Woodstone

Inspection report for residential family centre: Woodstone 1 Woodstone Enhanced Care and Support Limited Woodstone Court, Lumley New Road, Houghton Le Spring, Durham DH4 6DN Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This is a privately owned and run residential family centre. The primary purpose of the centre is to support local authorities, courts, parents and children by providing fair and evidence-based parenting assessments. The centre is registered to accommodate up to ten families. At the time of the inspection there were seven families in residence.

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Information about this residential family centre

The families have their own self-contained flats and share communal areas of the centre.

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Information about this residential family centre

The residential family centre was registered on 31 August 2023. The manager registered at the same time.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and parents, taking into account requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and parents are helped and protected requires improvement to be 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 is not yet delivering good assessments, help and care for children and parents. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of previous inspection: not applicable

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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: Woodstone 2

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improvement to be good

Appropriate information is obtained about the new family prior to admission, and this informs suitability and decision-making. Some parents can visit the centre and meet the staff team. This helps them to feel less apprehensive when they first arrive. Parents and their children are given a welcome pack with essential items to help them settle quickly in their new environment.

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improvement to be good

Parents are provided with the information they need soon after their arrival. During the first week parents can begin to adjust and get acquainted with the staff and other residents. Agreements and expectations around their behaviour are explained and discussions take place about the support parents will receive.

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improvement to be good

Parents engage in a programme of interventions. Records that are completed from these sessions remind and inform parents of the work that they have undertaken and are a useful tool to refer to. However, weekly planners, keywork sessions and weekly reports are disorganised and it is unclear whether a planned session or activity has taken place. This does not provide reassurance that identified needs in the family plan are being addressed.

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improvement to be good

Parents and their children participate in activities which helps them to understand children’s needs at each stage of their development. This includes activities such as sensory play, stimulation, cooking and baking sessions, and crafting. These sessions can get cancelled at short notice due to staff availability and this disadvantages parents engaging in these learning opportunities.

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improvement to be good

Parents and their children form trusted and open relationships with staff. The assessing social worker has a visual presence and engages with parents outside of the formal assessment process. Parents can approach staff if they have any worries or concerns, and any difficult discussions are managed sensitively.

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improvement to be good

Parents and their children are supported to have time with their extended families and partners and if necessary, staff provide appropriate supervision. The registered manager and the deputy manager work closely with social workers and health professionals to ensure that parents and their children are well supported to address any health and care issues.

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improvement to be good

The environment of the centre is well-equipped, spacious, and furnished to a good standard. There are communal areas for parents and their children to socialise and enjoy sensory play, sing-along sessions and Sunday lunches. Each family has their own self-contained flat that has all the amenities and resources to live comfortably and safely with their child or children. This provides families with a good balance between their own private space and opportunities to spend time with others. Inspection report for residential family centre: Woodstone 3

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improvement to be good

The shortfalls in the safeguarding practice, and leadership and management of the residential family centre, impact on the experiences and progress of children and parents.

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improvement to be good

There has not been any significant or serious incidents or child protection concerns since registration. Staff are fully aware of their responsibility in reporting and acting upon any concerns, and of following safeguarding procedures. However, Ofsted was not notified of one incident and the regulator was therefore unable to evaluate whether appropriate action was taken.

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improvement to be good

The manager does not always capture potential compatibility issues when considering parents moving in alongside parents already in residence. This could impede on how those risks would be managed and mitigated against should they surface during the assessment process.

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improvement to be good

Family plans and risk assessments are updated and are working documents. However, not all risk assessments align with the current practice in the home. This prevents a consistent approach to managing risk and gives mixed messages to staff and parents.

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improvement to be good

The procedures for intermittent CCTV monitoring do not aim to limit the recording of families if safeguarding risks reduce. Although parents give consent for assessment purposes, the agreement does not specify the extent of the CCTV coverage. This impacts on parents’ rights for privacy and is more intrusive than necessary. Managers have noted this and acted to address this shortfall.

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improvement to be good

When interactions between families have become strained or tense this is quickly addressed. Attempts to reconcile and mediate between the families on how to live with others has taken place which helps to reduce tensions.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment practices are thorough and meet the requirements of the regulations. This ensures that staff employed are suitable and safe to work with vulnerable adults and children.

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good

The manager completes internal monitoring and reports about the quality of care provided by the centre. However, there are key documents that are not being audited or quality assured. This means that there is a lack of oversight of the work being undertaken. This impacts on the ability to take any action to address shortfalls.

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good

Overall, the midway and final assessment reports capture the concerns and the work undertaken with the family. However, the reports lack examples to evidence Inspection report for residential family centre: Woodstone 4 strengths or ongoing concerns of parents. This means that they could be open to challenge and may not provide enough evidence to the courts if needed. The quality assurance process has picked up on this and this shortfall is being addressed.

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good

Staff morale is mixed and although staff work as a team, there is discord with some staff voicing that they work harder than others. Staff said that there was a lack of structure and inconsistency in decision-making at management level. Leaders and managers have recognised this and are taking steps to talk to staff individually.

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good

Staffing levels are low and at times this can prevent activities or sessions from taking place, including mandatory sessions that are not rearranged. The lack of enough staff prevents impromptu activities from happening which can be frustrating for both parents and staff.

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good

There is not a structured and formalised approach to assessment planning with an over reliance on observations through CCTV monitoring. At times parents are unclear when parenting sessions and observations are taking place.

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good

Staff said that they enjoy their work and are proud of what they do. Some staff do not receive regular supervision sessions, however when they do happen the quality is good. The registered manager and the deputy manager are a visual presence and are approachable for both staff and residents to share any worries or concerns that they may have.

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good

Families have the means and ability to feedback about their experience at the centre. Parents know how to complain; however, the complaint forms were not fit for purpose, but have now been amended.

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good

Team meetings regularly take place and discussion focuses on several topics including the families. Efforts are made to ensure that all staff can attend, and recordings are detailed. Team meetings provide a forum for reflection and staff can voice their concerns in a safe setting.

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good

Staff have positive relationships with parents and this adds to the settled and relaxed feel of the centre. Inspection report for residential family centre: Woodstone 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, 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 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)) 29 March 2024

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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; or

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Requirement Due date

assessment or monitoring carried out under regulation 13A.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that any use of such devices is subject to the following conditions:

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Requirement Due date

the residents are informed in advance of the intention to use the device; and

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Requirement Due date

its use is no more intrusive than necessary. (Regulation 21A (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)) 29 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that all persons employed by him— 29 March 2024 Inspection report for residential family centre: Woodstone 6 receive appropriate supervision and appraisal. (Regulations 17(5)(a))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall, before providing a family with accommodation in the residential family centre, or if that is not reasonably practicable, as soon as possible thereafter, draw up in consultation with the placing authority a written plan (in these Regulations referred to as "the placement plan") setting out, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

the facilities and services to be provided during the course of the placement;

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Requirement Due date

the objectives and intended outcome of the placement.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall keep under review and revise the placement plan as necessary. (Regulations 13(1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, to consider the risks and needs of the existing families when assessing whether a new family can move in. Additionally, staff should follow the plans as stated in the risk assessments. 29 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

If, in relation to a residential family centre, any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 takes place, the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table. (Regulations 26(1)) 29 March 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the nature of records maintained and follow the centre’s policy for the keeping and retention of files, managing confidential information, and access to files. The registered person should ensure that there is a system in place to monitor the quality and adequacy of record keeping and take action when needed. (Residential Family Centres National Minimum Standards 20.2)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the purpose and scope of the parenting assessment is laid out clearly in the family placement plan and is based upon the referral information provided at the start of the placement. (Residential Family Centres National Minimum Standards 1.3) Inspection report for residential family centre: Woodstone 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: Woodstone 8

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Enhanced Care and Support Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: Fellingate, Fox Street, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear NE10 0BD

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Residential family centre details

Email address: Victoria.Moss@enhancedyps.com

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Inspectors

Cath Sikakana, Social Care Inspector Debra Boldy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Woodstone 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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