Oikos Family Assessment Centres

Inspection report for residential family centre: Oikos Family Assessment Centres 1 Oikos Family Assessment Centres Oikos Family Centres Office F06, First Floor, Dawson’s House, Owlcotes Lane, Pudsey LS28 6PY Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This service registered in September 2020 and is privately owned and managed. It is registered to provide parenting assessments for up to four families.

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Information about this residential family centre

The property is situated in a semi-rural setting, with a large garden to the rear. The families have their own bedrooms, some of which are ensuite. Families share the communal space which includes two kitchen/dining rooms, two lounges and bathrooms.

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Information about this residential family centre

The registered manager left the service in August 2022. An acting manager is in post and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this residential family centre

At the time of the inspection, there were three families living at the residential family centre.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and parents, taking into account good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and parents are helped and protected 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 residential family centre provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate Inspection report for residential family centre: Oikos Family Assessment Centres 2

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Following the full inspection on 27 and 28 July 2022, the service was judged to be inadequate. The inspection found significant breaches in regulations relating to the placement and assessment of families and the management oversight of the service.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Ofsted issued two compliance notices under section 22 of the Care Standards Act 2000. These were in relation to regulation 8 (registered person—general requirements), regulation 13 (placements) and 13A (assessments). A notice restricting accommodation was also issued with the compliance notices.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

At the monitoring visit on 22 November 2022, the provider demonstrated that all the steps in the compliance notices had been met. The notice restricting accommodation was then lifted. Inspection report for residential family centre: Oikos Family Assessment Centres 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Since the notice restricting accommodation has been lifted, the centre has focused on admitting families for assessment. Careful and sensitive planning takes place to ensure that individualised assessment and support are provided for families. This means that parents are given the opportunity to make the necessary changes to meet the needs of their children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Families receive a warm welcome when they arrive at the centre. Refreshments are provided and parents are given a welcome pack that includes essential toiletries, towels and bedding. This helps them to settle quickly in their new environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents speak positively about their experience of the assessment process. It is early days for most parents, and, despite the usual anxieties, they feel well supported by staff. Staff carrying out observations, key work and parenting assessments are mindful of the impact on parents’ emotional well-being. Staff listen to parents and give them space, which helps them to fully engage in the assessment process.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The centre offers a range of extra-curricular activities, such as arts and crafts, and birthdays and festivals are celebrated. This provides a refreshing distraction from the daily parenting observations and gives parents good experiences and positive memories that remain with them when they leave.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The centre offers a comfortable and spacious environment with lots of resources, a play area and sensory room for the children. Bedrooms are well furnished, and parents have everything they need. Children attend nursery, and parents are supported to engage in local community groups as appropriate. This promotes independence for parents wherever possible.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents build trusted and dependable relationships with staff. The staff have a strong presence around the premises and support parents in their day-to-day care of their children. This ensures that assessments are transparent and families’ safety and well-being are promoted.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Recording activity is informative and reflects on the parents’ strengths and areas of continued development. Midway reports and final reports cannot be fully assessed as only one midway report has been completed. It did however inform future planning and capacity to sustain change. The assessing social worker needs to be mindful that reports are proofread and quality assured to ensure that they are correctly formatted prior to submission.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Children receive good help and protection, and prompt action is taken when there is a risk of harm to a child. This has resulted in one parent leaving the centre early due Inspection report for residential family centre: Oikos Family Assessment Centres 4 to staff vigilance and early intervention. Parents are aware of the responsibilities staff have in ensuring the safety and well-being of children and the action they need to take.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The improvements in impact risk assessments, safety plans and risk assessments demonstrate that risks and concerns are understood and mitigated effectively. Placement planning is aligned with the requirements of the local authority, and this is done in collaboration with all key professionals and parents. This informs the approach and type of assessment carried out and is tailored to each family.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Daily observations, key work and parenting assessments are personalised to help parents make the necessary changes to safely care for their children. Feedback from one professional said, ‘I have no safeguarding concerns at all, the assessment is tailored to the concerns we have, and parents have given some suggestions.’

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Recruitment of staff ensures that all staff are appropriately vetted. All required checks are carried out to confirm that individuals are safe to work with children and vulnerable adults.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The home is hazard free, and appropriate weekly health and safety checks are carried out. There are safety gates on all doors that lead to potentially hazardous areas. Window locks on all upstairs windows are in good working order. The home is clean and decorated to a high standard. There was one hazard identified that was immediately addressed during the inspection.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) is proportionate, and all surveillance and monitoring equipment is agreed at placement planning meetings and reviewed at midway point. Parents spoken to are clear about the use of CCTV and have signed an agreement to consent to its use. This means that children are monitored and observed to ensure their safety and well-being.

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good

Leaders and managers demonstrate an ambitious vision, acknowledge previous shortfalls and continue to be on a journey of improvement. The manager is juggling two roles and is currently carrying out the parenting assessments. However, an assessing social worker has been recruited and is due to start imminently.

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good

The manager has a background in social work, and this experience suggests realistic expectations for what parents can achieve. Consultation with the local authority ensures that decisions made are in the children’s best interests, which promotes their safety and well-being.

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good

A core team of staff have worked at the centre since it registered. New and existing staff are motivated and want the best for the families. They say that the service has significantly improved since there has been a change in management. The atmosphere is enabling and supportive at all levels. Inspection report for residential family centre: Oikos Family Assessment Centres 5 Staff receive face-to-face training in a range of subjects, such as adverse childhood experiences, attachment and effective recording. All staff are up to date with their mandatory training and most have completed their level 4 diploma. This means that staff are skilled and experienced in their respective roles.

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good

The promotion of a culturally and gender diverse staff and leadership team is a key strength of the centre. There is a real sense of a shared ownership and a willingness to deliver quality assessments that are child centred, consistent and safe.

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good

Supervision sessions and appraisals are not being carried out consistently, and the written record lacks reflection. There is no probationary report to evidence that staff have successfully completed their probation period. This does not provide reassurance that new staff have been appropriately assessed and supported to carry out their respective role.

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good

The statement of purpose needs to fully reflect the range of services offered. This includes accepting referrals from local authorities where parenting assessments are not required and other services are. This may include work with a parent following a negative assessment on, for example, health and well-being, advice and support.

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good

The requirement made at the last inspection has been met. This was in relation to ensuring that a written record is made of any complaint, the action taken and the outcome. Inspection report for residential family centre: Oikos Family Assessment Centres 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Residential Family Centre Regulations 2002 and the national minimum standards. The registered person 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

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. (The Residential Family Centres Regulation 2002. (Regulation 4 (1) (5)) 28 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

ensure that all permanent appointments are subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation.

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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 supervision and appraisal. (Regulation 17 (1)(a) (5)(a)) 28 April 2023

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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: Oikos Family Assessment Centres 7

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Oikos Family Centres Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: Office F06, First Floor, Dawson’s House, Owlcotes Lane, Pudsey LS28 6PY

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Inspector

Catherine Sikakana, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Oikos Family Assessment Centres 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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