PAFA LTD

Inspection report for residential family centre: PAFA LTD 1 PAFA LTD PAFA (Parenting Assessments For All) Limited 30 Northbrook Road, Wallasey CH44 9AR 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 accommodate one family. The residential family centre is privately owned. Families access the centre at the direction of the family court and/or the local authority for the purposes of assessment.

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Information about this residential family centre

The manager has had a dual registration with Ofsted since August 2019 and holds a social work qualification.

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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

Date of previous inspection: not previously inspected

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for residential family centre: PAFA LTD 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

As only one family is in residence at the centre at any one time, parents are given individualised support. Children and parents are enabled to build trusted and secure relationships with staff at the centre. Staff know the children and parents well, listen to them and promote their welfare. One family member said that the team was supportive in helping them to take their baby home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Children and parents are treated with dignity and respect. They experience assessments that are responsive to their identity and family history. For example, an interpreter was employed for one family to help in understanding where it may be possible to act on their wishes and to safeguard their child’s best interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Placement plans are comprehensive and kept up to date. There is a robust system in place for gathering information from placing authorities in relation to the family’s needs before placements commence. This is shared with the staff team, the family and the children’s social workers to ensure that all key information is distributed. This results in effective plans to provide individualised direct work for parents to develop parenting capacity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents know how to make a complaint. The centre’s complaints policy is easy to understand and is accessible. Families understand what has happened as a result of their complaint. Their complaints are treated seriously and are responded to clearly. Urgent action is taken, and improvements happen for children and families. However, a matter that was dealt with as an allegation was not reported to the regulator, which would have provided the opportunity to further discuss the incident. A good practice recommendation has been made to address this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parenting assessments are of a high standard. They highlight the progress made, are in line with court directions and detail the specific issues to be addressed. The assessment process is thorough; parents’ views are listened to and are evidenced in the work that they undertake when at the centre. The assessing social worker monitors these assessments to ensure that all key areas of development are addressed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The centre commissions specialist services to ensure that the individual needs of the families are met. Additional services include clinical psychology, therapeutic care and a drug and alcohol programme, providing interventions where needed.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

There is a robust focus on safeguarding at the centre. Careful management of a family’s care ensures that safeguarding concerns are identified and are addressed immediately. This ensures children’s safety. The centre maintains good relationships Inspection report for residential family centre: PAFA LTD 3 with stakeholders so that they are aware of any developing concerns. Transparency around safeguarding practice is promoted.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The use of CCTV and monitoring uses a risk-based approach for individual families. All families are fully aware of the need for CCTV to be present during their assessments. This ensures transparency with staff and families.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Risks are clearly understood, and risk management plans begin at the pre- placement stage. Processes are in place to ensure that staff are fully aware of any risks that families may present. The management team has introduced a mental health strategy, which ensures that the staff team takes a positive approach to supporting the families to maintain positive mental health.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Each family has a planned schedule at the centre; this includes supporting parents with basic skills and making safer choices to reduce risky behaviour. Depending on the individual needs of the family, this could include understanding the risks relating to domestic violence, the effects of criminality and reducing drug and alcohol misuse.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The centre offers good-quality accommodation and is warm and welcoming. As the centre is registered for one family, it allows families to have their own private space. They can develop skills to meet the challenges of daily living, including time management, dressing, personal care, eating, cooking and household management. However, the outside space is in need of repair and decoration. A good practice recommendation has been made to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management and leadership team is confident and committed to developing the service in line with its other larger centre. The team has a wealth of knowledge and experience in driving improvement in the lives of families who attend the centre.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers are present in the centre, and staff report them to be approachable and supportive as they coach and mentor staff to achieve their goals and aspirations. Investment is given to training and development, and staff report that managers pay attention to their welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding of the parents’ needs, risks and the progress they are making. She is realistic in her expectations and works hard to support parents to achieve positive assessments. She has a clear vision of where the services of the company need to progress. She recognises the need to involve parents in accessing community activities, in order to provide a realistic home environment and assessment, to see if families can parent in the community safely without the support of the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leaving-care team and social workers spoken to as part of this inspection were very positive about the staff team and the quality of the assessment process. They reported significant positive improvements with their families. This demonstrates Inspection report for residential family centre: PAFA LTD 4 good professional relationships and that the centre communicates well with their stakeholders.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have supervision at an appropriate frequency to support them in their development. Staff report that there is a healthy team culture where people respect and support each other. They trust their colleagues and know they can rely on them for practical help and advice. This healthy working environment creates conditions for staff to produce positive outcomes for families. However, managers should consider and record the frequency of supervision required, depending on levels of experience. A good practice recommendation has been made to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The arrangement for the review of care is good. However, while the centre’s strengths and weaknesses are fully understood by the managers, their first report under Regulation 23 has not been sent to the regulator. This delays monitoring of the service. A requirement is made to reflect this shortfall. Inspection report for residential family centre: PAFA LTD 5

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Statutory requirement

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 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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall supply to the [Chief Inspector] a report in respect of any review conducted by him for the purposes of paragraph (1) and make a copy of the report available to residents.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (1) shall provide for consultation with residents. (Regulation 23 (1)(a)(b)(1A)(2)(3) 28 February 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered persons should ensure that following an incident notifiable under Regulation 26, the centre contacts the responsible authority to discuss any further action that may need to be taken. (Residential family centres: NMS 21.4)  The registered persons should ensure that the centre provides access to outside areas, where possible, or access to play space that is appropriate for the age of the children. (Residential family centres: NMS 11.3)  The registered persons should ensure that staff have access to support and advice (including from external specialists) to provide a comprehensive service for parents and their children and are provided with regular supervision by appropriately qualified and experienced staff. (Residential family centres: NMS 17.4) Inspection report for residential family centre: PAFA LTD 6

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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: PAFA LTD 7

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: PAFA (Parenting Assessments For All) Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: Oakfield, Old Lane, Heswall, Wirral CH60 1XX

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Inspector

Claire Mason, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: PAFA LTD 8 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 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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