Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre

Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 1 Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre

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

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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 visit, no families were living in the centre. The registered manager has recently resigned from the post and there is no assessing social worker employed for the setting. A new responsible individual was appointed and is overseeing the centre.

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This monitoring visit

During an inspection on the 17 February 2025, inspectors found serious and widespread concerns. These shortfalls impacted on the children and family’s safety, protection, and welfare. In response, Ofsted issued compliance notices under regulation 5 (fitness of the registered provider), regulation 8 (registered person – general requirements), and regulation 12 (arrangements for the protection of children).

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit was carried out on 3 April 2025 to evaluate the provider’s response to the compliance notice issued under regulation 5. It was concluded that the provider had taken the necessary steps to meet the compliance notice, including appointing a responsible individual. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 2 This monitoring visit took place to review the actions taken by the provider in response to the two remaining compliance notices issued under regulation 8 and regulation 12. It was found that leaders and managers have met some steps in the compliance notices. However, most steps have not been met.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has introduced new systems to monitor the operation of the centre and assess the quality of the assessment. There is a procedure for overseeing the use of CCTV. However, there is no management arrangement to oversee the day-to-day running of the service or provide comprehensive oversight of the quality of care offered to children and families.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has reviewed and developed policies and procedures that include the child protection policy and allegation and safeguarding procedures. These documents define the roles and responsibilities of managers and staff, promoting clarity and accountability in practice. The effectiveness of the procedures and documents for safeguarding arrangements for children and families cannot be tested, as there no management in place and it is not safe for children or families to live in the centre as a result.

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This monitoring visit

The current recording system remains ineffective. The provider has purchased a new electronic recording system to address this issue, but it has not yet undergone full implementation.

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This monitoring visit

The resident’s guide has recently been updated, and it now includes contact details of key agencies and information about how to complain. However, this has not yet been put into practice.

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This monitoring visit

A case review was held on 2 May 2025, where it was agreed that the compliance notices issued under regulation 8 and regulation 12 were not met and have therefore been reissued. A restriction of accommodation notice has been issued with immediate effect to 1 August 2025 due to there being no registered manager or sufficient oversight of the setting. The requirements from the previous inspection have not been reviewed and are therefore restated. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 3

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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 with 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

an organisation, it shall ensure that the responsible individual undertakes;

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Requirement Due date

from time to time such training as is appropriate to ensure that he has the skills necessary for carrying on the residential family centre.

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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) (2)(b) (3)) 29 June 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.

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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

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

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 29 June 2025 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 4 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) (2)(d)(g))

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Requirement Due date

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)) 29 August 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. 29 August 2025 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 5 The registered person must ensure that conclusions or recommendations are made as a result of the assessment or monitoring and that—

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Requirement Due date

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)) 29 August 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)) 29 August 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 29 August 2025 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 6 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—

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Requirement Due date

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)) 29 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 7

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Residential family centre details

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

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Inspector

Cherie Chen, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Low Martinfield Residential Family Assessment Centre 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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