Setting

Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: 1 Registered Provider:

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Inspected under the social care inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre is owned and managed by a private provider. The residential family centre is registered to accommodate up to six families.

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Information about this residential family centre

At the time of the inspection, there were two families in residence.

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Information about this residential family centre

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2021.

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This monitoring visit

On 25 April 2024, Ofsted inspected the residential family centre in response to information received about the physical condition of the centre and inconsistencies in staff practice. A compliance notice was issued under regulation 20, the complaints standard. The purpose of this visit was to monitor the provider’s progress in meeting the compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

The procedure for considering complaints made by residents or persons acting on behalf of residents has been revised. This provides staff with clarity of the steps that they should take when they receive a complaint. Complaints are recorded and there are monitoring systems in place to ensure that complaints are responded to. At the time of the inspection, the statement of purpose and families’ guide had not been updated to reflect changes made to the complaints procedure. This does not provide residents who are moving in to the centre with the correct information about how to make a complaint.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have accessed a learning event about complaints. This helps staff to learn and develop. One member of staff said that she feels more confident in responding to complaints than she did before attending the learning event. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: 2 Complaints are recorded and there are processes in place to ensure that complaints are responded to. One complaint has been investigated since the last inspection. However, the outcome of this was not available at the time of this inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Residents share their views about the running of the centre, and managers record how these have been responded to. This enables residents to understand how their views have been acted on. One resident said that they feel that staff take their views seriously and respond to any questions they have.

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This monitoring visit

Managers’ oversight of staff practice is inconsistent. As a result, residents’ experience of staff practice is variable. During the inspection, the manager confirmed that she had observed one member of staff shout at residents about a complaint they had made. The manager did not take immediate steps to address shortfalls in staff practice. Residents said that they would be put off making complaints because of this.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has demonstrated that it has taken necessary steps to ensure that the compliance notice issued under regulation 20 is met. Ofsted does not plan to take any further enforcement action.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements previously issued under regulations 14, 16, 19 and 23 and previous recommendations were not reviewed during this visit. For this reason, they are restated. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: 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, Residential Family Centre Regulations 2002 and the national minimum standards. The registered person must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider and the registered manager shall, having regard to the size of the residential family centre, the statement of purpose, and the number and needs of the residents, carry on or manage the centre (as the case may be) with sufficient care, competence and skill. (Regulation 8 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager taking action to address shortfalls in staff practice.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to the registered person ensuring that the statement of purpose and family guide accurately reflect procedures that are in place. 13 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

Subject to regulation 4 (6), the registered person shall provide facilities and services to residents in accordance with the statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall having regard to the size of the residential family centre and the number and needs of residents—provide adequate laundry facilities for parents to wash, dry and iron clothes and linen for their families. (Regulation 14 (1) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that parents have access to sufficient laundry facilities to wash and dry clothes and linen.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to ensuring that any restrictions on parents’ use of laundry facilities are kept under review. 13 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall not— 13 June 2024 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: 4 employ a person to work at the residential family centre unless that person is fit to work at a residential family centre.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (1), a person is not fit to work at a residential family centre unless—

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Requirement Due date

he has the qualifications, skills and experience necessary for the work he is to perform. (Regulation 16 (1)(a) (3)(b))

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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. (Regulation 19 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that letters of instruction are obtained from each family’s placing authority. 13 June 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall establish and maintain a system for improving the quality of care provided at the residential family centre.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall make a copy of the report available to residents. (Regulation 23 (1)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has not been met from the previous inspection and so has been restated. 13 June 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they work effectively in partnership with other agencies concerned with child and adult protection. Specifically, they make referrals to the local authority designated officer as and when required. (Residential family centres national minimum standards, page 12, paragraph 5.9)  The registered person should ensure that they can demonstrate, including from written and electronic records, that they consistently follow good recruitment practice, and all applicable current statutory requirements and guidance, in staff recruitment. This includes Disclosure and Barring Service checks and all requirements in Schedule 2 of the Residential Family Centres Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: 5 Regulations 2002, as amended. (Residential family centres national minimum standards, page 22, paragraph 14.2)

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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: 6

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Inspector

Sally Griffiths, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: 7 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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