Family Assessment Centre

Inspection report for residential family centre: Family Assessment Centre 1 Family Assessment Centre Kaleidoscope Assessment Services Limited 881 Chester Road, Stretford, Manchester M32 0RN Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre is registered to provide care for up to three families at any one time.

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Information about this residential family centre

The residential family centre is privately owned. Families access the centre at the direction of the court and/or the local authority for the purposes of assessment.

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Information about this residential family centre

The residential family centre registered with Ofsted in July 2014.

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Information about this residential family centre

There is no registered manager for the centre. The acting manager has applied to register with Ofsted. He is awaiting an interview.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and parents, taking into account requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and parents are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The centre is not yet delivering good assessments of parenting capacity and/or is not delivering good care and help. The weaknesses identified need to be addressed to fully support children’s and parents’ progress through the assessment process and to mitigate risk in the medium and long term. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that mean children’s welfare is not safeguarded and promoted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of last inspection: 12 December 2022

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Inspection report for residential family centre: Family Assessment Centre 2 On 25 January 2023, Ofsted carried out a visit to the centre to monitor compliance notices served under regulations 8, 15, 17, 21 and 23 following the centre’s full inspection on 12 December 2022. The compliance notices related to the lack of management oversight and monitoring of the centre. In addition to this, the quality and safety of the accommodation for families were poor. Inspectors found that the manager had taken suitable action to meet three of the compliance notices. The compliance notices under regulations 8 and 23 were not met and so they were reissued. Inspection report for residential family centre: Family Assessment Centre 3

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improvement to be good

There have been no families living in the centre since the last visit. Therefore, the focus of this inspection was to look at the work that has been undertaken to improve the service, the centre’s environment and systems used, in preparation for new families being admitted to the centre.

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improvement to be good

The senior team has worked hard to implement several improvements to the centre, since the inadequate judgement at the previous inspection. The centre has been fully renovated and decorated. It is clean, well equipped, suitably furnished and homely. There are also clear systems in place to ensure that families’ flats are maintained to a high standard.

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improvement to be good

There is a qualified social worker in post to undertake families’ assessments. She is supervised by an appropriately experienced external professional, who also quality- assures her assessments. Improvements have been made to the process of planning assessment sessions with parents and to ensuring that there is effective monitoring and recording of the sessions.

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improvement to be good

There is a robust system in place for gathering full information from placing authorities in relation to families’ needs, prior to placements commencing. The manager has introduced pre-placement meetings with the staff team, the families and children’s social workers to ensure that all key information is shared. This information is used to tailor the direct work to be undertaken with parents to develop their parenting capacity.

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improvement to be good

The parents’ guide and induction to the centre’s processes provide families with the information they need to help them settle and understand why they are living at the centre and what to expect from their stay. There are many opportunities for families to express their views and to be listened to by staff. There are also clear directions available to parents should they wish to raise concerns or make a complaint.

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improvement to be good

Community resources are identified for families to access help and support for activities, mental health and community participation.

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improvement to be good

The manager has introduced systems to ensure that there is a greater level of monitoring and oversight of the safety of the centre. The senior team undertakes regular flat checks and risk assessments, from which action plans are implemented to ensure that identified risks are addressed without delay. Inspection report for residential family centre: Family Assessment Centre 4 The quality of matching risk assessments has improved. There is now a clear system for assessing the risks of the families coming into the centre. This includes considering individual risks for parents to ensure that they can live safely together in the centre with one another.

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improvement to be good

There is a strong emphasis and system in place in relation to obtaining all placing authority documents, including risk assessments, to ensure that all risks are known and considered prior to families being offered a placement.

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improvement to be good

Inspectors were provided with an example of a proposed risk assessment for families. The assessment was clear and identified individual risks and the strategies staff should follow to reduce or mitigate risks. The manager has also introduced a mental health safety plan, which ensures that the staff team takes a proactive approach to supporting families to maintain positive mental health.

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improvement to be good

All families will have a direct work schedule, including sessions aimed at supporting parents to make safer choices and reduce any risk behaviour. This will depend on their individual needs and considers risks such as domestic violence, drug and alcohol misuse and criminality.

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improvement to be good

The manager and the deputy manager have both attended safer recruitment training. However, sufficient information has not been obtained relating to the reason for one staff member leaving a previous care role. A good practice recommendation has been made to address this.

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good

The manager and senior team presented as confident and committed to driving improvement in the standards of care and support for families. They have used lessons learned to make improvements to how the centre will be operated. Inspectors found that suitable action has been taken to meet the two compliance notices and all the requirements made at the last full inspection.

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good

Some staff have left their roles while the centre has not been in operation. However, there are enough experienced and suitably trained staff to admit one family to the centre. The leadership team is currently recruiting additional staff to join the team.

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good

The manager has developed a thorough induction process for new staff. It includes a structured plan to support new staff through their probationary period. All existing staff have had a reintroduction to their roles. This includes reviewing their understanding of policies, procedures and recording systems in preparation for the centre reopening. Staff training is monitored well by the manager. The current staff team has undertaken all mandatory training and additional training that is specific to families’ potential needs and risks.

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good

Team meetings now have a focused agenda that includes monitoring families’ progress and exploring any safeguarding issues. A new supervision template has Inspection report for residential family centre: Family Assessment Centre 5 been introduced. It promotes reflective practice and encourages staff to express their views.

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good

The manager’s monitoring system is improved. Most documents have evidence of the manager’s oversight. There are clear systems in place to make sure that monitoring takes place regularly and is effective. The review of the quality-of-care report by the manager is self-evaluative. It includes feedback from those involved with the centre, lessons learned and an action plan to continue to improve the quality of care provided to families.

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good

The arrangements for external monitoring of the centre have significantly improved. A new company undertakes the independent visitor monthly reports. The reports provide a higher level of scrutiny and make appropriate recommendations in relation to improving the service. Inspection report for residential family centre: Family Assessment Centre 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they can demonstrate, including from written and electronic records, that they consistently follow good recruitment practice, and all applicable current statutory requirements and guidance, in staff recruitment. This includes all requirements in Schedule 2 of the Residential Family Centres Regulations 2002. (‘Residential family centres: national minimum standards’, page 22, 14.2)

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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: Family Assessment Centre 7

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Kaleidoscope Assessment Services Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: Finsley House, Finsley Street, Briercliffe, Burnley, Lancashire BB10 2HN

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Inspectors

Cheryl Field, Social Care Inspector Charlie Bamber, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Family Assessment Centre 8 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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