Ohana Parental Assessment Centre

Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Ohana Parental Assessment Centre 1 Ohana Parental Assessment Centre 53 Palmers Drive, Grays RM17 5RA

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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 two families. The centre can provide Parent Assessment Manual assessments. Parenting assessments take a minimum of 12 weeks.

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Information about this residential family centre

The manager registered at the same time as the centre, in December 2021.

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Inspection date: 18 October 2022

Date of previous inspection: 26 April 2022

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This monitoring visit

The provider has been subject to recent enforcement action.

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This monitoring visit

Following a full inspection in April 2022, Ofsted served a compliance and restriction of accommodation notice in relation to the serious shortfalls identified in the leadership and management of the home. On 24 June 2022, Ofsted conducted a monitoring visit and found that the provider had not taken sufficient action to meet the steps set out in the compliance notice. On 26 July 2022, a further monitoring visit took place which found the provider had not taken sufficient action to meet five out of the eight steps of the compliance notice. The remaining shortfalls were raised as statutory requirements.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to clarify the current managerial arrangements and assess the provider’s readiness to accommodate families after the restriction of accommodation notice was lifted in October 2022. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Ohana Parental Assessment Centre 2 Several improvements have been made in relation to addressing the previously identified shortfalls.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager remains in post. An experienced interim responsible individual has been appointed. They are providing consistent managerial oversight at the centre. A full-time deputy manager has been appointed. Regular and objective supervisions are taking place with the manager. The manager has undertaken additional training courses to enhance their knowledge and skills and has enrolled on a relevant leadership qualification. The combination of these measures provides increased assurance that the centre will be managed professionally and competently.

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This monitoring visit

An independent consultant with relevant expertise has been undertaking monthly monitoring visits. This has included support to the manager to implement the centre’s improvement plan. Proposed weekly monitoring arrangements are now in place. These changes are likely to improve the overall effectiveness of monitoring systems.

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This monitoring visit

The management team has reviewed policies and procedures. The safeguarding policy now includes local authority procedures and clear guidance for staff in the event of an allegation being made. The complaints procedure has been amended and includes suitable guidance for staff and parents. The surveillance policy has been updated. These improvements provide more confidence that appropriate governance will be maintained across the centre.

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This monitoring visit

There are now systems to ensure that notifications are made to Ofsted when required. This is likely to support Ofsted having suitable oversight of the centre’s safeguarding arrangements.

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This monitoring visit

The management team has adapted frameworks for placement planning and risk assessing. These now have prompts for staff to include individual objectives and health needs. There is scope to evaluate the combined risks of families living communally. Although not tested, this is more likely to provide consistent and individualised support and guidance in line with court instructions to aid parenting assessments.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has maintained contact with local health and children’s services. Clearer guidance for families to register at children’s centres is in place. There have been improvements in the centre’s facilities and resources, which include suitable play equipment for children of varying age groups. The garden has been revamped and is a more appealing and stimulating area.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has not followed safe recruitment processes. Five permanent staff are currently employed and have undertaken the provider’s mandatory training programme. However, the appropriate vetting procedures for staff are not complete. Some required references are missing and not all staff have recorded a full employment history or provided written explanations of gaps in their employment. Verification of the reasons for leaving previous employment that involved supporting Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Ohana Parental Assessment Centre 3 vulnerable adults or children is not always included. As a result, recruitment procedures do not adequately reduce the potential for unsuitable people to gain employment at the centre.

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This monitoring visit

Three recommendations that were raised at the last inspection were outside of the scope of this visit and were not reviewed. There are no families currently accommodated at the centre. Consequently, these recommendations are restated. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Ohana Parental Assessment Centre 4

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

For the purpose of paragraph (1) a person is not fit to work at the 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) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 4 November 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should take into account, record and monitor parents’ views and wishes about the operation of the centre, including any concerns they may have. (Residential family centres: NMS 2.1)  The registered person should ensure that the placement plan incorporates the requirements of any referring agency and, when applicable, the court. Ensure that, when required, a letter of instruction from court is used to inform family placement planning. (Residential family centres: NMS 9.3)  The registered person should ensure that the manager regularly monitors, in line with the Residential Family Centre Regulations 2002 as amended, all records kept by the centre, to ensure compliance with the centre’s policies, to identify any concerns about specific incidents and to identify patterns and trends. Immediate Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Ohana Parental Assessment Centre 5

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Recommendations

action should be taken to address any issues raised by this monitoring. (Residential family centres: NMS 19.2)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the residential family centre since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Ohana Parental Assessment Centre 6

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Ohana Parental Assessment Centre Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: 53 Palmers Drive, Grays RM17 5RA

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Residential family centre details

Responsible individual: Sarjit Chakraborty

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Inspector

Mark Anderton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Ohana Parental Assessment Centre 7 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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