Norden Hills Family Centre

Inspection report for residential family centre: Norden Hills Family Centre 1 Norden Hills Family Centre

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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 5 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 registered manager has been in post since the centre’s registration in June 2023.

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Information about this residential family centre

At the time of this inspection, two families were residing at the centre. The inspector spoke to one parent during the inspection and received written feedback from the other.

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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 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: 19 June 2025

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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: Norden Hills Family Centre 2

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Summary of findings

Since the last inspection, there has been a restructure of senior leadership, which has resulted in greater oversight and improved practice.

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Summary of findings

The centre is welcoming, homely and equipped to meet families’ needs. Staff actively recognise and celebrate cultural and religious differences, ensuring inclusive practice and respect for individuals.

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Summary of findings

Clear policies, robust risk assessments and knowledgeable staff ensure children’s safety. Safeguarding incidents are rare and appropriately managed. However, notifications to Ofsted are detailed but sometimes delayed, which limited the regulator’s opportunity to have prompt oversight of the service.

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Summary of findings

There is further progress to be made in relation to senior leaders’ review of operations, and this is recognised and planned for.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

The centre’s décor and furnishings have improved since the last inspection. Senior leaders have taken effective steps to enhance the environment, making it more colourful, welcoming and homely. The introduction of additional baby spaces provides further opportunities for parents to interact positively with their children. Overall, the centre is spacious, comfortable and well maintained, with all necessary amenities in place to meet families’ needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

A key strength of the centre is the strong promotion of equality and diversity. Leaders and staff actively recognise and research cultural and religious differences, supporting families to celebrate important events such as Eid and Asatru. Individual needs and preferences, including dietary requirements, are respected and appropriately accommodated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Staff provide a warm welcome to new families and ensure they are equipped with all necessary information. Communication is effective, with expectations and boundaries clearly explained. Where English is not a family’s primary language, leaders and staff make considerable efforts to provide both written and verbal information in the family’s preferred language.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Senior leaders proactively seek feedback from staff and families, offering a range of opportunities for individuals to share their views. Complaints are managed promptly and thoroughly, with outcomes communicated clearly. Families report that they feel listened to, and staff respond appropriately and efficiently to feedback and requests. Inspection report for residential family centre: Norden Hills Family Centre 3 Staff provide good support for the health and wellbeing of children and their families. Referrals to specialist external agencies, such as perinatal mental health services are made swiftly when required, ensuring that families receive appropriate support. Staff also encourage and support parents to attend relevant appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: good

Parenting programmes and assessments are aligned with local authority expectations. Assessments are completed using a recognised model and staff responsible for undertaking assessments demonstrate appropriate competence. Processes and outcomes are clearly communicated to families in an accessible and easy to understand manner.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

The centre has a clear safeguarding policy outlining the roles and responsibilities of staff. Staff understand their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding children and families. Risk assessments are completed for each family, which contain details of any known risks and clear instructions for staff to follow in the event of concerns.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Leaders and staff carefully consider the suitability of families moving into the centre. They consider the needs and risks of other families who already live at the centre and how both families’ needs will be concurrently met. The centre only provides admission to parents and children whose assessed needs they can expect to meet.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

On one occasion, a family left the centre prior to the end of their assessment. The senior leaders’ decision to end their placement was proportionate to the presenting risk and ensured that the child was safe.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Staff routinely complete body maps of children. Body maps are detailed and clear and are reviewed and signed off by managers. Staff know what to do if they see an injury or bruise to a child.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Managers and leaders undertake appropriate checks to ensure the suitability of staff. Managers undertake additional exploration of employment histories when this is not clear and seek additional references from all former relevant employment. This demonstrates that staff are safely recruited.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Senior leaders responded promptly when there were emerging concerns about a staff member’s suitability to work at the centre. They took immediate action to ensure the safety and wellbeing of families and ensured that concerns were addressed promptly and thoroughly.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Families do not go missing from the centre. Risk assessments are clear about what staff should do in the event that families are missing.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: good

Safeguarding incidents at the centre are rare. When there is a concern, staff respond appropriately and take action to safeguard children. However, on one occasion, the managers and leaders’ written oversight and reflections of the practice Inspection report for residential family centre: Norden Hills Family Centre 4 and recording were delayed. This meant learning was not promptly shared with staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Following the last inspection, the senior leadership team restructured to allow for greater oversight and operational efficiency. As a result, there is greater monitoring and oversight of policies, processes and practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior leaders know the strengths and areas for development of the centre and have taken effective action to make positive changes. All requirements raised at the last inspection have been met. There are further areas of development, such as a training review and leaders are aware of this and have plans in place to continue their progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The senior leaders are knowledgeable about their sector and recent developments, which they share with staff. They maintain links with other residential family centres and forums to ensure their practice remains current and responsive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The centre is sufficiently staffed. Some staff are related to one another. However, there are clear policies and procedures in place to minimise risks regarding professional boundaries and transparency. Staff have a clear understanding of the whistleblowing policy and how to use it.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have changed the supervision format. This now includes additional agenda items to ensure staff knowledge and suitability for their role. Staff are supervised regularly. Supervision is reflective and focuses on staff development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New staff do not receive additional formal supervision. However, they are paired with an experienced member of staff to serve as an additional point of contact, supporting staff to learn the required skills and develop their competency. Staff report that senior leaders are ‘hands on’ and accessible in the centre. Staff are supported appropriately.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff are up to date with their training. Staff are not permitted to work in the centre when required training is not complete. Leaders deliver learning and practice reflection within team meetings on a regular basis, which addresses emerging risks or concerns, or relates directly to the specific needs of the families in the centre. Staff are provided with the knowledge to perform their roles well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior leaders have made improvements to the handover format. It is completed twice per day and reviewed by senior leaders. Key information is clear and information-sharing between staff is effective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and leaders notify Ofsted of any serious incidents within the centre. The notifications are detailed and clear. However, some of the notifications are delayed. This does not allow the regulator to have prompt oversight of the concerns. Inspection report for residential family centre: Norden Hills Family Centre 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure there is an effective system in place to notify the appropriate authorities within 24 hours of the occurrence of significant events in accordance with Regulation 26. The system includes what to do when a notifiable event arises at weekends. (Residential family centres: NMS 21.1)  The registered person should ensure that there are clear and effective procedures for monitoring and controlling the activities of the centre. (Residential family centres: NMS 19.1)

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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: Norden Hills Family Centre 6

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Norden Hills Family Centre Ltd

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Residential family centre details

Email address: priscilla@nordenhillsfamilycentre.org.uk

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Inspectors

Sarah Huntbatch, Social Care Inspector Eve Ostridge, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Norden Hills Family Centre 7 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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