Welland House

Inspection report for residential family centre: Welland House 1 Welland House Barnardo Services Limited Barnardo House, Tanners Lane, Barkingside, Ilford, Essex IG6 1QG Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre is managed by a charity in partnership with a local authority. It is registered to provide accommodation for up to three families.

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Information about this residential family centre

There were two families living at the centre at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this residential family centre

There has been no registered manager since April 2024. The current manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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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: 23 July 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Staff demonstrate care and commitment towards children and their families. Staff work hard to quickly establish relationships with families who arrive under difficult circumstances. Staff’s compassionate approach is evident in the support offered, fostering trusting and established relationships with parents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The physical home environment is safe and secure, which provides a homely and welcoming atmosphere, offering families both shared and private spaces. Staff support parents to learn about and integrate into the local community, including visiting places of worship for families of faith. Staff encourage children and parents to take part in a wide range of activities, such as parent and baby groups that support families’ integration and children’s developmental needs. Families have opportunities to engage in residents’ meetings, promoting their voice and involvement in centre life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Staff engage parents in meaningful and constructive discussions, which appropriately challenge identified risks while supporting parents to enhance their parenting capacity. Staff ensure that clear boundaries are maintained and understood by all families.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Staff demonstrate effective partnership working with relevant agencies, including drug misuse specialists, advocates and domestic abuse workers. This collaborative approach strengthens the support provided to families.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Staff and the manager’s planning for families moving into the centre is robust, considering previous and current needs identified for families and the necessary support required to address these. Family support plans are comprehensive, capturing the support provided and progress made effectively. Weekly summaries are detailed and informative, which inform ongoing parenting assessments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Staff help parents to create memory books reflecting their time living at the centre. This provides children and families with a record of positive memories and contributes positively to children’s life-story work. To improve this practice further, there needs to be consideration of the ownership of these books should outcomes for families be negative, as these books serve as an important item to both parents and children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Exit planning for families leaving the centre requires improvement. Families report a lack of clarity regarding plans as their time at the centre comes to an end. Inconsistencies have been noted for transitions, placement extensions and the absence of a clear post-assessment role for staff. This has, at times, resulted in delays impacting on children and their families. Leaders and managers acknowledge these issues and recognise the need for clearer processes; they are working closely with the local authority to improve this area of practice. Inspection report for residential family centre: Welland House 3 Assessment outcomes are not always shared with parents in a timely or transparent manner, particularly when an independent social worker has completed the assessment. For example, one mother reported receiving her assessment by email before it was discussed with her, and discrepancies were noted in the records of

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

sessions undertaken. This undermines parents’ understanding of decision-making processes and their assurance that their views have been heard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The residents’ guide does not include details about the Chief Inspector and Children’s Rights Officer. Additionally, the residents’ guide has not been adapted for families with additional needs.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff consistently monitor families in line with individual safety plans, ensuring that concerns are addressed appropriately and promptly. Risk assessments are detailed, relevant and accurately reflect identified risks. Staff update assessments regularly to respond to any changes in family circumstances or emerging concerns.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Children are safe within the centre. Staff demonstrate a thorough understanding of the risks specific to each family. They work dynamically with risk, adapting their approach based on the current situation. The manager is proactive in reviewing and adjusting supervision levels, increasing or reducing oversight quickly to maintain safety and promote family autonomy where appropriate.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff work with parents to help them manage their emotions more constructively, contributing positively to family dynamics and overall well-being. This includes accessing specialist services when required.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Allegations and complaints are responded to appropriately to safeguard children, including following the centre’s allegations procedures. Parents’ views are not always considered as a complaint, and they are not always followed up by the manager.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff maintain good communication with health professionals when families have additional health needs and are prescribed medication. When medication errors have occurred, leaders and managers have been proactive in addressing practice shortfalls. However, medication practice does not align with the centre’s operating procedures as set out in the statement of purpose.

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good

Leaders and managers demonstrate a willingness to engage in reflective practice. They welcome open, honest discussions and acknowledge shortfalls and identified areas for development.

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good

There is a lack of consistent management oversight of the parenting assessment process and final assessment reports. For some families, assessments have not Inspection report for residential family centre: Welland House 4 started in a timely manner, leading to delays and negatively impacting on their experiences. Some parenting assessments contain several administrative and factual errors, questioning the robustness of internal quality assurance processes. The manager’s oversight and endorsement of such assessments are not consistently recorded and reflected in the parenting assessment or wider recording systems.

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good

The recording systems impact on the manager’s ability to have consistent oversight of all areas of the centre. Information about families is not always recorded, clear or accessible. For example, this has led to confusion about the legal status of children and additional needs of a parent. This inconsistency compromises the effectiveness of tailored support.

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good

The manager provides staff with professional supervision. This is generally well structured and takes place regularly. However, records of supervision do not consistently include clear, measurable actions or deadlines. This impacts on the monitoring of staff’s professional development. Staff are supported to develop their skills and knowledge through training relevant to their role.

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good

There has been no registered manager at the centre since April 2024. The manager has applied to register; however, there has been a significant delay in Ofsted receiving this application. Inspection report for residential family centre: Welland House 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 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 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure there is oversight of the assessments completed, including scrutiny for factual accuracy, with conclusions and recommendations being evidenced based and balanced, with the registered person clearly documenting their oversight of the assessments. 19 November

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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 records mentioned in paragraphs (1) and (3) may be kept in electronic form, provided the information so recorded is capable of being reproduced in a legible form. (Regulation 19 (1)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that records are documented, clear and accessible. 19 November Inspection report for residential family centre: Welland House 6 The registered person shall, so far as is practicable, ascertain and take into account the wishes and feelings of residents when making decisions concerning their health and welfare, or the manner in which they are treated. (Regulation 10 (2))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure families are supported to move on from the centre in a planned manner without delay. Where delays occur, the registered person must ensure plans are agreed in the best interest of children and their families.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure families have appropriate access to their medication and are empowered to manage this in accordance with their health needs. 19 November

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall produce a written guide to the residential family centre (“the resident’s guide”) which shall include:

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Requirement Due date

the address and telephone number of the Chief Inspector; and

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Requirement Due date

the address and telephone number of the Children’s Rights Director.

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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 (3)(c)(d) (5))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure the residents’ guide is accessible for families with additional needs and include the contact details for the Chief Inspector and Children’s Rights Director.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure practice is conducted in line with the provider’s statement of purpose in all areas but especially with regard to the provider’s assessment process and medication practice. 19 November

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall establish a procedure (“the complaints procedure”) for considering complaints made to the registered person by a resident or a person acting on behalf of a resident.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall ensure that any complaint made under the complaints procedure is fully investigated. 19 November Inspection report for residential family centre: Welland House 7 The registered person shall, within 28 days after the date on which the complaint is made, or such shorter period as may be reasonable in the circumstances, inform the person who made the complaint of the action (if any) that is to be taken.

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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 (1) (2) (5) (6))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure there is clear rationale for what is considered a complaint and how this is responded to. The registered person must ensure that families are appropriately involved and consulted with in relation to complaints they make, including being provided with feedback of the outcome.

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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: Welland House 8

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Barnardo Services Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: Barnardo House, Tanners Lane, Barkingside, Ilford, Essex IG6 1QG

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Residential family centre details

Email address: karen.ciantar@barnardos.org.uk

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Inspectors

Chloe Harvey, Social Care Inspector Kathryn Hurley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Welland House 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 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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