support Service 4 they did help them to think about the positive impact that their learning from these discussions may have on their children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Court reports are well written and respectful to parents. The content clearly demonstrates why the staff have reached their conclusions and how these relate to their recommendations about whether the child remains with their parents. Recommendations for what support each parent and child will need when they leave are well documented.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Every effort is made to support all families to leave the centre in the best way possible. When families unexpectedly leave the centre, great care is given to everyone to manage anxieties. One social worker said that they particularly liked the step-down flat, which enabled parents who are taking their children home to prepare for this change while still receiving support.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Managers and staff safeguard children and parents well. The safeguarding systems in place support safe care. The staff are skilled at talking to parents about risk and issues of concern. One parent said that they struggled to understand why they had to talk about things that had occurred in their childhood. The member of staff’s response helped the parent put this into context and to understand how this related to safeguarding her child now.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Daily reviews of parents’ progress include discussions about risk. Support, guidance and monitoring systems review any concerns about parents’ care of their child. Plans are changed to take account of any increasing or decreasing risks to children’s and parents’ safety and well-being. Clear plans are made about the daily goals for each member of a family and these are shared with all staff on duty over the 24-hour period.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The staff know how to refer internally and externally if they have a safeguarding concern. Safeguarding referrals made to outside agencies are promptly made and fully documented. Managers ensure that other relevant people, such as a parent’s solicitor, are kept well informed if a safeguarding concern has been identified.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Programmes of support for parents to help them to manage negative past experiences are discussed when families arrive. This creates a common understanding of what support is necessary to help ensure that parents provide good, safe care to their children.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

While the centre is in an old building which requires a great deal of maintenance, leaders, managers and staff work hard to ensure it is maintained well. All appropriate environmental risk assessments are in place and up to date and repairs are carried out promptly.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff have followed hospital guidance regarding elevating one end of a child’s cot if the child has a severe bronchial infection. One cot was raised by placing full printer Inspection report for residential family centre: Newington Manor Family Support Service 5 cartridge boxes under two cot legs. This did not provide a safe base for the cot. No harm came to the child and managers addressed this matter during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are ambitious in terms of the outcomes they wish to achieve for parents and children and they are reflective about their practice. The registered manager is a good role model for staff and understands the service’s strengths and weaknesses well. For example, she is aware of the challenges the team has faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and has ensured that staff have the support that they need. This has helped the staff to acknowledge the difficulties that they have faced and work closely together in challenging circumstances. They are also understandably proud of their assessment, support and care of children and parents during the pandemic.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Systems for monitoring all areas of the service are generally well developed and effective. Recently, however, six medication errors occurred. These errors were reviewed but records of the reviews have not been completed. This is a missed opportunity to confirm at the time of the error that that staff practice in relation to administering medication has been reviewed and any necessary actions has been taken as quickly as possible.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The monthly visits carried out by a member of the organisation to monitor the quality of care and support to parents does not take account of the views of parents to inform their findings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have recruited to fill staff vacancies and new members of staff are starting work, which will increase the team to near full capacity. Further recruitment continues. Staff have worked additional hours to cover vacancies, which has put some pressure on the team, especially as there has been additional work created by the pandemic. However, managers monitor staff’s working hours to ensure no member of staff works excessive hours.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff support systems are well organised and effective. Staff have access to a wide range of opportunities to understand and contribute to the work of the differing teams within the centre. Some staff were not able to say how the underpinning philosophy of the centre affects their care and support of families. While this did not affect staff’s care practices, this knowledge is helpful to staff in understanding how their roles and responsibilities reflect the overall aims of the centre.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders, managers and staff develop positive relationships with the professionals who are involved with the families at the centre. Two social workers reported that they are kept informed, and that staff are responsive and accessible when they want updates on how parents and children are doing. One social worker said that they had been involved with the centre for many years and the service provided had been consistently positive. A guardian reported that the staff maintain their focus on the child’s needs. Inspection report for residential family centre: Newington Manor Family Support Service 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 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. (Regulation 10 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that any reviews of medication errors and any necessary actions are recorded promptly. 8 December 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should review how well the staff are providing consistent messages to parents about how to care for their child. (Residential family centres NMS, 1.10)  The registered person should ensure that parents and children know how they can access their files. The registered person should also ensure that if parents read their files, they know that they can correct errors and add personal statements, and know how to do so. (Residential family centres NMS, 20.3)  The registered person should review that they are satisfied that any action to elevate a cot is undertaken safely. (Residential family centres NMS, 11.2)  The registered person should ensure that visits to the centre carried out under Regulation 25 include discussions with parents and, where possible, children. The person conducting the visit should consistently report on their discussions with parents and children. (Residential family centres NMS, 19.5)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff have a good understanding of the centre’s underpinning philosophies and how these affect their roles within the centre. (Residential family centres NMS, 16.2) Inspection report for residential family centre: Newington Manor Family Support Service 7

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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: Newington Manor Family Support Service 8

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Symbol Family Support Services

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: Unit 3, Little Caring Farm, Caring Road, Bearsted, Maidstone, Kent ME17 1TH

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Residential family centre details

Responsible individual: Chloe Deeble Rogers

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Inspectors

Ruth Coler, Social Care Inspector Vevene Muhammad, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Newington Manor Family Support Service 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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