Blossom Lodge

Inspection report for residential family centre: Blossom Lodge 1 Blossom Lodge Blossom Lodge Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

The centre is owned by a private organisation. It provides care, accommodation and residential parenting assessments for up to 5 families. Parenting assessments take a minimum of 12 weeks.

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Information about this residential family centre

There were 2 families living at the centre at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this residential family centre

The manager registered with Ofsted when the centre opened in July 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and parents, taking into account good

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and parents are helped and protected 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 provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of previous inspection: 3 December 2024

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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: Blossom Lodge 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents establish and build positive relationships with staff. Even parents who are not happy with the general experience of being under assessment and 24-hour supervision can identify positive relationships with particular members of staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents’ complaints are investigated and managed well. Informal complaints are recorded and responded to directly with parents. Staff also address parents’ concerns regularly in the weekly feedback sessions where they can share their views.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Children and parents are supported to engage in both community activities and those in the centre. This helps parents to provide stimulation and bonding opportunities with their children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parents are offered support through key-work sessions that address their areas of need. For example, sessions focus on topics such as routines, feeding, attachment, healthy relationships and substance misuse. This helps parents to learn important parenting skills and improves their emotional wellbeing. Parents are also supported to learn how to manage difficult feelings and use new strategies when they are struggling.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Care planning for families is robust and effective. Individual assessment plans, reports, monitoring and support plans comprehensively address their needs. Staff work with parents’ family members and support networks to think about the future and longer-term plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Assessments are evidence based and evaluative. They focus on parents’ strengths, areas for improvement and their capacity to change. Recommendations are made considering parents’ progress and identified needs during the assessment.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Leaders, managers and staff prioritise children’s safety and wellbeing. There is a good understanding of parental concerns and behaviours, which is supported by clear risk management and safety plans.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff understand safeguarding and whistleblowing procedures. There are two independent people, as well as the human resources department, who they can report concerns to about leaders and managers if needed. This ensures that there are people who can look at concerns objectively and provides protection for staff. Furthermore, there have been updates to the conflict of interest policy and procedures, which staff are aware of.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Recruitment checks for staff and procedures for vetting agency workers are suitable. Inspection report for residential family centre: Blossom Lodge 3 Leaders and managers report concerns to the local authority designated officer within appropriate timeframes. Leaders and managers also notify Ofsted of significant events.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff are confident to address concerns with parents and act when required. As a result, safeguarding incidents are managed well. Leaders and managers share information with relevant agencies and give feedback to parents. Feedback from placing social workers is positive.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Positive behaviour is promoted consistently in the centre. Staff use effective de- escalation techniques when parents are struggling. Staff respond with clear boundaries about what is safe and acceptable and seek to understand the triggers for behaviour.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Home conditions in the centre are suitable, and, since the last inspection, the garden has been improved.

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good

Leaders and managers have met the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection. Despite this, there are still areas for improvement, and breaches of the national minimum standards were identified on this inspection.

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good

Leaders have not maintained sufficiently clear oversight of staff qualifications. The registered manager could not provide evidence that staff have the relevant children and young people’s workforce diploma. Staff should either have, or be working towards, the relevant qualifications within six months of confirmation of their employment.

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good

Staff do not receive regular professional supervision in line with the centre’s policy. Although the centre’s policy states that formal supervision will be every 4 weeks, supervision is more infrequent than this, with some meetings taking place every three months. This is particularly concerning due to the complexities of families’ needs and the safeguarding responsibility of staff who are supervising families for 24 hours a day due to significant risks and concerns for children’s safety. The infrequency of staff supervision does not ensure that there is effective management oversight of staff practice, potential safeguarding concerns, or the monitoring and oversight of parents’ experiences. Furthermore, staff do not have the effective challenge and support of regular team meetings, as these only take place occasionally.

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good

The registered manager is now supervised by an independent person, as is the responsible individual. Both only receive supervision every 3 months but report that this is sufficient for them and that they can meet more frequently with their supervisors if needed. However, like the staff, they are dealing with and managing Inspection report for residential family centre: Blossom Lodge 4 significant safeguarding risks within their roles daily, so this infrequency of supervision limits opportunities for professional reflection.

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good

Leaders and managers have not sent the review of quality-of-care report as required by regulation to Ofsted as required. This limits the external oversight and scrutiny of the centre by the regulator.

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good

The centre’s statement of purpose is not up to date. It currently states that the centre provides services and assessment for expectant parents. The registered manager confirmed that the centre has not assessed expectant parents so far and will not take placements following recent guidance from Ofsted. However, this is not reflected in the statement of purpose.

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good

Since the last inspection, an independent person now completes the monthly visits as required by regulation. The reports provide objective feedback and recommendations. Leaders and managers report that this change has been helpful and has brought about positive improvements.

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good

Leaders and managers are developing the service based on previous experiences and feedback from parents and others. Leaders and managers understand the importance of the role the centre plays in the assessment, monitoring and support for families. The overall aims of family placements are clear and intend to support parents while safeguarding children.

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good

Leaders, managers and staff work proactively with other agencies to meet the needs of children and families. If risks increase for children, leaders and managers take steps to ensure that plans are put in place and the placement is reviewed with the placing authority to consider the best steps to take next.

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good

Decisions about families coming to live at the centre are well thought through. Leaders and managers balance the needs of families requiring a placement and those already living at the centre.

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good

Staff report feeling well supported and that morale is good. Staff training is effective. There is a wide range of online and face-to-face training to support staff to meet the needs of families. Staff also receive effective appraisal once a year. Inspection report for residential family centre: Blossom Lodge 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, The 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 establish and maintain a system for—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided at the residential family centre.

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Requirement Due date

[F1(1A) The system referred to in paragraph (1) must provide for adequate consideration of matters raised under regulation 18 by persons working at the residential family centre.]

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall supply to the [F2Chief Inspector] a report in respect of any review conducted by him for the purposes of paragraph (1), and make a copy of the report available to residents.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (1) shall provide for consultation with residents. (Regulation 23 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)) 30 January 2026

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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

keep under review and where appropriate revise the statement of purpose and resident’s guide; and

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Requirement Due date

notify the [F1Chief Inspector] within 28 days of any such revision. (Regulation 4 (1) (4)(a)(b)) 30 January 2026 Inspection report for residential family centre: Blossom Lodge 6 In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that the statement of purpose reflects the services provided in the centre and is kept up to date.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all care staff have a minimum level 3 Children and Young People’s Workforce Diploma, which must include mandatory social care units, or be working towards the relevant qualifications within six months of confirmation of employment. (Residential family centres: NMS 16.5)  The registered person should ensure that staff have access to support and advice to provide a comprehensive service for parents and their children and are provided with regular supervision. (Residential family centres: NMS 17.4)  The registered person should ensure that there are suitable arrangements for professional supervision of the registered manager and responsible individual (who also undertakes parenting assessments). (Residential family centres: NMS 17.3)

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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: Blossom Lodge 7

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Blossom Lodge Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: Office 4553, 321-323 High Road, Chadwell Heath, Romford RM6 6AX

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Residential family centre details

Email address: info@blossomlodgelimited.co.uk

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Inspector

Leanne Grant, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Blossom Lodge 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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