Kaleidoscope Assessment Services

Inspection report for residential family centre: Kaleidoscope Assessment Services 1 Kaleidoscope Assessment Services Registered provider: Kaleidoscope Assessment Services Limited Finsley House, Finsley Street, Briercliffe, Burnley, Lancashire BB10 2HN Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre is owned and managed by a private provider and is registered to accommodate up to three families at any one time.

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Information about this residential family centre

The centre provides residential assessments that assist local authorities and courts in making decisions that promote the welfare of children.

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Information about this residential family centre

At the time of this inspection, there were three families in residence.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and parents, taking into account requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and parents are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

The residential family centre is not yet delivering good assessments, help and care for children and parents. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for residential family centre: Kaleidoscope Assessment Services 2

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improvement to be good

The centre environment requires improvement in terms of maintenance and cleanliness. There are various areas throughout the centre where repairs are necessary, which detract from the overall safety and comfort of the centre. Parts of the centre are not consistently clean, which impacts on the potential for creating a welcoming and homely atmosphere.

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improvement to be good

Assessments completed by the resident social worker are largely of good quality, evidence based and provide a clear rationale for the recommendations made. This supports effective decision-making by courts and placing authorities. However, in one family’s assessment, the rationale for recommendations is not sufficiently clear and a small number of factual inaccuracies have been identified in the assessment. The registered manager has responded appropriately by addressing these concerns; an addendum report is currently being produced to provide clarity and ensure that all information shared with external agencies is accurate, detailed and fit for purpose.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that children and parents have access to a range of activities inside and outside of the centre to support their social, developmental and recreational needs. Additionally, staff complete a wide range of direct work with parents to enhance their knowledge and develop their parenting skills. However, staff do not consistently follow up incidents with specific targeted work to help families reflect and learn. This limits opportunities for parents to demonstrate insight and capacity to change.

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improvement to be good

Families have positive and trusting relationships with staff. Parents say that they feel supported and listened to. Staff actively seek parents' views and ensure that families are kept well informed throughout the assessment process. Staff hold regular meetings with parents to read, comment on and challenge the content of their assessments. These meetings ensure that parents have a clear understanding of their strengths and areas for development. Parents are confident in raising issues with staff both during and after these meetings.

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improvement to be good

Families experience well-managed and supportive transitions into and out of the centre. Staff provide parents with information about the centre prior to them moving in. Staff ensure that parents have the required information at the earliest opportunity, and expectations are communicated clearly from the outset.

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improvement to be good

Prior to families coming to stay at the centre, the management team completes a risk assessment. However, known risks have not always been fully identified or evaluated and there is limited analysis of how these risks will be mitigated during the families’ stay. Risk assessments do not adequately consider the needs and vulnerabilities of families already residing in the centre and the potential impact of Inspection report for residential family centre: Kaleidoscope Assessment Services 3 new families. As a result, not all matching considerations are appropriately assessed and evaluated to ensure the safety and well-being of children and parents.

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improvement to be good

Incidents in the centre are rare. When incidents do occur, staff are responsive and manage situations effectively to ensure the immediate safety and well-being of children and families. However, the quality of recording is inconsistent. Records do not always clearly detail the specific actions taken by staff to safeguard children. This limits the registered manager’s ability to evaluate the effectiveness of staff practice and identify lessons learned.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment practices are not consistently followed. Leaders and managers did not ensure that sufficient references were suitably obtained and verified for one member of staff prior to them working in the centre.

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improvement to be good

Assessment and placement plans are completed using information provided by the child’s placing authority. Each family has a detailed individual plan that outlines key elements of their assessment, including supervision levels and any required closed- circuit television monitoring. These plans are regularly reviewed and updated with relevant emerging information and changes in circumstances. This ensures that staff have the most up-to-date knowledge of the family circumstances to provide consistent, informed support and maintain effective monitoring throughout their stay.

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improvement to be good

When complaints arise, these are managed efficiently and appropriately. Recordings of complaints demonstrate actions taken by the registered manager to resolve issues and evidence clear rationale for decision-making.

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improvement to be good

Medication is stored safely in the centre and is largely well managed. There has been one medication timing error by staff that has been appropriately addressed by the registered manager. There was no harm to children as a result of this error.

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improvement to be good

Families do not go missing from the centre. However, should parents and children go missing, staff know how to respond.

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good

Since the last inspection, there has been a change in leadership with a new registered manager taking up post in March 2025. Since the new registered manager has been working in the centre, there have been improvements in leadership and management, with a clearer focus on accountability, staff development and quality assurance. The registered manager has clear plans in place to improve the service. However, as she has only recently started in post, significant and sustained improvements in the management oversight of the centre are not yet embedded.

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good

Prior to the appointment of the new registered manager, staff did not receive regular one-to-one supervision or attend routine team meetings. This limited opportunities for staff to reflect on their practice, receive guidance or ensure that there was Inspection report for residential family centre: Kaleidoscope Assessment Services 4 consistency in the quality of support provided to families. Since taking up post, the registered manager has taken effective steps to address this shortfall by ensuring that all staff have received supervision and by reintroducing regular team meetings.

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good

Shortfalls in staff practice have not always been consistently identified and addressed effectively by leaders and managers. However, the new registered manager has taken a proactive approach to improving oversight. She has completed two monthly audits of the centre where she has identified areas of concern and begun to address them appropriately.

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good

Not all staff have completed training identified as essential by the provider, such as safe sleep, paediatric first aid and the administration of medication. This does not ensure that staff have the necessary knowledge and skills to keep children safe and effectively manage specific risks and health-related concerns.

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good

Staff say that the registered manager is approachable and supportive. The recent change in management has been described by staff as a significant improvement, with staff noting the registered manager's thoroughness, personable approach and aspirational vision for the families and the staff team. Professionals and families are complimentary of the new registered manager.

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good

There is effective multi-agency working in place. Staff communicate well with external agencies and share relevant information in a timely manner. One social worker said, ‘Communication has been good; any issues have been raised with me and we have addressed it.’ As a result, all professionals involved in the families’ care are well informed and can make decisions based on up-to-date information. Inspection report for residential family centre: Kaleidoscope Assessment Services 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, 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 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. (Regulation 12 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all matching considerations for proposed families moving into the centre are appropriately assessed and evaluated. This should include consideration of any impact from other families already resident in the centre. 30 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall maintain in respect of each family accommodated in the residential family centre a record which—

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Requirement Due date

includes the information, documents and other records specified in Schedule 3 relating to the members of the family.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall also maintain the records specified in Schedule 4 in respect of the residential family centre; and

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 19 (1)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, families' records must always be accurate and incident reports should provide a comprehensive chronology of the actions taken by staff to safeguard children. 30 May 2025

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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 30 May 2025 Inspection report for residential family centre: Kaleidoscope Assessment Services 6 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

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

has the qualifications, skills and experience necessary for the work he is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

is physically and mentally fit for the work to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to them in respect of each of the matters specified in Schedule 2. (Regulation 16 (1)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that all persons employed—

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Requirement Due date

receive appropriate training, supervision and appraisal; and

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Requirement Due date

are enabled from time to time to obtain further qualifications appropriate to the work they perform. (Regulation 17 (5)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all staff receive regular practice supervision from an appropriate person as per the organisation’s policy and procedures. Additionally, the registered person must ensure that staff attend identified training. 30 May 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

the physical design and layout of the premises to be used as the residential family centre meet the needs of families;

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Requirement Due date

the premises to be used as the residential family centre are of sound construction and kept in a good state of repair externally and internally all parts of the residential family centre are kept clean and reasonably decorated. (Regulation 21 (2)(a)(b)(c)) 30 May 2025 Inspection report for residential family centre: Kaleidoscope Assessment Services 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that each parent is provided with sufficient support and guidance to protect children from likely significant harm. (‘Residential Family Centres National Minimum Standards,’ paragraph 5.2, page 12)  The registered person should ensure that all assessments of parenting skills and capacity evidence a clear rationale for the recommendations made. (‘Residential Family Centres National Minimum Standards,’ paragraph 1.1, page 6)

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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: Kaleidoscope Assessment Services 8

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Kaleidoscope Assessment Services Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: 413 High Street, London E15 4QZ

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Residential family centre details

Responsible individual: James Broadfield

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Inspectors

Leanne Carr, Social Care Inspector Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Kaleidoscope Assessment Services 9 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 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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