Tessa Baring House

Inspection report for residential family centre: Tessa Baring House 1 Tessa Baring House St. Michael’s Fellowship 46 Herne Hill, London SE24 9QP Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre is owned by St Michael’s Fellowship an independent charity. The organisation provides three residential family centres located within South London. This residential family centre specialises in offering a service to parents who have a learning difficulty. The centre is able to offer a residential parenting assessment for up to four families.

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Information about this residential family centre

At the time of the inspection, two families were living at the centre. The centre was registered in March 2004. The manager was registered with Ofsted in August 2024. One parent was spoken with during the inspection.

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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: 28 February 2022

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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: Tessa Baring House 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Children and their parents benefit from staff completing comprehensive, fair, and effective parenting assessments. Families understand from the start of their placements the nature and scope of their assessments. Staff address well the local authorities’ concerns for children and assessments explore fully all highlighted issues.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents receive regular feedback about how well they are doing, and there are good opportunities for parents to share their views also. Staff provide formal and very regular feedback to parents. This feedback highlights parents’ strengths and areas identified for further development. Parents receive information both verbally and in writing. Staff also share key reports with parents. For example, monthly, mid-way and final reports are shared with parents. Mid-way and final reports are made available to parents in easy-to-read formats. This ensures that parents are very clear about staff’s findings and recommendations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Residents’ house meeting are another way that families are able to share their views about the centre and their experiences. However, staff do not consistently record decisions, or any action taken in relation to parents’ requests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Families share trusted, positive relationships with staff. One parent said, ‘The permanent staff are lovely and my key worker is fantastic.’ However, one parent shared that some of the sessional staff did not have the same understanding about the family’s situation as staff who worked more regularly with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents are aware how complaints are made and they are encouraged by staff to share with staff any issues or dissatisfaction that they may have about the centre. Parents choose not to complain formally, but to speak with staff and managers. Records of complaints are well documented, indicate how matters have been resolved and the outcome response from complainants. In every case parents were satisfied with how their complaint had been managed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The centre’s programmes are highly effective in meeting the assessment objectives set by the placing authority. Programmes are comprehensive and are tailored to meet the specific needs of family members. For example, as appropriate, parents complete programmes that explore issues such as healthy relationships, child development and domestic abuse. Staff ensure that families live healthy lifestyles and that children and parents have opportunities to develop their learning. Parents say that the work they are completing with staff is improving their parenting skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Staff follow clear processes that support families to settle when they first arrive. Staff encourage parents to visit the centre initially. Where this is not possible information is sent and remote video tour and discussions are held. Parents receive Inspection report for residential family centre: Tessa Baring House 3 an easy read booklet about court proceedings that outline well what families should expect as their assessment progresses.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Final parenting assessment reports are comprehensive, evaluative, and analytical. These are evidenced-based and include recommendations for the safe care of children and identify what the support children and parents need once the leave they residential family centre.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The centre’s ‘Securing Change’ programme supports all families if they agree, to maintain links with the centre. A designated member of the organisation will call or visit to provide former residents with emotional and practical support. Typically, this can include support in accessing community resources and helping families to apply for benefit entitlements.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The safeguarding arrangements at the centre are effective. Parents say they feel safe at the centre. Staff respond promptly and appropriately to any concerns they have for families. However, not all staff demonstrate a good understanding of child protection procedures, this is particularly in relation to the management of allegations against leaders and managers.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff do not make use of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) as a surveillance method anywhere on the premises. Staff are vigilant in their support and supervision of families. As a result, incidents do not happen often. When critical incidents do occur, for example if the behaviour of parents becomes challenging or parents make allegations against staff, these are managed promptly and sensitively. Managers ensure that they inform appropriate external professionals.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff work in close partnership with the network of professionals working with families. This helps to co-ordinate the protection of children and their parents. Communication between the two parties is effective and consistent. Staff also share updated monthly reports of families’ progress with allocated local authority social workers. As required staff will request and contribute to professionals meetings and stability meetings to review placement issues that are of concern.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff devise risk assessments that address risks posed to individual family members. These include strategies that help to reduce risks. Risk assessments are regularly updated to reflect families’ changing circumstances. However, in one case the risk assessment failed to highlight historical risks that were shared in the local authority’s referral information. This is important to ensure that staff are aware and able to address all risk posed.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff ensure that children benefit from safe contact arrangements between children, their parents and extended family members and friends. Staff make good use of the organisation’s contact centre to help facilitate safe meetings. As required, staff Inspection report for residential family centre: Tessa Baring House 4 provide support and written feedback of these meetings to ensure contact remains in children’s best interest.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The premises are safe and secure, well-decorated and appropriately equipped to meet the accommodation needs of families. Key areas of the home have been earmarked for refurbishment, and this is imminent. Staff conduct weekly health and safety checks and there are good fire prevention systems in place. Risk assessments for the premises are regularly reviewed and updated.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The recruitment and vetting of staff is robust and in accordance with safe recruitment practices. This ensures that staff are suitable to work with children and their parents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leadership and management of the centre is strong. Leaders are ambitious for change and strive for continual improvement. The centre’s management oversight is effective. The registered manager and senior staff have successful monitoring systems that review the quality of care provided to families undergoing assessment at the centre.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior staff complete file audits to monitor and improve the quality of staff’s recording. As a result, the standard of staff’s records have improved. Case records are clear, well-considered, evidence based and appropriately detailed. Records outline well the work staff are completing with families and its relevance to concerns expressed by the local authority.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A suitably experienced and registered manager effectively and efficiently manages the centre. The manager is in the process of completing the required leadership and management course. Staff comment that the registered manager is clear, supportive and confident in her approach to meeting well the needs of children and their parents. Staff comment that the registered manager’s leadership is strong.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff consistently say that they feel very well supported by managers and that induction and training opportunities are effective. Permanent members of the staff team receive monthly supervision, that they say meets their development needs well. However, managers do not provide sessional workers with individual supervision. This includes those sessional staff that work regularly at the centre. Group supervision is largely used to support the practice of these staff. Managers accept that there is a need for all staff to receive more regular, targeted supervision and a review of their performance and development needs. Managers complete annual appraisals of all permanent staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff training is relevant to the work staff undertake at the residential family centre. An effective training programme supports staff’s learning and development in providing families with high-quality support and guidance. Inspection report for residential family centre: Tessa Baring House 5 Leaders and managers have realistic expectations for what parents can achieve and they ensure high standards of assessment, support and safety. Managers have a clear understanding about the progress families are making, as assessment programmes are robust, effective and are very regularly discussed and reviewed. The centre is achieving its stated aims and objectives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff work well together to provide stability and consistency when working with families. The leadership and management of the centre is strong. Identified shortfalls do not negatively impact on families’ progress and experiences, which are positive. Inspection report for residential family centre: Tessa Baring House 6

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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 make arrangements, by training persons working at the residential family centre or by other measures, to prevent residents being harmed or suffering abuse or being placed at risk of harm or abuse. This relates to staff developing a good understanding of action to take in the event of an allegation being made against senior members of staff. (Regulation 11 (5)) 1 January 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that all persons employed by him—

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Requirement Due date

receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal. (Regulation 17 (5)(a)) 1 January 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the nature of records maintained. There is a system in place to monitor the quality and adequacy of record keeping and take action when needed. This relates in particular to risk assessments and records of residents’ house meetings. (‘Residential Family Centres: National Minimum Standards’, 20.1)  The registered person should ensure that where parents are being supported to develop parenting skills, they are enabled to build and sustain constructive relationships with staff, in particular with sessional staff. (‘Residential Family Centres: National Minimum Standards’, 20.1)

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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: Tessa Baring House 7

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: St. Michael’s Fellowship

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: 136 Streatham High Road, London SW16 1BW

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Residential family centre details

Email address: Sue@Stmichaelsfellowship.org.uk

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Inspector

Sandra Jacobs-Walls, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Tessa Baring House 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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