The Woodbridge Family Centre Upton House

Inspection report for residential family centre – monitoring visit: The Woodbridge Family Centre Upton House 1 The Woodbridge Family Centre Upton House 2 Knot Tiers Drive, Upton, Northamptonshire NN5 4AY

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This privately run residential family centre is registered to accommodate up to four families (consisting of a total of five persons). The primary purpose of the centre is to complete evidence-based assessments of parenting capacity and skills. Families are typically assessed for 12 weeks.

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Information about this residential family centre

The manager has applied for registration with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was undertaken to address specific concerns or allegations received by Ofsted. Requirements and recommendations made at the previous inspection were not considered at this visit. A new manager commenced in post in August 2022; she has applied to Ofsted for registration.

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This monitoring visit

Families report that they feel well supported during their assessments and that they have made positive relationships with staff. Staff also feel well supported by their team colleagues and managers. Staff have many opportunities for professional development. However, since the previous inspection, there has been a deterioration in the functioning of the centre.

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This monitoring visit

The centre does not have the appropriate type of car seat for a child living at the centre. As a result, on one occasion, the child travelled to a pre-planned destination in a vehicle without a car seat. The provider has not been proactive in buying a car seat suitable for the child. There is a significant risk to children’s welfare by travelling in this way, for example should the vehicle be involved in an accident. Inspection report for residential family centre – monitoring visit: The Woodbridge Family Centre Upton House 2 A further safeguarding concern was identified. On one occasion, when an allegation of harm was made against a member of staff, a referral to the local authority designated officer and a notification to Ofsted were not made in a timely way. This greatly limits the ability of safeguarding professionals to monitor the service and to act on information to safeguard children.

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This monitoring visit

Record-keeping is, at times, disorganised. Leaders struggled to find some pertinent records during the visit. For one family, weekly reports have not been sent to a placing authority as requested, which limits the placing authority’s oversight of the placement. The new manager has now instigated a more detailed audit system to help ensure that there is more managerial oversight of records.

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This monitoring visit

Communication with placing authorities is not always effective. On one occasion, a family’s supervision levels were decreased without the placing authority, or any other relevant professional, being consulted. This demonstrates a lack of working in conjunction with the placing authority and may put a child at risk of harm. On occasion, family or staff concerns about the progress of an assessment, whether positive or negative, have not been escalated to the placing authority.

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This monitoring visit

The statement of purpose is out of date. It still contains information about the previous manager. It does not describe the service offered by the psychologist and it misrepresents the community-based activities available to parents. As a result, professionals using the statement of purpose to make decisions about a potential placement may be misled.

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This monitoring visit

Parents report that, on occasion, they are bored and that community-based activities, such as playgroups, are not available. This is a missed opportunity to further enhance the family’s assessment. The manager has identified this shortfall and is researching available local groups.

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This monitoring visit

In addition, recommendations made in final assessment reports are not always shared with parents.

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This monitoring visit

Since the previous inspection, a psychologist has been providing regular consultation and advice to the staff team. While this is a welcome addition to the service, there is no record kept of these sessions. On occasion, placement plans are changed as a result of the advice of the psychologist. Therefore, verifiable evidence which the placing authority or court may need to help understand assessment recommendations is not available. Inspection report for residential family centre – monitoring visit: The Woodbridge Family Centre Upton House 3

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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 the procedure under paragraph (1)(b) must in particular provide for the prompt referral to the local authority in whose area the residential family centre is situated, of any allegations of abuse or neglect affecting any child accommodated in the residential family centre. (Regulation 12 (2)(b)) 19 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that unnecessary risks to the health or safety of residents are identified and so far as possible eliminated. (Regulation 11 (1)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to using child car seats for any non- emergency journey. 15 December 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall establish and maintain a system for reviewing at appropriate intervals; and improving, the quality of care provided at the residential family centre. (Regulation 23 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that documentation requested by the placing authority is sent in a timely fashion. 19 January 2023

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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 (4))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the placing authority is consulted about any change to the placement plan. 19 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that methods of assessment or monitoring must be capable of evaluating the parents’ capacity to change. (Regulation 13A (3))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the centre escalates any concerns held by the placing authority or relevant person 19 January 2023 Inspection report for residential family centre – monitoring visit: The Woodbridge Family Centre Upton House 4 to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plan.

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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. (Regulation 4 (1)) 19 January 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that parents are helped to understand and accept the outcome of the assessment. (Residential Family Centres: NMS 1.14)  The registered person should implement an effective policy that clarifies the purpose, format and content of information to be kept on the registered person’s files and information to be kept on the parents’ and children’s files. In particular, ensure that group supervision or guidance sessions are recorded. (Residential Family Centres: NMS 20.1)  The registered person should ensure that each centre is situated in a location that supports its aims and objectives and proposed models of assessment and support programmes. This includes access to external services, education and health facilities and recreational activities, and community groups. (Residential Family Centres: NMS 11.1)

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Information about this inspection

This visit was undertaken to address specific concerns or allegations received by Ofsted. Requirements and recommendations made at the previous Ofsted inspection were not considered at this visit.

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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: The Woodbridge Family Centre Upton House 5

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: The Woodbridge Family Centre Family Residential Assessments Ltd

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: 28 Hever Close, Northampton NN5 4WN

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Inspectors

Cathey Moriarty, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre – monitoring visit: The Woodbridge Family Centre Upton House 6 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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