Residential Family Centre run by Sisu Services Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for residential family centre: The Sisu Roost 1 Registered provider: Sisu Services Limited

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre is registered to provide care for up to three families at any one time.

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Information about this residential family centre

The residential family centre is privately owned and was registered in December 2023.

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Information about this residential family centre

Families access the centre at the direction of the court or the local authority for the purposes of assessment.

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Information about this residential family centre

There were three families living in the centre at the time of the inspection. The inspectors spoke with all families.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: none Inspection report for residential family centre: The Sisu Roost 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents can meet staff before they move into the centre. This is an opportunity for parents to understand expectations and how the assessment process works.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The families’ rooms and communal areas are well maintained. Families have the equipment and furnishings they need. The centre provides a homely feel for families during their stay.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents have open relationships with staff, which means they are able to share their concerns or worries.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The support parents receive is bespoke to their identified needs and developed in partnership with social workers. Prior to assessments, parents complete learning- style questionnaires to ensure that education and support are delivered in a way they understand. Direct work with parents covers a wide range of topics including domestic abuse, safe sleeping, and the impact of substance misuse.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Social work assessments are informed by a wide range of information available, including direct work sessions and observations. As a result, assessments are evidence based and give clear conclusions and recommendations. Assessments are overseen by qualified social workers to ensure quality and timeliness. A social worker said, ‘Reports are detailed and support decision-making in line with court timetables.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents have access to therapists, who provide an opportunity for them to consider and manage how their life experiences may impact on their parenting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents share their views every day at ‘brew and chats’ and at weekly ‘sit down Sunday’ meetings. These replaced residents’ meetings, resulting in an increase in parents’ participation. When parents move out, they can give formal feedback on their experiences. Children leave with a book of life-story moments from their time in the centre.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Parents say they feel safe and secure at the centre. Social workers say they are confident that children are kept safe, and that staff take appropriate action in response to any concerns.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The response from leaders and managers to concerns about children’s safety in the care of parents has been prompt and appropriately managed. They worked closely with the local authority and safeguarding professionals to ensure that the necessary action was taken. Following this, a review was undertaken to consider any lessons learned. Staff then participated in one-to-one meetings and a development day to Inspection report for residential family centre: The Sisu Roost 3 understand changes to processes and to ensure that staff are clear about their safeguarding responsibilities to parents and their children. Staff spoken to during the inspection were clear about their roles and responsibilities should they have concerns about children’s safety.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff intervene when parents are struggling to manage their emotions and interactions to safeguard children. When necessary, leaders and managers have made clear and measured decisions to end families’ placements, with the child’s safety of paramount importance.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Leaders and managers are passionate about supporting families to obtain the best outcome for the safety and welfare of their children. They work collaboratively to drive improvements in parenting. Reflective practice and review is a strength of managers’ practice. They are always looking for ways to make changes in the service to keep children and families safe.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Medication management has improved in response to an incident. Leaders and managers now assess and regularly review parents’ competency in understanding medication management.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Parents do not feel the need to make complaints and say that they feel heard. However, parents are confident about how to raise a complaint should they need to do so at any time.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Parents have not gone missing from the centre and the centre does not use physical restraint.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The centre is monitored well to ensure that it is a safe place for children and their parents to live. There are regular checks and inductions to fire safety for parents and staff.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Safer recruitment is in place. This includes checks carried out for staff who have lived or worked overseas.

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good

Leaders and managers have failed to identify that staff have not used the appropriate procedures for escalating an incident to managers or the placing authority. Consequently, there has been a delay in the incident being investigated by managers and a referral to the local authority designated officer has not been made. Children have not been placed at risk because of this.

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good

The manager does not have a robust understanding of staff training needs. There are gaps across staff training, such as equality and diversity, whistle blowing and fire safety. Additionally, not all staff have completed training specific to the needs of Inspection report for residential family centre: The Sisu Roost 4 children and their families. This includes domestic abuse, substance misuse and mental health training.

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good

Leaders and managers work proactively with placing authorities and professionals to share knowledge and practice from their service. Local authority social workers have attended development days to gain insight into the practice and values of the service. However, the centre does not always receive all relevant documents from the local authority, including letters of instruction. This could result in gaps in the assessments undertaken leading to delays in children’s court timescales.

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good

Team meetings take place regularly and are well attended. They are an opportunity for staff to reflect on practice, which strengthens a cohesive approach. The manager uses team meetings to share any learning from incidents, and safeguarding is a standing agenda item at each meeting. Staff benefit from learning events, which are recorded and minuted so staff unable to attend can view and read the sessions.

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good

The centre has a stable staff team and there has been little change since registration. The staff are either suitably qualified or working towards their qualification.

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good

Reflective supervision takes place in group and individual sessions. Leaders and managers place great importance on providing staff with support and guidance. As a result, staff say they feel valued, and morale is good.

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good

Leaders and managers have systems for monitoring the work across the centre, including monthly reviews. They work closely with the independent person and respond to any recommendations to improve practice. Inspection report for residential family centre: The Sisu Roost 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 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

In particular, the registered person must ensure that incidents are scrutinised to identify any shortfalls in practice. Specifically, they should report any allegations to all relevant people, including local authority social workers and the local authority designated officer. 30 September

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff receive all of the home’s mandatory training as outlined in the statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff have training in areas specific to children’s needs including mental health, substance misuse and domestic abuse. (Regulation (15)(a)(b)) 30 September Inspection report for residential family centre: The Sisu Roost 6 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

is kept up to date. (Regulation (19)(1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all relevant documents are received for children in the centre. Specifically, this relates to letters of instruction and local authority care plans. 30 September

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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: The Sisu Roost 7

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: SISU Services Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: 353-355 Station Road, Bamber Bridge, Preston PR5 6EE

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Residential family centre details

Responsible individual: Catherine Coulier

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Residential family centre details

Email address: directors@sisuservices.co.uk

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Inspector

Sarah Jackson, Social Care Inspector Cheryl Field, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: The Sisu Roost 8 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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