Chariteens Residential Family Centre

Inspection report for residential family centre: Chariteens Residential Family Centre 1 Chariteens Residential Family Centre Chariteens Residential Family Centre CIC 10 Khartoum Road, London E13 8RF Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This centre is registered to provide care for up to six families. Alongside parenting assessments, the centre provides psychological assessments, drug and alcohol testing and counselling. There are currently three families undergoing assessment at the residential family centre.

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Information about this residential family centre

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2015.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and parents, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and parents are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

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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inadequate

Date of previous inspection: 15 May 2019

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for residential family centre: Chariteens Residential Family Centre 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

The registered manager does not ensure that parenting assessments are effective and completed within agreed timescales. For example, when one family’s assessment came to an end, the family moved out of the centre with no assessment report provided to the local authority to make appropriate care planning arrangements. This is despite significant concerns being identified within the assessment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

The registered manager does not ensure that she has all the required information from the local authority prior to agreeing to families moving in. The letter of instruction that informs the purpose of the assessment is often received after the assessment has started. This means that not all assessments focus on the relevant concerns from the outset.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

Staff do not support parents with additional needs effectively. Specific assessments used to assess parents with learning difficulties are not carried out as they should be. Staff do not consider information contained in parents’ cognitive assessments to inform how they work with parents with additional needs. Work is not tailored to each parent’s preferred learning style. This does not demonstrate that staff work effectively with families who have additional learning needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

Parents who do not have English as their first language are not supported as well as they could be. Information about the assessment process is not translated into parents’ first language. A plan of how and when interpreters are used to support parents is not detailed in the placement plan. This does not give parents every opportunity to succeed within the assessment process.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

When assessing social workers do write reports, they are well written and balanced and identify parenting strengths and areas for development. However, recommendations documented in midpoint assessment reports are not always acted upon. This does not help parents to develop the required skills identified. Furthermore, parents’ views about the reports are not gathered or documented.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

Records of direct work with families lack evaluation and do not demonstrate how the direct work informs the assessment or how it relates to the aims and objectives of the assessment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

The physical environment of the centre is not good. The home is not well maintained and some areas of the home are dirty. Wear and tear within the centre is noticeable. The inspector observed dust and dirt in communal areas, damaged wallpaper, the communal bathroom has a bath panel that has come away from the bath and the sealant around the shower is discoloured. Inspection report for residential family centre: Chariteens Residential Family Centre 3 Two parents living at the centre at the time of the inspection told the inspector that they were generally happy about living at the centre and about the staff who were assessing them.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Fire safety is not prioritised by the centre. There are issues with three fire doors. One could not open and close safely; this was rectified during the inspection. Another had gaps around the door frame when closed. One identified fire exit route does not have an appropriate fire exit door and the fire exit route was obstructed by a pushchair. Fire escape signs are not adequately secured to the walls. These issues place families at significant risk of harm. During the inspection, the inspector contacted the local fire service who advised on what interim safety arrangements were required.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

The centre uses CCTV to monitor and assess families. This is ineffective as staff do not continually monitor it. There is no risk assessment or guidance in place for staff, detailing the reasons why this form of monitoring is used or how it should be used. As such, this is not effective in keeping children safe.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Staff do not take effective action when parents do not adhere to safe sleeping guidance for their babies. The inspector observed one baby being placed in a cot with a pillow, toys in the cot and the bedroom being overly warm. Staff do not educate parents on how to reduce the risks of sudden infant death.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Risk assessments are not updated. This does not demonstrate how risks and vulnerabilities are assessed. Additionally, staff do not evidence how risks are reduced for families.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

The registered manager does not ensure that staff working in the centre are safely recruited. Some staff, including assessing social workers, do not have the relevant safer recruitment checks in place. This demonstrates that the registered manager has not carried out relevant checks to satisfy herself that staff working in the centre are safe and suitable to work with vulnerable children and adults.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Staff lack the required training to help them keep families safe. Staff have not completed training in relation to some safeguarding risks, including fire safety, child exploitation, radicalisation and gang affiliation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager is overwhelmed by her role and the work it entails. She is not leading her team effectively and her oversight of the service does not ensure that high-quality assessments are carried out.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has failed to meet all the requirements made following the previous inspection. She recognises that the centre is not yet providing a good enough service. However, the registered manager has not been decisive and taken Inspection report for residential family centre: Chariteens Residential Family Centre 4 effective action to improve standards. Her monitoring and review systems are poor. Her quality of care review has not been completed within timescales and she has not implemented strategies to improve the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Overall, parents know how to make a complaint. However, complaints are not responded to in a productive way that makes parents feel listened to and that their views are valued. Complaints are not managed well, with staff responding to complaints when the complaint is about them. This does not provide impartiality or identify how practice can be improved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Family support workers have only recently started to receive supervision. This is in its infancy and consistency has not yet been established. However, agency staff and supervising social workers do not have supervision. Therefore, it is unclear how their work is monitored and how they reflect on their practice. Staff have not had annual appraisals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The statement of purpose is comprehensive. However, the registered manager does not ensure that the statement of purpose is followed or implemented. On four occasions when parents have left the centre, their children have remained at the centre for several days, being cared for by staff. This means that the centre is operating outside of the conditions of registration. When the statement of purpose and residents guide have been updated, the registered manager has not sent them to Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has not ensured that all staff have completed the relevant training that was identified at the previous inspection. This includes training in child development, managing allegations against staff and managing challenging behaviour. The registered manager is not therefore assured that staff have the skills and knowledge needed to support and assess families. Poor leadership and a disorganised approach to case recording compounds this issue and does not provide families with safe and comprehensive assessments. Inspection report for residential family centre: Chariteens Residential Family Centre 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

The registered person shall provide a copy of the statement of purpose to the [Chief Inspector] and shall make a copy of it available, upon request, for inspection by—

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Requirement Due date

any person who works at the residential family centre;

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Requirement Due date

any local authority exercising any functions under the 1989 Act in relation to any resident.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall supply a copy of the resident’s guide to:

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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.

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Requirement Due date

Nothing in paragraph (5) or in regulations 14(1) or 21(1) shall require or authorise the registered person to contravene or not comply with—

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Requirement Due date

any other provision of these Regulations. (Regulation (4) (2) (3A))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager sending the statement of purpose and the residents guide to Ofsted. The registered manager must not operate the residential family centre outside its registered conditions, especially in relation to children remaining at the centre once the family’s assessment has ended. 22 April 2022

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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 22 April 2022 Inspection report for residential family centre: Chariteens Residential Family Centre 6 residents, carry on or man-age the centre (as the case may be) with sufficient care, competence and skill.

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Requirement Due date

The registered manager shall undertake from time to time such training as is appropriate to ensure that he has the skills necessary for managing the residential family centre. (Regulation (1) (3))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the assessment processes, adhering to assessment time frames and delivering the service in line with the centre’s statement of purpose.

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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

with due regard to the sex, religious persuasion, racial origin, and cultural and linguistic background and any disability of residents. (Regulation (10) (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to demonstrating how the centre supports families with English as a second language and those families with additional learning needs. 22 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

unnecessary risks to the health or safety of residents are identified and so far as possible eliminated. (Regulation (4)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to safe sleeping arrangements for babies. 22 April 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. 22 April 2022 Inspection report for residential family centre: Chariteens Residential Family Centre 7 In preparing or reviewing the placement plan the registered person shall, so far as practicable—

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Requirement Due date

seek and take account of the views of the members of the family;

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Requirement Due date

take account of any relevant assessment or other report relating to any member of the family which may be provided by the placing authority. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the quality of children and parents’ placement plans.

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Requirement Due date

employ a person to work at the residential family centre unless that person is fit to work at a residential family centre; or

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Requirement Due date

allow a person to whom paragraph (2) applies, to work at the residential family centre unless that person is fit to work at a residential family centre.

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Requirement Due date

This paragraph applies to any person who is employed by a person other than the registered person in a position in which he may in the course of his duties have regular contact with residents.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (1), a person is not fit to work at a residential family centre unless—

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to him in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 2. Regulation 16 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to safer recruitment checks of all staff who work at the centre. 22 April 2022

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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

This specifically relates to staff having training in relation to safeguarding risks, including fire safety, child exploitation, radicalisation and gang affiliation. In addition, to all staff 22 April 2022 Inspection report for residential family centre: Chariteens Residential Family Centre 8 completing training in child development, managing allegations against staff and managing challenging behaviour. Also, all staff having regular supervision and yearly appraisals.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that any complaint made under the complaints procedure is fully investigated. (Regulation 20 (2))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to complaints being reviewed and investigated by someone who is not involved with the complaint. 22 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that—

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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;

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all parts of the residential family centre are kept clean and reasonably decorated. (Regulation 21 (2)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the cleanliness of the centre and that any damage through wear and tear to the property is repaired. 22 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6) and any requirements for electronic monitoring imposed by a court under any enactment, the registered person must ensure that electronic or mechanical monitoring devices for the surveillance of residents are not used in a residential family centre, except for the purpose of—

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Requirement Due date

safeguarding their welfare, or that of other residents accommodated in the centre; or

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Requirement Due date

assessment or monitoring carried out under regulation 13A.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that any use of such devices is subject to the following conditions:

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Requirement Due date

its use is no more intrusive than necessary.

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Requirement Due date

Where the use of such devices is used for the purpose at paragraph (1)(b), the registered person must also ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

its use is provided for in the placement plan. 22 April 2022 Inspection report for residential family centre: Chariteens Residential Family Centre 9 The registered person must ensure that staff at the residential family centre are appropriately trained and understand the requirements imposed by this regulation before they use any such devices. (Regulation 21A (1)(a)(b) (2)(b) (3)(b) (4))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the use of CCTV, including baby monitors. This should be used to safeguard children and risk assessments should be in place and updated.

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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

make arrangements for persons working at the residential family centre to receive suitable training in fire prevention. (Regulation 22 (1)(a)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to fire safety within the home, including suitable fire doors, fire exits and fire exit signs. 22 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall establish and maintain a system for—

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the quality of care provided at the residential family centre.

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Requirement Due date

[The system referred to in paragraph (1) must provide for adequate consideration of matters raised under regulation 18 by persons working at the residential family centre.]

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall supply to the [Chief Inspector] a report in respect of any review conducted by him for the purposes of paragraph (1), and make a copy of the report available to residents.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (1) shall provide for consultation with residents. (Regulation 23 (1)(a)(b) (1A) (2) (3)) 22 April 2022 Inspection report for residential family centre: Chariteens Residential Family Centre 1 This specifically relates to the quality of care review being completed and sent to Ofsted.

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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: Chariteens Residential Family Centre 1

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Chariteens Residential Family Centre CIC

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: 10 Khartoum Road, London E13 8RF

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Inspector

Lisa O’Donovan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Chariteens Residential Family Centre 1 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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