Savannah Lodge

Inspection report for residential family centre: Savannah Lodge Limited 1 Savannah Lodge Limited Savannah Lodge 65 Fir Park, Harlow, Essex CM19 4JU Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre provides parenting assessments for up to four families. Parenting assessments take a minimum of 12 weeks.

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Information about this residential family centre

There has been no registered manager since 23 October 2023.

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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 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: good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for residential family centre: Savannah Lodge Limited 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

At the time of the inspection, there were three families at the centre. Staff provide confident and skilled support, which enables a constructive process for parents to undergo the parenting assessment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents spoken with during the inspection were positive about the quality of parenting sessions, the warm and informed support from staff and the depth and quality of their overall experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents’ capacity is assessed within a clear time frame. Final reports are compiled by qualified social workers and incorporate detailed, evidence-based methods that determine how the resulting final recommendations are made. Observations and findings, including concerns, are shared. Staff ensure final reports are compassionately adapted and accessible to parents. The court reports are well written, and the process is transparent and fair.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Staff follow high-quality and well-structured family placement plans. Full referral information is carefully considered and includes court instructions or objectives from the local authority. Staff ensure families’ individual needs and backgrounds are understood. Plans are regularly reviewed and successfully support the objectives of each family’s assessment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Staff encourage parents to regularly attend external groups with their children. Parents participate in local group sessions that develop their parenting skills and increase their wider support network. Parents attend toddler groups and specialist domestic violence programmes and gain support to help with their emotional resilience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents’ independence is improved through planned one-to-one parenting sessions. Parents and children’s health is prioritised, and appropriate registrations and referrals are made to healthcare services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Staff forge positive relationships with families. Respectful and nurturing interactions have ensured that parents become more confident and receptive to advice.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

There are effective safeguarding procedures. Safeguarding concerns are managed appropriately. Staff are well trained and understand how to recognise concerns and the actions they need to take.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff ensure the reduction in the supervision of families at the centre and in the community is well planned and appropriate to the safeguarding concerns. This helps to prepare families for moving on. The use of CCTV is reviewed regularly in Inspection report for residential family centre: Savannah Lodge Limited 3 agreement with social workers, staff and families. Leaders and managers strike a good balance between each family’s privacy and the safeguarding of children.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff focus on children’s safety and welfare throughout the assessment process. When required, medical advice is sought promptly, which helps to ensure children are protected.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

When parents are at increased risk or there is conflict between families, staff respond and take the necessary action to reduce the risks. Working-together agreements are made between parents and staff, resulting in clear, unified behavioural expectations.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Leaders and managers ensure that risk management processes are usually responsive and effective. However, the emerging risks for one young mobile child and their access to the stairs were not carefully considered or responded to in a swift manner. Leaders and managers addressed this hazard during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The previous registered manager has recently resigned from their post. An experienced social worker has been appointed and is working towards the required management qualification. The new manager is in the process of registering with Ofsted and is being supported by senior managers to adjust to the role. Staff have provided positive feedback about the new manager and are confident about the effectiveness of the new management arrangements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff value the support provided to them through a wide variety of training, team meetings and supervision sessions. Staff have ample opportunity to develop and reflect on their practice, which equips them with the skills to support families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are aware of the strengths and developmental areas of practice at the centre. External monitoring has improved in depth and scope. Leaders’ and managers’ internal review and monitoring of the quality of support are effective. Good management oversight of parenting assessments has enabled these assessments to be conducted smoothly and reliably.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a suitable complaints procedure that guides parents in how to raise concerns. Leaders and managers respond to complaints fairly and ensure parents’ rights are respected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The majority of professionals who use the assessment service highly recommend it. Several social workers and commissioners praised the service, the staff and the quality of assessment reports and resulting recommendations. However, one social worker has raised concerns, and although leaders and managers have explored these concerns, a formal resolution has not been recorded or provided. Inspection report for residential family centre: Savannah Lodge Limited 4 Leaders and managers have systems in place for staff to identify and take action on maintenance work at the centre. The centre is generally in good decorative condition. However, there has been an unreasonable delay in an effective response to faults identified in the self-closing mechanisms of two fire doors. This issue was addressed by leaders and managers during the inspection, as it poses a risk to families and staff in the event of a fire.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inspection report for residential family centre: Savannah Lodge Limited 5

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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, 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 ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

unnecessary risks to the health or safety of residents are identified and so far as possible eliminated. (Regulation 11 (4)(c)) 29 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall after consultation with the fire authority —

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Requirement Due date

for the maintenance of all fire equipment. (Regulation 22 (1) (c)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure effective action is taken without delay when faults in fire doors are identified. 29 March 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they address all concerns that are raised with them and ensure their response is clear, complete and fully recorded. (Residential family centres: NMS 19.7)

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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: Savannah Lodge Limited 6

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: 5A The Dells, South Street, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3AB

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Inspector

Mark Anderton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Savannah Lodge Limited 7 regulates and 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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