Savannah Lodge - Primrose Cottage

Inspection report for residential family centre: Savannah Lodge - Primrose Cottage 1 Savannah Lodge - Primrose Cottage Savannah Lodge Limited Primrose Cottage, High Wych Road, Sawbridgeworth CM21 0HH Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

The centre is owned by a private organisation. It provides care, accommodation and residential parenting assessments for up to 10 families. The centre can provide Parent Assessment Manual (PAMS) assessments. Parenting assessments take a minimum of 12 weeks.

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Information about this residential family centre

The registered manager left in January 2022. At present, there is no manager is in post.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and parents, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and parents 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

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requires improvement to be good

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 previous inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for residential family centre: Savannah Lodge - Primrose Cottage 2

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improvement to be good

The centre registered in October 2021. Serious weaknesses in the safeguarding procedures and poor monitoring systems are reflected in the judgement of requires improvement to be good. Despite these shortfalls, there is a well-formed and reliable approach to parenting assessments which several professionals have commented on positively.

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improvement to be good

The large detached house provides spacious family bedrooms, a choice of communal areas and housekeeping facilities. The play equipment and toys are limited and do not provide children with enough choice or variety. This does not provide an environment in which children and babies are stimulated.

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improvement to be good

Parents rarely attend local groups that develop their parenting skills. Initial connections are made with local children’s centres and parenting groups. However, the support from staff to enable the use of these networks is limited. The location of groups means that parents have to travel some distance. Therefore, the parents do not feel comfortable or able to attend.

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improvement to be good

The staff use referral information to create good-quality family placement plans. This information includes court instructions or objectives from the local authority, depending on the child’s legal status. Well-developed aims are formed, and parents’ individual needs and backgrounds are understood and taken into account. This creates a strong foundation that underpins the successful sequencing of each family’s assessment.

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improvement to be good

Parents’ capacity is assessed in a clear time frame. Any delays are justified. The reports are completed by qualified social workers and incorporate sound evidence- based methods that demonstrate how the final recommendations are reached. Observations and findings, including concerns, are shared with the family throughout the assessment process. This makes the assessment process dependable, fair and transparent.

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improvement to be good

The staff provide support sessions each week and adapt these sessions when necessary to meet parents’ individual learning needs. This encourages parents’ self- care throughout the assessment and, in some cases, has enabled families to remain together.

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improvement to be good

The manager has failed to refer a serious allegation about a member of staff to the local authority designated officer (LADO). This means that the manager’s initial investigation took place without external oversight. The management of the Inspection report for residential family centre: Savannah Lodge - Primrose Cottage 3 allegation fails to reflect the centre’s safeguarding policy and deviates from the agreed procedure. This fails to protect parents who are undergoing assessment.

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improvement to be good

The centre has established landscaped gardens which present a number of hazards to small children. The side gate entrance to the rear garden is stuck open and the latch is not working. Areas of the patio are uneven and there is one unfixed slab. Safety gates on the decking to prevent access to the decking steps are not closed. Shed storage areas that contain building materials and old furniture are accessible because the gate is left open. The patio and flower beds are full of thistles. There are discarded items of rubbish, including a soiled nappy, a tin can and soiled tissue lying on the ground. A discarded broken pram is parked in a flower bed. The grass is too long for small children to play and run around. This means that children do not benefit from quality outdoor play experiences.

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improvement to be good

Smoking is not managed properly to ensure a pleasant child-friendly environment. Smoking debris is evident in patio areas, on the decking and in abundance under the smoking shelter. A first-floor patio door that leads to a balcony was left unlocked for one day because staff lost the key. The oven door in one kitchen is jammed open and broken. Although some of these areas were addressed during the inspection, the monitoring and management of the house and garden are not good enough.

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improvement to be good

Comprehensive risk assessments detail families’ individual risks and guide the staff by providing clear strategies for how to reduce these. Staff consider parents’ additional learning needs and risk-reduction strategies are suitably adapted. These approaches ensure that individual risks are reduced and that assessments can be undertaken smoothly.

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improvement to be good

The manager carefully assesses each new family’s vulnerabilities and associated risks by obtaining a wide range of information before the family’s arrival. The management team uses this information to assess any known risks and ensure that families are compatible to live communally.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the dynamics between the families well. When conflicts occur, they are quickly identified by staff. Effective reparation meetings enable families to resolve their differences. This ensures that these conflicts are minimised and the families can focus on their assessment.

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improvement to be good

Closed-circuit television surveillance is used proportionately and subject to regular review to protect parents’ privacy and dignity.

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good

The registered manager in post when the centre opened left very soon after. Since then, the centre manager and one of the social workers have jointly managed the centre. A new manager has recently been appointed and will apply to Ofsted to register. Inspection report for residential family centre: Savannah Lodge - Primrose Cottage 4 At the weekends, staffing is minimal. This reduces the choices for families who cannot go out without staff supervision. During the week, there are enough staff. The support systems for the staff are intermittent. Some of the staff have not had regular supervision and have highlighted this. For new and inexperienced staff, this fails to give them the support and guidance that they need.

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good

The manager has devised daily checks for staff to highlight general health and safety issues. However, the current checks are not strong enough to detect shortfalls and hazards. This places children at risk of harm. In addition, this fails to provide an example for parents of a safe domestic environment.

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good

The external monitoring visit reports are not always submitted to Ofsted within required timescales. The reports lack critical and meaningful scrutiny and, at times, include little information. Professional feedback is not sought, which reduces the effectiveness of this independent safeguard.

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good

The manager has failed to notify serious concerns about a member of staff to Ofsted. This reduces the oversight and information that Ofsted has.

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good

The statement of purpose contains information that is inaccurate in regard to the manager and the staff. This has not been updated following staff changes and therefore is misleading to placing authorities.

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good

Wider feedback is mainly positive. Social workers said that verbal communication is good. The quality of assessment and support are good. The staff are proficient and balanced in delivering sensitive and difficult messages when required. However, one social worker reported a delay in receiving weekly reports and, consequently, could not provide any feedback on the progress of their family’s assessment. Inspection report for residential family centre: Savannah Lodge - Primrose Cottage 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

keep under review and where appropriate revise the statement of purpose; and

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Requirement Due date

notify Ofsted within 28 days of any such revision. (Regulation 4 (4)(a)(b)) 27 May 2022

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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. (Regulation 12 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure the prompt referral of allegations to the LADO. 27 May 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

In particular, ensure that staff have regular supervision meetings. 30 June 2022

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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;

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Requirement Due date

all parts of the residential family centre are kept clean and reasonably decorated; 30 June 2022 Inspection report for residential family centre: Savannah Lodge - Primrose Cottage 6 external grounds which are suitable for, and safe for use by, residents are provided and appropriately maintained. (Regulation 21 (2)(b)(c)(j))

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Requirement Due date

the grass is cut and flower beds and patio areas are free from rubbish and weeds;

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Requirement Due date

smoking is restricted to one area and that smoking debris is collected in a receptacle and emptied;

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Requirement Due date

fences, gates and patio slabs are repaired or replaced;

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Requirement Due date

any unwanted or leftover items are removed from the grounds and stored safely;

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Requirement Due date

areas that are not safe to access are kept locked.

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Requirement Due date

When the registered provider is an individual, but is not in day to day charge of the residential family centre, he shall visit the residential family centre in accordance with this regulation.

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Requirement Due date

Visits under paragraph (1) or (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 consent and in private, such of the residents and person 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

prepare a written report on the conduct of the residential family centre. (Regulation 25 (1) (3) (4)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there is enough information to report on the conduct of the centre and inspect and report on the premises. 31 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

If, in relation to a residential family centre, any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in schedule 5 takes place, the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table. (Regulation 26 (1)) 27 May 2022 Inspection report for residential family centre: Savannah Lodge - Primrose Cottage 7 This specifically relates to ensuring that Ofsted is notified of any allegations made against the staff.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that appropriate support is provided to parents to connect with local health agencies, health centres and parenting groups without delay. (Residential family centres: NMS 6.3)  The registered person should ensure that the centre provides facilities for the care of babies and children of all ages. In particular, they should ensure that there is a choice of developmental resources and a range of outdoor play equipment. (Residential family centres: NMS 11.4)  The registered person should ensure that the overall number, competence and deployment of staff, both as a staff group and on individual shifts, can fulfil the statement of purpose and meet the individual needs of all the parents and children resident at the centre. In particular, the registered person should ensure that there are enough staff on duty at weekends. (Residential family centres: NMS 15.1)  The registered person should provide copies of the records and documents in

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Recommendations

relation to parents and children to the responsible authority immediately on receipt of a written or electronic request. In particular, they should ensure that weekly reports are shared with social workers. (Residential family centres: NMS 20.6)

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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: Savannah Lodge - Primrose Cottage 8

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Savannah Lodge Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: 65 Fir Park, Harlow CM19 4JU

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Residential family centre details

Email address: primrose@savannahlodge.org

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Inspectors

Deirdra Keating, Social Care Inspector Mark Anderton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Savannah Lodge - Primrose Cottage 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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