Oikos Family Assessment Centres

Inspection report for residential family centre: Oikos Family Assessment Centres 1 Oikos Family Assessment Centres Oikos Family Centres Limited Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This privately operated residential family centre is registered to accommodate up to seven families. The primary purpose of the centre is to complete evidence-based assessments of parenting capacity.

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Information about this residential family centre

The registered manager registered with Ofsted in July 2023. The manager has sent a form to Ofsted to voluntarily cancel her registration with effect from 22 August 2025.

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Information about this residential family centre

There were two families living at the centre at the time of this inspection. They were both spoken to.

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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 or 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: 22 March 2023

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for residential family centre: Oikos Family Assessment Centres 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

The judgement in help and protection and leadership and management impacts on the judgement for overall experiences and progress of children and parents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

There have been many changes in the staff team. This means that on occasions, families have had several different assessors. The manager has completed or finished off several parenting assessments due to the inability to retain assessing social workers. While these appear to have been of good quality and evidence based, this lack of continuity has affected the quality and consistency of care and assessment provided to families.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

As part of the assessment process, work takes place with parents on domestic abuse, early childhood experiences and basic caring needs. Families attend these sessions alongside the formal assessment. However, activities are extremely limited and are not always focused on the individual assessment needs of the families.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

Some areas of the home are looking tired and in need of refurbishment or replacement, such as carpeting in the communal areas and bedrooms. However, the home is well resourced, and there is a range of equipment, toys and books that meet the needs of children of varying ages and stages in their development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

Families receive a warm welcome into the centre when they first arrive. Staff are helpful in ensuring that parents have essential items such as food, toiletries and clothing, as they often arrive with little notice. This helps parents to settle down in their new surroundings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

Observations, key working and assessment sessions are of good quality and tailored to the needs of the parents. Any learning difficulties are catered for, and specific tools are used to meet the different learning styles of parents. The language used is clear, and weekly reports are written from the perspective of the child.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

The provider has not ensured that sufficient information about families is received at the point of referral. This means that leaders and manager are making decisions about the suitability of placements without a robust assessment of whether staff can meet the needs of the families and children.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not look at the individual risks and vulnerabilities of each parent. The impact risk assessments do not consider matching considerations of new parents with existing residents, for example considering whether any parents have known substance misuse issues. These shortcomings leave staff without the detailed guidance they need to respond proactively to potential concerns and identify risk reduction strategies. Inspection report for residential family centre: Oikos Family Assessment Centres 3 Risk assessments are not consistently in place despite this being standard and expected practice. This shortfall undermines the staff’s ability to respond to identified and emerging risks. Managers also struggle to evidence progress when risks are reduced or resolved. Furthermore, it compromises the safety and well- being of parents and children and does not instil confidence in the ability to maintain

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

There have been several safeguarding incidents in the centre that are not recorded appropriately and have not been shared with the regulator. Incident reports are not completed. Without a structured system for documentation, the manager is unable to maintain effective oversight, conduct debriefs with staff, challenge poor practice, or implement learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced and has worked hard to maintain a service that is fit for purpose. However, due to ongoing instability, a lack of staff and the absence of clear, strategic leadership, the manager has struggled to ensure that the service is run in line with its statement of purpose. She has made the decision to leave the service. This departure presents a significant risk to the continuity and effectiveness of the centre.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are concerns regarding the operational stability and sustainability of the centre. There is an over-reliance on agency staff due to staff leaving the service or being made redundant. Two appointed social workers expressed concerns about the safety and adequacy of staffing levels, and they prematurely chose to leave. Staff morale is low, and there are concerns about the financial viability of the service, with staff’s salaries sometimes being paid late.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

On occasions, the manager has needed to undertake the assessments with the families due to a lack of qualified social workers to do this. The provider has failed to put any support in place for the manager to allow her to prioritise and undertake her managerial tasks effectively, or to ensure that other leaders provide support and oversight of the running of the home as a temporary measure. This has created vulnerabilities and a lack of oversight and quality assurance in this high-risk service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not always receive supervision in a timely way, and there is no system to support the manager to track when these sessions have taken place. However, the quality of supervision is purposeful and reflective, promoting staff learning and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Team meetings are well attended and take place monthly. Discussions take place on a range of issues. There is evidence of reflection on work undertaken with families, and the manager challenges staff about their professional conduct when necessary. Inspection report for residential family centre: Oikos Family Assessment Centres 4 When complaints are made, they are appropriately investigated, and action has been taken to resolve issues or concerns raised. Not all parents receive a formal response in accordance with the established procedure. Inspection report for residential family centre: Oikos Family Assessment Centres 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 compile in relation to the residential family centre a written statement (in these Regulations referred to as (“the statement of purpose”) which shall consist of a statement as to the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6) the registered person shall ensure that the residential family centre is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 4 (1) (5)) 29 August 2025

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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

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) (3)(a)(b)(c)) 29 August 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. 29 August 2025 Inspection report for residential family centre: Oikos Family Assessment Centres 6 The procedure under paragraph (1)(b) must in particular provide for—

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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 centre, to the [Chief Inspector] and the child’s placing authority; and

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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. (Regulation 12 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d))

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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 (in these Regulations referred to as “the placement plan”) setting out, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

the facilities and services to be provided during the course of the placement;

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Requirement Due date

the objectives and intended outcome of the placement; and

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall keep under review and revise the placement plan as necessary.

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Requirement Due date

In preparing or reviewing the placement plan the registered person shall, so far as practicable—

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Requirement Due date

seek and take account of the views of the members of the family; and

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Requirement Due date

take account of any relevant assessment or other report relating to any member of the family which may be provided by the placing authority.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall supply a copy of the placement plan and any revision of it to the placing authority and to the parent within the family to which it relates. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2) (3)(a)(b) (4)) 29 August 2025 Inspection report for residential family centre: Oikos Family Assessment Centres 7 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. (Regulation 15 (a)(b)) 29 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

ensure that all permanent appointments are subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation; employed by him—

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Requirement Due date

receive appropriate supervision and appraisal. (Regulation 17 (1)(a) (5)(a)) 29 August 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. (Regulation 26 (1)) 29 August 2025

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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: Oikos Family Assessment Centres 8

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Oikos Family Centres Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: Office F06, First Floor, Dawson’s House, Owlcotes Lane, Pudsey LS28 6PY

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Inspectors

Cath Sikakana, Social Care Inspector Joanna Beal, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Oikos Family Assessment Centres 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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