Foundations Stalybridge

Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Foundations Stalybridge 1 Foundations Stalybridge 217 Mottram Road, Stalybridge SK15 2QX

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre is registered to provide support for up to seven families at any one time. The centre is privately owned.

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Information about this residential family centre

Families access the centre at the direction of the family court or the local authority for the purpose of assessment. Parenting assessments are usually completed over a 12-week period but may be extended if agreed with the local authority or following court instruction.

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Information about this residential family centre

The centre registered with Ofsted in April 2019 and the manager registered in September 2023.

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Information about this residential family centre

The registered manager left her role in October 2024 with immediate effect.

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Information about this residential family centre

There were three families living at the centre at the time of this visit. Inspectors spoke to two of the families.

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Inspection date: 17 and 18 December 2024

Date of previous inspection: 5 March 2024

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken due to significant concerns in relation to poor safeguarding practices and ineffective leadership and management arrangements.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection there have been two interim managers. Managers have been unable to demonstrate that they have effective oversight of the setting including staff practices. This does not demonstrate strong and effective leadership.

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This monitoring visit

A manager who was previously registered to manage the centre is currently managing until a new manager is recruited. An operations manager supports her. The current manager has identified some shortfalls in safeguarding practices and the leadership and management of the setting. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Foundations Stalybridge 2 Leaders, managers and staff responses to safeguarding incidents are poor. This has placed children at risk of harm. Leaders and managers do not demonstrate any learning from serious safeguarding incidents. There has been no support and guidance for staff involved and the wider staff team to improve safeguarding practices and to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

There has been a delay in leaders and managers communication with a placing authority to ensure that appropriate supervision levels are in place in line with parents’ capacity and to manage risk effectively. This impacts on the potential safety and welfare of a child. Since the new interim manager has been in her role, she has implemented additional and prompt supervision levels in relation to any new safeguarding concerns for the family.

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This monitoring visit

Safeguarding records are unclear and do not demonstrate robust scrutiny by leaders and managers. This leaves families at risk of harm. Leaders and managers lack professional curiosity and do not address poor recording issues with staff.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers do not demonstrate that they carefully consider the suitability of families living at the centre. Poor planning and scrutiny places children at potential risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not have the necessary skills and experience to meet the needs of families. Leaders and managers do not review staff skills to ensure they can keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

When families raise concerns about staff conduct, leaders and managers do not follow their own safeguarding policies and safe allegation management procedures. This does not demonstrate that leaders and managers understand their role in keeping families safe.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers do not notify Ofsted about safeguarding incidents in line with regulation. This means that the regulator does not have up to date information to monitor the setting and ensure that children and families are safe.

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This monitoring visit

The workforce is unstable and there are insufficient staff to safely care and support children and families. Staff from other centres have been working at the home. Rotas do not clearly record the shifts and hours that staff are scheduled to work at the centre. Therefore, there isn’t an accurate record of who is working at the centre.

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This monitoring visit

There are delays in family assessments commencing and in the delivery of planned assessment sessions. However, leaders and managers have taken action to rectify this, and this has improved.

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This monitoring visit

Senior managers do not provide managers with regular and effective support to enable them to manage the centre effectively and to keep children safe. The assessing social worker and staff team do not receive regular practice-related supervision to support them in the work they do with families. The current manager Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Foundations Stalybridge 3 has taken some action to arrange staff supervision since she took over the role. Consequently, staff reported that they feel more supported under the current management arrangements.

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This monitoring visit

There are shortfalls in leaders and managers oversight of staff training. Some staff have not undertaken paediatric first aid training and training specific to understanding families parenting capacity. Therefore, staff do not have the skills and knowledge to safeguard children effectively. Leaders and managers took action at this visit to arrange training for staff. They also requested a review of staff training profiles and a meeting to consider internal monitoring processes.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements made at the last inspection were not considered at this visit. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Foundations Stalybridge 4

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person shall prepare and implement a written child protection policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the residential family centre from abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of any allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure under paragraph (1)(b) must in particular provide for—

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Requirement Due date

liaison and co-operation with any local authority which is making child protection enquiries in relation to any child accommodated in the residential family centre;

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Requirement Due date

the prompt referral to the local authority in whose area the residential family centre is situated, of any allegations of abuse or neglect affecting any child accommodated in the residential family centre;

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Requirement Due date

written records to be kept of any allegation of abuse or neglect, and of the action taken in response;

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Requirement Due date

consideration to be given in each case to the measures which may be necessary to protect children in the residential family centre following an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(d)(e)) 5 January 2025

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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. 5 January 2025 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Foundations Stalybridge 5 The registered manager shall undertake from time to time such training as is appropriate to ensure that he has the skills necessary for managing the residential family centre.

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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

(Regulation 15 (1)(a)(b)) 5 January 2025

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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.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered persons should ensure that any allegations relating to staff practice and conduct should be notified to the placing authority and Ofsted. 29 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.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that staff and the assessing social worker are provided with regular practice-related supervisions. 29 January 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that the records referred to in paragraph (3) are— 29 January 2025 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Foundations Stalybridge 6 kept up to date.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that rotas clearly indicate the shifts and hours that staff are scheduled to work in the centre.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they regularly monitors, in line with the Residential Family Centre Regulations 2002, as amended, all records kept by the centre to ensure compliance with the centre's policies, to identify any concerns about specific incidents and to identify patterns and trends. ('Residential family centres: national minimum standards', 19.2)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that prior to a placement, a risk assessment is carried out to ensure both that the centre is well placed to meet the family's needs and that the family is able to fit in with the centre's other residents. review ('Residential family centres: national minimum standards', 9.1)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that there is a clear and comprehensive summary on file of any allegations made against a particular member of staff, parent or child. The summary includes details of how the allegation was followed up and resolved, a record of any action taken and the decisions reached. ('Residential family centres: national minimum standards', 18.4)

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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: Foundations Stalybridge 7

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Progressive Care Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: 51 Attercliffe Common, Sheffield S9 2AE

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Residential family centre details

Email address: Deborah.griffin@progressivecare.co.uk

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Inspectors

Cheryl Field, Social Care Inspector Sarah Huntbatch, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Foundations Stalybridge 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 children who are 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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