Purple Heart Project - Children's Services

Inspection report for residential family centre: Purple Heart Project - Children’s Services 1 Purple Heart Project - Children’s Services VKYB Enterprises Limited St. Chads Vicarage, Ragpath Lane, Stockton-on-tees TS19 9JN Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This service is privately run, and is registered to provide parenting assessments for up to three families.

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Information about this residential family centre

This is the first full inspection since the service was registered with Ofsted in August 2021.

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Information about this residential family centre

The registered manager has been in post since the registration of this service.

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

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of previous inspection: not applicable

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for residential family centre: Purple Heart Project - Children’s Services 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

There are significant shortfalls in the leadership and management of the centre and in the safety and placement for children and parents. These shortfalls put families at serious risk of harm. Ofsted has issued a notice restricting accommodation and two compliance notices as a result of this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

The service is ill-prepared for families moving into the residential family centre. Families’ support plans have not been developed from the instruction of the court or from the local authority plan. This means there is no structure to the assessment work carried out by the service. Support plans are not reviewed or amended to reflect the families’ progress within their assessment. Furthermore, these plans are not shared with families at any stage of their assessment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

Individual and group risks are not carefully considered prior to families moving into the home to ensure that families are compatible. Parents have arrived at the home unexpectedly and moved in without the necessary local authority documentation, or risk assessments that would support and inform staff responding to risk. The manager has routinely failed to accurately record necessary details about the admission and discharge of parents and children in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

During the assessment period, parents and children are helped to keep in contact with significant people, including family members. The manager also works with other agencies to enable families to relocate when necessary to keep families and children safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

The assessments submitted to the placing local authorities lacked sufficient detail. Assessments fail to draw on the family’s historical evidence, patterns of behaviour and parental commitment to change. They are not completed, or quality assured, by a qualified social worker. Parents’ views of the assessments are not recorded or evaluated, and parents do not view the final assessment until after it is filed with the local authority.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

Parents are offered a nurturing programme. The records from these sessions are poor and, in three examples, there were duplicated recordings in what should be individualised sessions for assessment. The quality of discussions with parents offers little reflection or testing of parenting ability. There is no identification of further areas that staff need to focus on during observations or key-work discussions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

Children and parents are registered with local health services. This makes sure that emerging health needs can be met and monitored when required. The service has also established organised activities for parents and children at the local community hub.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Inspection report for residential family centre: Purple Heart Project - Children’s Services 3 Risk assessments are not updated to reflect changes to children’s or parents’ risks. This means that staff do not have up-to-date information about children’s and families’ risks and vulnerabilities. There is no monitoring from managers to ensure that necessary action is taken by staff to manage and reduce risks and adhere to safety plans. This has led to inconsistencies in staff responses and does not adequately protect children from harm.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Insufficient management oversight has meant that children, parents and staff have been transported in the provider’s car for months without a valid Ministry of Transport (MOT) test. The car is currently in the garage, but has failed its MOT as it is not deemed to be roadworthy. Children and families are potentially at risk because of this failure.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Inadequate fire evacuation procedures prevent families from independently exiting the home in an emergency. The manager has not followed the specialist advice and assessment from the fire service regarding emergency evacuation procedures. For example, she has not changed the locks on external doors to facilitate keyless exit. This lack of action and disregard for specialist advice places children, parents and staff at risk if there was a fire.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

The home is not well maintained to protect children and parents from potential hazards. The internal fire doors are fitted, but the force and speed at which these doors close could cause significant injury should a child’s fingers be caught in the hinge cavity. Furthermore, there were sharp knives left in an unlocked kitchen drawer and unused building materials left in the garden.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Parents are made aware of the complaints procedure, and they are able to raise concerns about their experience. The manager has not responded appropriately to these complaints and this means that there is no resolve for parents.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) is fitted in the service. The CCTV policy does not inform families how staff will monitor parents and children. There is no consideration given to how written records will be used and what action is taken when there are changes to the levels of family surveillance, including when surveillance is not required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has not developed her knowledge of the residential family centre’s regulations 2002, the national minimum standards or the social care common inspection framework for residential family centres, since her registration. This seriously impacts on her insight and necessary oversight of the home, and there is no evidence of monitoring processes to support the manager to effectively complete necessary tasks, such as reviewing the quality of assessments.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager does not ensure that the home is run in line with the statement of purpose. Families’ stays at the home have extended beyond the identified Inspection report for residential family centre: Purple Heart Project - Children’s Services 4 assessment period. The extension of the service provision has been permitted by the manager, despite a continuation of incidents, for example where parents’ behaviours have demonstrated an inability to put the child’s needs first. Updates of the statement of purpose have not been sent by the manager to Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The provider has commissioned an independent person to complete monthly external audits. These audits and the independent person’s opinion of the service have failed to identify regulatory breeches that impact on the welfare and safety of children and parents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has failed to inform Ofsted of significant incidents. There have been incidents in the home where parents have had a significant illness that has required an extended hospital admission. Despite the manager’s review and reflection on these incidents with the independent person, Ofsted has not been notified. This shortfall impacts on the regulator’s oversight of the home about the welfare of children and parents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not consistently follow guidance provided to parents, for example regarding the feeding of babies and infants. The manager has not implemented National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance or developed relationships with health agencies to improve collaborative working.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Safer recruitment practices overall are implemented, with all staff employed having a disclosure and barring service check. Other checks and references are requested in line with the requirements of the regulations. However, there are shortfalls relating to references. For example, the manager did not explore the reasons why an applicant terminated their previous employment, or ask if the applicant is suitable to work with children and vulnerable adults. Inspection report for residential family centre: Purple Heart Project - Children’s Services 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 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

keep under review and where appropriate revise the statement of purpose and resident’s guide; and

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Requirement Due date

notify the [Chief Inspector] within 28 days of any such revision.

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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) (4)(a)(b) (5)) 23 September

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person shall ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

all parts of the residential family centre to which residents have access are so far as reasonably practicable free from hazards to their safety;

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Requirement Due date

any activities in which residents participate are so far as reasonably practicable free from avoidable risks; and

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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 11 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that hazards in the home are identified and effectively addressed, for example ensuring that risks from door closures are reduced, and ensuring the safety of cooking utensils such as knives. 4 September 2022 Inspection report for residential family centre: Purple Heart Project - Children’s Services 6 In addition, the registered person must ensure that the home’s vehicle checks and tests are carried out in accordance with the law.

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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

an assessment of the risks, if any, which a resident at the residential family centre may pre-sent to their own health, safety and welfare or that of other residents or staff at the centre.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall keep under review and revise the placement plan as necessary.

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall supply a copy of the placement plan and any revision of it to the placing authority and to the parent within the family to which it relates. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2) (3)(a)(b) (4)) 4 September 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the parents’ capacity to respond to the children’s needs and to safeguard their welfare is monitored or assessed by a suitably qualified person in accordance with the requirements of this regulation. (Regulation 13A (1)) 23 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall not— 23 September Inspection report for residential family centre: Purple Heart Project - Children’s Services 7 employ a person 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

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) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall also maintain the records specified in Schedule 4 in respect of the residential family centre. (Regulation 19 (3)) 23 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall establish a procedure (“the complaints procedure”) for considering complaints made to the registered person by a resident or a person acting on behalf of a resident.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that any complaint made under the complaints procedure is fully investigated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall, within 28 days after the date on which the complaint is made, or such shorter period as may be reasonable in the circumstances, inform the person who made the complaint of the action (if any) that is to be taken. (Regulation 20 (1) (2) (5)) 23 September

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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

the residents are informed in advance of the intention to use the device; and

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Requirement Due date

its use is no more intrusive than necessary. 23 September Inspection report for residential family centre: Purple Heart Project - Children’s Services 8 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

the resident being assessed or monitored consents to the use of the device in question; and

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Requirement Due date

its use is provided for in the placement plan.

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Requirement Due date

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)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b) (4))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the closed-circuit television (CCTV) policy includes how staff will monitor the families, how written records will be used and what action is taken when there are changes to the levels of family surveillance, including when surveillance is not required.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, the registered person must ensure that families understand the policy before moving into the home and that consent is obtained and well documented.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall establish and maintain a system for—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided 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. (Regulation 23 (1)(a)(b) (2)) 23 September

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Requirement Due date

The person carrying out the visit shall—

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Requirement Due date

interview, with their consent and in private, such of the residents and persons 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. (Regulation 25 (4)(a)) 23 September Inspection report for residential family centre: Purple Heart Project - Children’s Services 9 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)) 4 September 2022

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that families receive a robust, fair and evidence-based assessments that is carried out by a registered social worker in a manner consistent with guidance in Working Together to Safeguard Children. (Residential Family Centre National Minimum Standards 1.2).

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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: Purple Heart Project - Children’s Services 1

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: VKYB Enterprises Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: St. Chads Vicarage, Ragpath Lane, Stockton-on- tees TS19 9JN

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Residential family centre details

Email address: admin@purpleheartproject.co.uk

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Inspectors

Jennifer Fenlon, Social Care Inspector Catherine Heron, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Purple Heart Project - Children’s Services 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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