Saxon House

Inspection report for residential family centre: Saxon House 1 Saxon House Dudley Lodge Safeguarding Children Services 96 Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton WV6 0BP 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 a charity. It is registered to accommodate up to five families. The centre offers short viability assessments and comprehensive family assessments that typically take 12 weeks to be completed.

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Information about this residential family centre

Two families were living at the centre at the time of the inspection. Parents met with the inspector and their children were seen.

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Information about this residential family centre

This is the centre’s first inspection since it registered with Ofsted in February 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and parents, taking into account

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good

How well children and parents are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The residential family centre provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for residential family centre: Saxon House 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The centre provides a lovely warm and welcoming environment for families and visitors. The centre is well maintained and furnishings are in good condition. Managers said there are plans for additional window glazing to be fitted soon to ensure that all living areas are kept warm.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Families are welcomed into the centre. When possible, managers talk to parents before they move in, to reduce any worries that they may have. They are made to feel comfortable when they arrive at the centre. Many families develop positive relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Managers implement individualised assessment plans that are tailored to parents’ specific needs. The centre’s case manager communicates with parents effectively to help them to understand what is expected of them throughout the assessment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents receive feedback about their parenting skills regularly, and they are encouraged to contribute their views. They know how to make a complaint. Managers respond appropriately to complaints and ensure that families know what action has been taken in response to their complaint.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

There is a wide range of support made available to parents to increase their ability to care for their child safely. Parents are positive about the support that is delivered by staff. One parent said that they benefit from cooking sessions, and another parent said they could not have made progress without the support that has been given to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Staff support parents to manage their own, and their child’s, health needs. They have access to relevant health services. The centre has effective links with the health visitor, who attends the centre regularly to provide advice and guidance to families. During the inspection, managers updated planning documents to highlight a specific piece of equipment used at the centre to prepare bottles for babies that is not advocated by the health visitor service. There is now important clarity regarding parents making the choice to use this equipment despite the concerns held by health professionals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Managers have increased the number of activities available to parents and children. This includes promoting cultural and faith-based activities. Families have enjoyed days out in the community and they enjoyed different activities in the centre over the Christmas period.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Memory books are created with parents for them to recall positive memories with their child. Photos are given to the child’s social worker that capture the child’s time at the centre. Books created with parents are not available for children who move Inspection report for residential family centre: Saxon House 3 into alternative care arrangements following their time at the centre. This prevents children accessing information about this part of their childhoods in later life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Final assessment reports are completed by an experienced registered social worker. They receive relevant training to assist them in using the models of assessment set out in the centre’s statement of purpose. Assessments are thorough. They explore the parent’s capacity for change to meet their child’s needs safely. Recommendations made to inform decision-making about the child’s future care arrangements are clear.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Parents are helped to learn how to keep themselves and their children safe. For instance, staff deliver sessions about safe sleeping, boundaries, online safety and the risk of exploitation. In addition, parents can learn about the impact of domestic abuse on their child.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Safeguarding concerns are managed well. Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children, and they act when this is needed. Managers make timely decisions about assessments continuing in the best interests of the child. When significant incidents occur, managers notify Ofsted appropriately.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

However, risk assessments do not set out clearly the risks identified or the actions that staff should take to manage risks. Language used in risk assessments and the centre’s policies is not always sensitive to the child’s and parent’s vulnerabilities or seek to avoid labelling the child.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

There is not an effective system in place for the recording of incidents. Incidents are recorded in different ways. Following incidents, managers reflect on what has occurred and implement action plans to improve safeguarding practice. However, the managers’ review of practice is not completed in a timely way.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The centre has comprehensive information available about the use of surveillance and electronic monitoring. The use of surveillance is regularly reviewed to ensure that it is only used for as long as required to safeguard the child. Parents are well informed about the use of surveillance at the centre.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The recruitment procedures in place reduce the risk of unsuitable people working in the centre.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is an established and stable management team in place. Managers understand the plans that are in place for children, and they monitor effectively the parent’s capacity for change.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Daily logs are detailed and provide an understanding about the child’s care and experiences. They record the support and interventions delivered by staff to ensure Inspection report for residential family centre: Saxon House 4 that the child’s daily needs are met. On occasion, daily feedback is not explicit about the support that has been required for the parent to meet their child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have established positive links with external agencies to improve the experiences and progress of parents and children. These links support parents to access a local substance and alcohol misuse service and a therapy service without delay. Feedback from external professionals, including children’s social workers, was positive about the quality of care and support provided to families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff recruitment has been successful. The staff team has grown, reducing the need for agency staff and promoting continuity of care and support for families. Managers plan to increase the number of families moving into the centre when another case manager is recruited. This is a child-centred decision that managers have taken to ensure that the centre’s standards are not compromised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feedback was overwhelmingly positive about working in the centre. Staff said that they feel proud and privileged to work in the centre, and that they feel supported by managers. Staff receive induction, training and supervision that equips them with the knowledge and skills needed to meet the needs of families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

In addition, clinical supervision is made available to staff to help them to reflect on the more challenging aspects of their role and to support their emotional well-being. Inspection report for residential family centre: Saxon House 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, The 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, 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 setting out, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

an assessment of the risks, if any, which a resident at the residential family centre may present to their own health, safety and welfare or that of other residents or staff at the centre. (Regulation 13 (1)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that risk assessments identify the risk clearly and provide clear guidance and strategies for staff to manage any known risks, to safeguard children as well as other parents and children in the residential family centre. 14 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall establish and maintain a system for—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided at the residential family centre. (Regulation 23 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that reviews of practice should be completed in a timely way after any significant incident to ensure that any required changes are made within a reasonable timescale. 14 March 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that entries in records are non-stigmatising. In particular, language used in risk assessments and the centre’s policies should Inspection report for residential family centre: Saxon House 6 be sensitive to the child’s and parent’s vulnerabilities and avoid labelling the child. (‘Guide to the Residential Family Centres Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 30, paragraph 20.5)

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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: Saxon House 7

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Dudley Lodge Safeguarding Children Services

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: Dudley Lodge Family Assessment Centre, 143 Warwick Road, Coventry CV3 6AT

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Residential family centre details

Email address: safeguarding@dudleylodge.co.uk

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Inspector

Louise Bacon, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Saxon 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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