Purple Heart Project - Children's Services

Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Purple Heart Project – Children’s Services 1 X` Purple Heart Project – Children’s Services St Chads Vicarage, Ragpath Lane, Stockton-on-Tees TS19 9JN

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This service is privately run and is registered to provide parenting assessments for up to three families.

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Information about this residential family centre

On 17 April 2023, the registered manager and the responsible individual informed Ofsted that they had resigned from their posts with immediate effect.

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Information about this residential family centre

On 2 October 2023, the director informed Ofsted that they are no longer in possession of the property where the residential family centre operated.

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Information about this residential family centre

Date of previous inspection: 25 January 2023

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This monitoring visit

This residential family centre was judged as inadequate at the full inspection on 25 and 26 January 2023. At that time, the inspectors found significant and widespread failures with regard to the safety and protection of children. As a result of that inspection, Ofsted issued a notice suspending the registration of the service and a notice proposing to cancel the registration of the service and the manager. In addition, Ofsted issued five compliance notices under Regulations 12, 13A, 15, 17 and 21A. Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit on 22 March 2023. The purpose of that visit was to review the progress and actions taken to meet the compliance notices and to review compliance with the suspension notice. The inspectors concluded that all of the steps set in the compliance notices under Regulations 12, 15 and 17 were unmet. One of the two steps in the Regulation 13A notice was unmet, and two of Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Purple Heart Project – Children’s Services 2

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This monitoring visit

the three steps in the Regulation 21A notice were unmet. All of the mentioned notices were reissued as a result of that inspection. Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit on 19 April 2023. The purpose of that visit was to review the suspension notice. No families had moved into this setting. The inspector found that the provider was adhering to the suspension notice. However, the suspension notice remained in place. Ofsted attended the centre on 11 May 2023. The purpose of that visit was to review the five compliance notices. Prior notice was provided of Ofsted’s intention to attend the centre. The inspector arrived at the centre on the date and time noted in Ofsted’s correspondence. No one answered the centre door, and the inspector was unable to gain entry to the property to review the compliance notices. The compliance notices were reissued. On 10 July 2023, Ofsted gave the registered provider notice of its intention, in

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This monitoring visit

accordance with the details contained in the compliance notices and the suspension notice, to attend the centre on 12 July 2023 to monitor these notices. The registered provider emailed Ofsted on 11 July 2023 to state that no representative of the organisation would accommodate the planned monitoring visit. The inspector was unable to review the compliance notices or assess any progress made to meet the steps set out in these notices. The compliance notices and suspension notice were reissued. On 7 August 2023, the registered provider contacted Ofsted by email to state that the registered premises of the residential family centre was no longer in use for this purpose. The registered provider requested that Ofsted stop arranging dates to visit to monitor the compliance notices. In accordance with Ofsted’s enforcement responsibilities, on 16 August 2023 an inspector visited the premises to confirm that the suspension notice issued on 14

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This monitoring visit

July 2023 was being adhered to. The inspector was unable to gain entry to the property. There was no evidence that families were living in the home. The suspension notice remains in place. The five compliance notices under Regulations 12, 13A, 15, 17 and 21A will not be reissued. However, since the issue of the compliance notices on 4 April 2023, the provider has failed to take any required action to address these significant breaches of regulation. On 2 October 2023, the registered provider contacted Ofsted by email stating that it is no longer in ownership of the registered premises of the residential family centre. On 3 October 2023, the registered provider contacted Ofsted by email stating that it has ceased operating. A Companies House check confirmed that the registered provider has applied to be struck off and dissolved as a company. Therefore, the suspension notice could not be reviewed or reissued. However, the significant and

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This monitoring visit

widespread failures with regard to the safety and protection of children remain. Should the registered provider start operating again, Ofsted would act in accordance with its enforcement responsibilities. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Purple Heart Project – Children’s Services 3

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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, The 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 prepare and implement a written child protection policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the residential family centre from abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure under paragraph (1)(b) must in particular provide for—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

written records to be kept of any allegation of abuse or neglect, and of the action taken in response; and

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Requirement Due date

consideration to be given in each case to the measures which may be necessary to protect children in the residential family centre following an allegation of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 12 (1)(a) (2)(b)(d)(e)) 13 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person must ensure that the parents’ capacity to respond to the children’s needs and to safeguard their welfare is monitored or assessed by a suitably qualified person in accordance with the requirements of this regulation.

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Requirement Due date

The methods of assessment or monitoring must be capable of evaluating the parents’ capacity to change.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that conclusions or recommendations are made as a result of the assessment or monitoring and that— 13 August 2023 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Purple Heart Project – Children’s Services 4 such conclusions or recommendations are objective and based on verifiable evidence. (Regulation 13A (1) (3) (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person shall ensure that there is, having regard to—

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Requirement Due date

the statement of purpose of the residential family centre, its size and the numbers and needs of its residents; and

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Requirement Due date

the need to safeguard and promote the health and welfare of residents,

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Requirement Due date

a sufficient number of suitably qualified, competent and experienced persons working for the residential family centre. (Regulation 15 (a)(b)) 13 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person must operate a disciplinary procedure which, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provides that the failure on the part of an employee to report an incident of abuse, or suspected abuse of a child accommodated in the residential family centre to an appropriate person is a ground on which disciplinary proceedings may be instituted.

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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 training, supervision and appraisal. (Regulation 17 (2)(b) (5)(a)) 13 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

*Subject to paragraph (6) and any requirements for electronic monitoring imposed by a court under any enactment, the registered person must ensure that electronic or mechanical monitoring devices for the surveillance of residents are not used in a residential family centre, except for the purpose of—

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Requirement Due date

safeguarding their welfare, or that of other residents accommodated in the centre.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff at the residential family centre are appropriately trained and understand the requirements imposed by this regulation before they use any such devices. (Regulation 21A (1)(a) (4)) 13 August 2023 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Purple Heart Project – Children’s Services 5 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 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

all parts of the residential family centre to which residents have access are so far as reasonably practicable free from hazards to their safety. (Regulation 11 (4)(a)) 19 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall maintain in respect of each family accommodated in the residential family centre a record which—

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Requirement Due date

includes the information, documents and other records specified in Schedule 3 relating to the members of the family;

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall also maintain the records specified in Schedule 4 in respect of the residential family centre. (Regulation 19 (1)(a)(b) (3)) 19 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall establish and maintain a system for—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided at the residential family centre.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (1) must provide for adequate consideration of matters raised under regulation 18 by persons working at the residential family centre. (Regulation 23 (1)(a)(b) [1A]) 19 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject of a compliance notice. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Purple Heart Project – Children’s Services 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that families receive a robust, fair and evidence-based assessment that is carried out by a registered social worker in a manner consistent with guidance in Working Together to Safeguard Children. (Residential Family Centre National Minimum Standards 1.2)

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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: Purple Heart Project – Children’s Services 7

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: VKYB Enterprises Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: St Chads Vicarage, Ragpath Lane, Stockton-on- Tees TS19 9JN

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Inspector

Jennifer Fenlon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Purple Heart Project – Children’s Services 8 inspects 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

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Inspector

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