Action Breaks

Inspector David Kidner

Inspection date 02/11/2016 Previous inspection judgement Good

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children and parents

Good The residential holiday scheme provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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because:

 The scheme is managed by a competent and experienced registered manager. She is supported by a dedicated and enthusiastic staff team that wishes to provide young people with an enjoyable holiday.  Leaders and managers ensure that comprehensive planning takes place prior to each holiday. They liaise well with parents and schools in order to gain a thorough understanding of the needs of the young people. Following this, detailed care and support plans and risk assessments are developed that guide staff in how young people’s needs are to be met.  Staff place the individual needs of the young people at the centre of their practice. Young people have fun and are encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities and new experiences. Staff use a range of methods of communication to seek young people’s views and to offer choices in activities and food and drink.  Based on young people’s individual needs, staff keep in regular contact with

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because:

families in order to keep them informed of how their child’s holiday is progressing.  Staff ensure that young people are safe. Parents consulted with consider that their child is safe when they are accessing a holiday. Positive feedback has been received from parents in respect of the holidays that their children have experienced.  An area for improvement relates to the scheme’s recording processes.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Ensure that entries in records are legible, clearly expressed, non-stigmatising and distinguish as far as possible between fact, opinion and third party information. In particular, that the time is entered on the correspondence recording sheet when making contact with parents (NMS 15.4).

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children

This residential holiday scheme for disabled children is a national children’s charity. It provides a variety of residential holidays throughout the year to children and young people with complex needs, including learning and physical disability and complex health needs. The scheme has provided a holiday for 40 young people. The aims and objectives for the scheme are to provide exciting residential short- break holidays for children and young people to enjoy and experience a time away from home, to have fun, make new friends, enjoy social occasions and be involved and try out new activities of their choice. Primary focus will be given to children and young people in Bristol and the South West. The scheme operates from offices at another registered residential provision that the charity operates.

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Good

Young people receive highly individualised care and support when accessing the holiday scheme. There is comprehensive planning undertaken prior to each holiday taking place. Staff visit young people at home and speak to their family members in order to gain an awareness of the young people, and how their needs are to be met. This is good collaborative working. Parents consider that their child is safe when accessing the scheme. Staff are provided with detailed information on how to meet the individual needs of the young people. Staff record the daily activities that young people have been accessing. They also take photographs to show parents the activities and new experiences that young people have been involved in. A parent said, ‘They accessed the entertainment centre. I saw lots of photographs and they looked happy.’ For those young people with specific communication needs it is evident through their smiles and laugher that they have an enjoyable time.

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Good

Young people have fun and are supported and encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities. They are offered choices in activities, food and drink. One parent said, ‘My son loved every second of it. They couldn’t have done anymore. They were brave to take him swimming and to the fairground.’ Another parent said, ‘I cannot think of what they could do that would have been better.’ A social worker said that ‘they provide a really good service’. Leaders and managers ensure that parents are contacted to inform them of how well their child is enjoying the holiday, or to inform them of any matters of concern. The dates and the nature of contact with parents are clearly recorded. However, the time of when the contact is made is not recorded. There are good, positive relationships between young people and staff. The staff place the well-being of the young people at the centre of their practice. Holiday schemes are appropriately located and maintained to promote the safety

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Good

and well-being of young people with disabilities. This holiday was located at a large facility that is accessed by the general public. Judgement grade

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Good

Young people are safe and their welfare is paramount. Leaders and managers ensure that any known risks pertaining to the holiday venue are identified and measures are put in place to reduce the risk. Risk management does not restrict young people’s opportunities to experience an enjoyable holiday. Parents consider that their child is safe when accessing the scheme. All staff attending the holiday have undertaken safeguarding training. This includes safeguarding training in respect of children with disabilities. Any matters relating to potential safeguarding issues are taken seriously. The registered manager confirms that there has not been a need to refer any matters to children’s services. In addition, the designated officer from the local authority confirms that there have not been any referrals made to them. Leaders and managers gather detailed information from parents and schools to gain an overview of the behaviours that young people may display. Following this,

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Good

guidance is provided to staff in how to manage specific behaviours. Staff receive training in the scheme’s chosen method of de-escalation and restraint. There are no recorded incidents of restraint being used, and sanctions are not imposed. Incidents are clearly recorded and overseen by the registered manager. Young people have not been missing from the scheme. Staff have the skills to meet the individual needs of the young people and use alternative methods of communication to offer choices in food, drinks and activities. Pictures and photographs are appropriately posted around the accommodation area to assist young people. Robust arrangements are in place to manage emergencies and fire safety is promoted. Parents have signed their consent for their child to access medical and emergency services if required. Good records are maintained in respect of the administration of medicines. The sleeping arrangements and the arrangements for personal care promote

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Good

This residential holiday scheme is effectively and efficiently managed by a suitably experienced and qualified registered manager. She has been the registered manager of the scheme since November 2014 and is committed to improving and developing the service. The registered manager leads by example. She regularly visits and supports young people on their short breaks, and works as part of the team. The staff who support the young people are dedicated, enthusiastic and strive to provide young people with an enjoyable holiday. Staff have a good understanding of the needs of the young people and make adjustments to the holiday plans in order to meet the young people’s individual needs. The registered manager has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in the scheme. She undertakes an annual review of the scheme and identifies areas to further improve. Leaders and managers are very proactive is reviewing and evaluating the services

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Good

that it provides. This includes a business review of the scheme and a business continuity plan. The registered manager provides commissioners with a detailed overview of the holidays that have been provided. Recent feedback from commissioners identified that the scheme ‘is on track to achieve many of their performance outcome targets’. Leaders and managers are proactive in working in partnership with other agencies and professionals, and parents. The scheme’s statement of purpose meets regulation. It is comprehensive and provides clear information as to the aims and objectives of the scheme. There is good planning in respect of the numbers and needs of the young people who will be attending each holiday. Leaders and managers ensure that the safety of young people is paramount, and that there are sufficient and well-trained staff supporting young people at each holiday. Leaders and managers ensure that there is a robust recruitment and vetting

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences of children are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against ‘Inspection of residential holiday schemes for disabled children: framework for inspection’.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences of children attending the residential holiday scheme. Inspectors considered whether the work of the residential holiday scheme is founded on safe care and individualised support. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children and each other, and discussed the effectiveness of care given to children. Wherever possible, they talked to children and parents. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the residential holiday scheme knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with The Residential Holiday Schemes for Disabled Children (England) Regulations 2013 and the National Minimum Standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's

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Information about this inspection

website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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