Information about this residential family centre

Inspection report for residential family centre 1 Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre is registered to accommodate up to five families. The centre is privately owned. Families access the centre at the direction of the family court and/or the local authority for the purposes of assessment.

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Information about this residential family centre

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2023. She is appropriately qualified and experienced.

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Information about this residential family centre

At the time of this inspection, two families were residing at the centre. The inspectors spoke to both parents during the inspection.

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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 outstanding

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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 previous inspection: 14 March 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

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

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Families are provided with individualised support based on their presenting risks and communication needs. This helps to accommodate their learning styles and to ensure that the assessment process is inclusive. This support is adapted and threaded throughout practice to support parents to understand the assessment process and make best use of the advice and support provided. This is a strength of the service.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The centre provides a calm environment for families to stay. Parents both past and present report that they have good relationships with staff. Staff were observed to offer nurturing support to parents; they are approachable and make themselves available to parents. Parents are offered support to succeed through staff guidance and modelling. Parents are also given set time away from caring for their baby to support them to meet their own needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Direct work sessions with parents are done from a strength based starting point and linked to their specific needs. Feedback is shared with parents in a way that celebrates positive achievements and informs them of any developmental needs in a sensitive and encouraging way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Research based therapeutic intervention is provided to parents which is focused on positive well-being and coping strategies for when parents move on from the centre. The centre’s therapist also delivers trauma informed and theme specific training to the staff team based on the families they are working with at the centre.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

There are multiple ways in which family’s views are gathered. They have access to QR codes where they can share their views, they attend weekly Sunday sit downs, daily brew and chat sessions and they are supported to provide their feedback on all records and reports. Consequently, parents have not had the need to make any complaints about their experiences at the centre.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Transitions into the centre are well supported, with plans in place to support parents as effectively as possible. This helps parents to form relationships with staff and to feel less overwhelmed prior to their arrival. For one family who moved out following a successful assessment, their transition was planned and offered the parents a good level of support to adapt to their new living arrangements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parenting assessments are of high quality. They are tailored to each family’s individual concerns and they are written from a strengths-based perspective. Parents are given weekly reports in an accessible form to help them understand the progress they are making and where they need to develop. The manager has also introduced an ‘all about me’ document that the parent can use in their interaction with other professionals to prevent barriers to communication and to promote effective co- working. Inspection report for residential family centre 3

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Families are kept safe and secure during their stays and assessments at the centre. This is because the staff team implements effective planning, monitoring and support that minimises risk to families both inside and outside of the centre. Staff use professional curiosity and their knowledge of parents to raise concerns with the relevant professionals, so that action can be taken to protect children.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

When planning for new families to move into the centre, detailed impact risk assessments demonstrate that careful consideration is given to the impact this may have on other families already at the centre and how the new family’s needs will be met. When families leave the centre and the plan is to separate parents and their child, balanced risk plans ensure that this is done safely and as sensitively as possible.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff are compassionate in their approach when working with families. They support parents if they are struggling with their emotional well-being, while keeping children as the focus of the assessment. Planned direct work is aimed to develop parent’s knowledge of managing risk and how to prioritise their child’s safety.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The manager uses serious incidents to have open and honest discussions with staff about any further action that could be taken to improve their management of incidents. She works hard to develop the staff team’s understanding of effective safeguarding practice. Her evaluation of incidents and debriefs with staff following incidents, are trauma informed and reflective. In addition, she reaches out to external professionals for guidance in relation to additional support that could be implemented to help families.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Families risk assessments are highly individualised and child focused. The manager takes prompt action, when parents have gone outside their statement of expectations or additional risk factors have occurred, such as a parent missing from the centre. They use warning systems to prompt parents about safeguarding concerns and they work closely with the placing authority to review the safety and suitability of the family’s assessment continuing.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Following an allegation about staff practice, the manager conducted a robust internal review in relation to safe allegation management processes. This included the implementation of a safeguarding workshop for staff using research-informed practice to develop their knowledge base and confidence when reporting concerns to keep children safe. The internal review was shared with the placing authorities to promote transparency and consistent multi agency working.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is inspirational and ambitious for children and parents. She is a positive role model and demonstrates integrity in her practice and promotes the Inspection report for residential family centre 4 values and ethos of the service. She knows the families very well. Her oversight of all records and systems is a strength.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff feel highly valued and supported by the leadership team. Consequently, the staff team is stable, skilled and experienced. Feedback from staff and external professionals is consistently high, in relation to the level of care, monitoring and assessment provided to families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has high expectations of staff to conduct detailed direct work and observations with parents and to support evidence-based assessments that focus on parents’ capacity to change and improve. The manager and staff team maintain positive relationships with additional services and partner agencies to ensure that the best possible service is provided to parents and their children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager understands the strengths of the service and identifies areas to be developed. She uses her independent visitor reports to swiftly address any recommendations made and to develop the quality of support provided to families. Her review of the quality-of-care report provides a clear evaluation of the effectiveness of the service and the impact it has on families. However, it is not always shared with Ofsted in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers use research-based practice in many areas of their practice, learning and development. It is used to compliment staff’s knowledge of working with families and alongside the centres model of care. The provider collaborates with universities and student social workers. Leaders and managers are working alongside external partners to develop a multi-agency group related to substance misuse for parents. Development days are also offered to external professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff supervisions are used to track their professional development, to reflect on their practice and to check and support staff well-being. Staff are provided with a wide range of training and resources to enhance their understanding of working with families and the purpose of assessment. This ensures that staff are supported to conduct their role to the best of their ability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers actively look for ways to improve staff practice and experiences for families. The manager uses monthly team meetings to share knowledge, to review incidents and to amend how families are supported. In addition, leaders and managers attend a residential family centre national forum to share positive practice and information with other providers. Inspection report for residential family centre 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that their written report carried out under regulation 23 is lodged in the centre for staff to read. It is also made available to inspectors, as required. Specifically, the report is sent to Ofsted without delay once it has been completed. (Residential family centres: NMS 19.6, page 29)

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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 6

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Residential family centre details

Responsible individual: Catherine Coulier

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Inspectors

Cheryl Field, Social Care Inspector Charlie Bamber, Social Care Compliance Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre 7 and inspects 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 who are 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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