Granary Families Assessment Centre

Inspection report for residential family centre – monitoring visit: Granary Families Assessment Centre 1 Granary Families Assessment Centre 60 Vaughan Road, Harrow HA1 4EE

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

Granary Care Limited is a privately owned company. This residential family centre is registered to provide accommodation for up to seven families. The centre provides residential and community-based parenting assessments.

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Information about this residential family centre

The setting registered with Ofsted in July 2016. The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2016.

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Information about this residential family centre

At the time of this visit, five families were living at the centre. The inspector spoke to one parent.

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Information about this residential family centre

During this visit, inspectors were aware that serious child protection allegations were being investigated by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate allegations of this kind, actions taken by the centre in response to the allegations were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the visit to inform inspectors’ judgements

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to monitor the action taken in meeting the compliance notice issued following the monitoring visit on 9 February 2023. Ofsted issued a compliance notice as serious shortfalls were found in the monitoring of two families at the centre that undermined safeguarding practice. The monitoring arrangements for all families were not clearly detailed. Inspection report for residential family centre – monitoring visit: Granary Families Assessment Centre 2 Leaders and managers have addressed all the areas outlined in the compliance notice. They have demonstrated a commitment to safeguarding children through updating documentation, introducing new procedures and ensuring that staff have further training.

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This monitoring visit

A revised closed-circuit television (CCTV) policy has been introduced. The policy sets out how the techniques will be used to contribute to assessments and how families will be informed of their use for their particular circumstances. The policy also highlights how legitimate privacy will be protected and how families will be protected from potential abuse of such measures. Remote monitoring from mobile phones is no longer being used. Staff have to sign a log every hour to demonstrate that they are monitoring the CCTV on a 24-hour basis.

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This monitoring visit

The arrangements for monitoring parents have been strengthened. The importance of the CCTV monitoring is regularly discussed at team meetings. Leaders and managers also aim to ensure that it is a standard agenda item at each handover meeting, individual supervision and group reflection sessions. Staff have also undertaken further safeguarding training which covered safer caring, child protection and surveillance.

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This monitoring visit

The monitoring and surveillance arrangements for each family are clear and agreed by their placing authority. Agreements are in place which are signed by parents and a representative from their placing authority. The centre has clearly defined levels of monitoring, which include standard, high and advanced levels. This ensures that parents and placing authorities understand the monitoring arrangements.

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This monitoring visit

Parents are aware that surveillance and monitoring are for the sole purpose of safeguarding their children. All parents sign to consent to the use of CCTV, baby monitors and room searches. Only two families are currently subject to 24-hour monitoring and one-to-one supervision.

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This monitoring visit

A parent and a staff member acknowledged their awareness of the surveillance and monitoring arrangements. Email confirmation was also seen from a placing authority confirming their agreement to a reduced level of monitoring due to the lower level of risk.

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This monitoring visit

Effective arrangements have been implemented to ensure that parents, placing authorities and staff are clear about the monitoring and surveillance needed for each family. This will contribute to the safeguarding measures to protect children. The visit concluded that the provider has met the compliance notice. Inspection report for residential family centre – monitoring visit: Granary Families Assessment Centre 3

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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: Granary Families Assessment Centre 4

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Granary Care Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: 60 Vaughan Road, Harrow HA1 4EE

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Residential family centre details

Responsible individual: Natasha Puckerin

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Residential family centre details

Registered manager: Paullette Jean-Jacques

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Inspector

Sharon Payne: Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre – monitoring visit: Granary Families Assessment Centre 5 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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