Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre

Inspection report for residential family centre: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 1 Registered provider: 3.13 Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

A charity runs this residential family centre. The centre is registered to accommodate four families.

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Information about this residential family centre

At the time of the inspection, three families were in residence while their parenting assessments were undertaken. The inspectors spoke to all three families during this inspection.

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Information about this residential family centre

The residential family centre and the manager registered with Ofsted in April 2024.

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Information about this residential family centre

This is the first inspection of the centre.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and parents, taking into account inadequate

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and parents are helped and protected inadequate

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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Overall experiences and progress of

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and parents are not protected and their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and parents are poor.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of previous inspection: not applicable

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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: not applicable Inspection report for residential family centre: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

The serious shortfalls in the safeguarding practices, leadership, and management of the residential family centre have impacted on the overall experience and progress of children and parents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

The use of electronic surveillance is intrusive beyond the required needs. The manager has failed to review the surveillance methods and supervision level for families, regardless of the stage of the parenting assessment and parents’ individual progress. The continued use of surveillance in the centre without consideration of proportionality in line with parents’ progress infringes on their dignity and privacy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

Some parents spoken to shared that the staff did not support them when they expressed concerns about an incident at the centre. There are no written records of the residents’ concerns. Staff who are subject to allegations continue to work at the centre without any safeguarding measures in place to manage the risks. This is not in the best interests of children and parents. The management of complaints and allegations is identified as an area for urgent improvement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

The assessments conducted by the assigned social worker often lack solid evidence and fail to include a thorough rationale for the recommendations provided. There are factual inaccuracies in the social worker’s final report in relation to the social worker’s role in overseeing key-work sessions or parenting programmes completed by support staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

The manager does not consistently ensure that all assessment reports fully address their specific needs, maintain high standards and are free from errors. As a result, courts and placing authorities are not always equipped with sufficient, accurate and detailed information necessary for making critical decisions about children’s lives. As a consequence, two families required additional assessments after departing the centre, leading to delays in the care plans for the children and their families.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

The manager reports that key staff work with families to complete the parenting programme. However, records of key-work sessions were not available during the inspection. There are factual inaccuracies in the social worker’s final report in relation to the social worker’s role in overseeing key-work sessions or parenting programmes completed by support staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

Children and parents have appropriate and carefully assessed supported family time with their loved ones. Children and parents have access to a range of social, educational and recreational opportunities, which families choose and enjoy.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Inspection report for residential family centre: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 3 Safeguarding arrangements at this home do not help children and parents effectively or protect them from harm.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

A comprehensive risk assessment system is lacking, preventing managers and staff from fully understanding the risks to children and parents. Staff lack clear guidance to ensure the safety of both children and parents. Risk assessments are not tailored to the individual needs of children and their families, leading to the omission of critical information about known risks. Additionally, there are no clear action plans for staff to address certain known risks effectively, and some documented strategies remain unimplemented in practice.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Staff have failed to take immediate actions to address safeguarding concerns. They did not adhere to the agreed safety plan with the placing local authority, leading to a child sustaining a head injury. Additionally, when practice issues concerning staff are raised, the manager does not respond promptly or effectively.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

The quality of recordings, including families’ care plans and risk assessments, is insufficient. Conflicting information across various documents related to safeguarding incidents has hindered the manager’s ability to have a clear overview of the incidents and the staff’s responses to them.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Communication between support staff, social workers and the manager is ineffective, leading to crucial information not being shared with the manager. As a result, some incidents have not been reported to local authorities and Ofsted in a timely manner. This lack of communication has hindered safeguarding partners and Ofsted from understanding how incidents are managed in the centre, preventing them from taking prompt actions to safeguard children and parents.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

The safer recruitment process has not been adhered to. For instance, the manager conducted DBS checks only after staff had started their employment at the centre. This has increased the risk of children being cared for by inappropriate adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are significant deficiencies in the current monitoring and review system. The manager lacks effective oversight of incidents, safeguarding concerns and the quality of care provided to children and parents. This has impeded her ability to take prompt and effective action to ensure the safety and well-being of children and their families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has not informed Ofsted of the absence of the responsible individual for a prolonged period of time. This hinders Ofsted’s ability to understand and monitor the management arrangements at the centre.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has been no quality-of-care review carried out by the manager. Areas of development are not identified as a result, and this affects improvement in service. Inspection report for residential family centre: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 4 Staff undertake relevant training. However, the manager has not ensured that staff have the necessary skills and experience to meet the complex needs of children and parents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff said they feel supported by the management team. However, there is little in the way of structure or management tools that evidences this support. There is no system in place to ensure that staff have regular supervision or team meetings. This is a missed opportunity for the manager to ensure that the staff analyse and develop their practice. This does not ensure that staff practice is consistent, and any changes needed are not known by all staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are no arrangements in place for the social worker to receive regular, professional supervision or training. They are not supported to attend the team meetings or training. These are missed opportunities for developing the skills of the social worker, promoting open communication across the team and for the manager to ensure robust management oversight of their work and personalised support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The statement of purpose has not been updated promptly, and it contains factual inaccuracies concerning the extent of senior management’s involvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager acknowledges the shortfalls. Leaders and the manager are reflective about the improvement required and committed to improving the quality of care and support provided by staff to parents and their children. This included a self-imposed restriction on admitting any further families and supporting families in the centre to progress their assessments to enable them to move on. Inspection report for residential family centre: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 5

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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, The Residential Family Centre Regulations 2002 and the national minimum standards. The registered person 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.

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 8 (1) (3)) 27 April 2025

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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

notification (in accordance with regulation 26) of the instigation and outcome of any child protection enquiries involving any child accommodated in the residential family 27 April 2025 Inspection report for residential family centre: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 6 centre, to the [F1Chief Inspector] and the child’s placing authority; 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

arrangements to be made for residents and persons working at the residential family centre, to have access at all times and in an appropriate form, to information which would enable them to contact the local authority in whose area the residential family centre is situated, or the Chief Inspector, concerning the welfare or safety of children accommodated in the residential family centre. (Regulation 12 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(g))

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Requirement Due date

* A person shall not carry on a residential family centre unless he is fit to do so.

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Requirement Due date

A person is not fit to carry on a residential family centre unless the person—

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Requirement Due date

the organisation has given notice to the Chief Inspector of the name, address and position in the organisation of an individual (in these Regulations referred to as "the responsible individual") who is a director, manager, secretary or other officer of the organisation and is responsible for supervising the management of the residential family centre; and

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Requirement Due date

that individual satisfies the requirements set out in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

he is physically and mentally fit to carry on the residential family centre; and

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Requirement Due date

he provides in relation to himself, full and satisfactory information in respect of each of the matters listed in Schedule 2. (Regulation 5 (1) (2)(c)(i)(ii) (3)(a)(b)(c)) 27 April 2025 Inspection report for residential family centre: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 7 Subject to paragraph (6) and any requirements for electronic monitoring imposed by a court under any enactment, the registered person must ensure that electronic or mechanical monitoring devices for the surveillance of residents are not used in a residential family centre, except for the purpose of—

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Requirement Due date

safeguarding their welfare, or that of other residents accommodated in the centre; or

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Requirement Due date

assessment or monitoring carried out under regulation 13A.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that any use of such devices is subject to the following conditions:

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Requirement Due date

the residents are informed in advance of the intention to use the device; and

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Requirement Due date

its use is no more intrusive than necessary.

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Requirement Due date

Where the use of such devices is used for the purpose at paragraph (1)(b), the registered person must also ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

the resident being assessed or monitored consents to the use of the device in question; and

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Requirement Due date

its use is provided for in the placement plan.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff at the residential family centre are appropriately trained and understand the requirements imposed by this regulation before they use any such devices. (Regulation 21A (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b) (4)) 27 April 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the parents’ capacity to respond to the children’s needs and to safeguard their welfare is monitored or assessed by a suitably qualified person in accordance with the requirements of this regulation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that conclusions or recommendations are made as a result of the assessment or monitoring and that— 30 May 2025 Inspection report for residential family centre: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 8 such conclusions or recommendations are objective and based on verifiable evidence; and

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Requirement Due date

the evidence on which they are based is capable of being presented in a manner that is clear, accessible and appropriate to the persons who will need to consider them. (Regulation 13A (1) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there is an effective quality assurance process in place to ensure the quality of social work assessments completed by the assessing social worker.

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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

The registered person shall without delay notify the parent accommodated in the residential family centre with a child of any significant incident affecting the child’s welfare unless to do so is not reasonably practicable or would place the child’s welfare at risk. (Regulation 26 (1) (2)) 30 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that any complaint made under the complaints procedure is fully investigated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a written record is made of any complaint or representation, the action taken in response, and the outcome of the investigation. (Regulation 20 (2)(6)) 30 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must operate a disciplinary procedure which, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provides for the suspension of an employee where necessary in the interests of the safety or welfare of children accommodated in the residential family centre;

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Requirement Due date

provides that the failure on the part of an employee to report an incident of abuse, or suspected abuse of a child accommodated in the residential family centre to an appropriate person is a ground on which disciplinary proceedings may be instituted.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that all persons employed by him— 30 May 2025 Inspection report for residential family centre: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 9 receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal. (Regulation 17 (2)(a)(b) (5)(a))

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Requirement Due date

employ a person to work at the residential family centre unless that person is fit to work at a residential family centre; or

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Requirement Due date

allow a person to whom paragraph (2) applies, 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

This paragraph applies to any person who is employed by a person other than the registered person in a position in which he may in the course of his duties have regular contact with residents.

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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

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to him in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

any offer of employment to a person is subject to paragraph (3)(d) being complied with in relation to that person. (Regulation 16 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(d) (4)(a)) 30 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 1

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: 2 Maria Drive, Stockton-on-tees TS19 7JL

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Residential family centre details

Responsible individual: Gillian Fletcher

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Residential family centre details

Registered manager: Deborah Wrigglesworth

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Residential family centre details

Email address: lowmartinfield.rfac@outlook.com

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Inspectors

Cherie Chen, Social Care Inspector Miriam Dolman, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 1 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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