Action Breaks

Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Action Breaks Action Breaks Action for Children 04764232 1097940 23 Derham Park, Yatton, Somerset BS49 4DZ Inspection under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

disabled 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 who have complex health needs and/or learning difficulties.

p.1

disabled children

Inspection dates: 30 August to 31 August 2017

p.1

Overall experience and progress of

children and young people, taking into account:

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Date of previous inspection: 2 November 2016

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Action Breaks

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

This residential holiday scheme for disabled children is good because:

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Children have fun and a great time during the holidays provided by this scheme. They make new friends and take part in new activities that may not otherwise be available to them.  Children learn new skills, develop their interests and gain confidence.  Leaders and managers undertake a robust assessment process to ensure that they can meet the individual and collective needs of the children.  Staff keep children safe and teach them how to keep themselves safe.  Bullying is not a concern. However, staff manage bullying and other behaviour very well.  The manager and staff team meet the stated aims of the scheme effectively. They review and reflect on each holiday and identify what went well and where improvements can be made.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

The areas for development for the residential holiday scheme for disabled children:

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 The scheme does not have a registered manager in post. The appointed manager is required to complete the registered manager’s application process before the next planned holiday, and submit this to Ofsted.  Not all staff have the skills to support children who have complex communication needs effectively. The manager is aware of this weakness and has plans in place to deal with it. Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Action Breaks

p.2

Recommendations

 Ensure employees receive high quality training commensurate with the needs of the children using the scheme. This will enable them to enhance their individual skills and keep them up to date with professional developments to look after the children accommodated at the scheme. (NMS 11.1) In particular, training in respect of autistic spectrum disorders, Asperger’s and alternative methods of communication. Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Action Breaks

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s experiences are good. During this holiday, they thoroughly enjoyed their day in the woods, taking part in bushcraft activities, ‘goblin stories’ and forest skills. Staff and activity leaders ensure that all children join in, and have an enjoyable time. The activities are set at a pace that suits children’s individual needs. Children spoke excitedly about their holiday, especially about trying new activities and making friends.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships between staff and children are good. Staff encourage and support children to take appropriate risks. These opportunities give children confidence and build their self-esteem. At times when children may become nervous, staff reassure and assist them. During this holiday, children enjoyed making a den and tackling an assault course that involved going through dark tunnels. As a result of staff’s encouragement and support, children coped extremely well with these experiences. For many of the children at this holiday, this was the first time they had joined in with these types of activities.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some staff have good skills to communicate with children who use alternative methods of communication, but not all. The manager recognises this weakness and that further staff training is required in relation to this.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and activity leaders praise and congratulate children on their successes. Children are delighted to receive such support and encouragement.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff manage the individual needs of children very well. They sensitively support children who find some activities difficult. They give encouragement and support and are successful in helping children to rejoin an activity when they feel ready. Parents say that staff meet the specific needs of children well. A mother of a child with an autistic spectrum disorder commented that staff respond to her child ‘just right and do not put any pressure on her’. The manager has identified that staff would benefit from additional training in supporting children who have autistic spectrum disorders and Asperger’s; this is included in the scheme’s improvement plan.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Good records are maintained in relation to the care and support provided while children are accessing the holiday scheme. Leaders and managers gather detailed information from parents to help them to understand the children’s needs. Staff are provided with clear written plans that provide them with comprehensive information about how to meet children’s individual needs. Basic risk assessments also complement these plans.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The accommodation arrangements change at each holiday. At the holiday in August 2017, the accommodation was clean, well maintained and comfortable. One child said that she wanted to take her bed home with her because it was so comfortable. Most children share bedrooms. Staff provide appropriate monitoring at night-time to Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Action Breaks ensure that children are kept safe and sleep well.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are aware of children’s food preferences and specific dietary requirements. As a result, children are provided with good-quality food that they enjoy.

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Families provided positive feedback about this holiday and previous holidays that took place this year. They say that these opportunities have helped their children to develop independence, make friends and become more confident. One parent identified that her child always missed out on the residential trips at school, so she was really pleased to join in with the opportunities provided by this scheme.

p.5

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff identify and understand risks effectively. The care and support they provide to children helps them to stay safe. Robust assessments identify risks and hazards well, and provide information for staff about how these risks are to be reduced and managed.

p.5

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff proactively help children to stay safe from bullying. A briefing is always done at the beginning of each holiday highlighting issues about behaviour management. This briefing includes a discussion about personal possessions, as leaders and managers have identified this as the main cause of bullying. Staff are extremely clear at the ‘meet and greet sessions’ regarding the use of personal monies, mobile phones, iPads and other possessions to help reduce conflict and potential bullying.

p.5

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Leaders and managers use procedures effectively to promote the safety and welfare of children. Staff are aware of the protocol they must follow if there are signs and symptoms that children are at risk of harm and abuse. Staff record any accidents that occur and take appropriate action in response. Leaders and managers work in partnership with families and statutory safeguarding agencies. There has not been any children reported missing during the holiday schemes.

p.5

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

One complaint has been received from a parent since the previous inspection. Leaders and managers investigated this complaint promptly and thoroughly. The complaint was not upheld; nonetheless, lessons have been learned and leaders and managers have made changes to the planning of future holidays as a result.

p.5

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Leaders and managers use safer recruitment processes well and maintain organised recruitment files.

p.5

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

During holidays, staff keep children’s medication safe and keep good-quality administration records.

p.5

good

The primary reason for this judgement is that there has not been a registered Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Action Breaks manager in post since January 2017. A new manager has been in post since June 2017. He has suitable experience and qualifications to apply for the role of registered manager and is currently completing this application.

p.5

good

Since the registered manager left, two holidays have continued to take place without the manager appointed to lead the holidays being registered with Ofsted. Senior leaders cancelled one holiday in May 2017 because there was not an appointed manager in post to lead the holiday. Despite the lack of registered manager, children enjoyed the holidays that did happen, they were safe and did not come to harm. The current manager recognises that he must complete his registration process as a matter of priority. The next holiday is planned for the end of October 2017.

p.6

good

The manager uses good systems to review the quality of each holiday in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the scheme. He is aware of the need to equip staff further with specific training to support children who have autistic spectrum disorders and those with specific communication needs. The manager plans to provide holidays in the future for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and recognises that staff will require behaviour management training before this can happen.

p.6

good

The manager’s process and decision-making for selecting the children who come on each holiday are very good. He is part of the panel that assesses which children and families will benefit the most. As part of the decision-making for this holiday, the manager took into account that some of the children will be starting a new school together in September. Therefore, this holiday gave them the opportunity to make friends before they started at school.

p.6

good

The manager carefully matches the physical and emotional needs of the children for each holiday. Some holidays are planned for just one or two children with high levels of staff support, whereas others cater for 16 children where it is assessed that they can manage in busy environments. Before each holiday, leaders and managers meet with families and children to plan effectively together how to meet the child’s needs during the holiday.

p.6

good

Staffing levels during the holidays are good. All staff receive training in safeguarding, first aid and medication administration. Many staff come with a variety of experience of supporting children with disabilities through their other employment and voluntary roles. Staff are well supported through a variety of group supervisions and debrief meetings. These opportunities enable staff to plan ahead for each day, reflect on the things that went well and address any difficulties encountered.

p.6

good

The manager and staff team are enthusiastic, good fun and have high expectations to provide good opportunities for children. They ensure high standards of care and attention throughout the holidays. Staff are vigilant, they manage the children’s whereabouts constantly and discreetly without it being burdensome on the children’s experience. Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Action Breaks The scheme achieves its stated aims and objectives. The statement of purpose document is detailed and compiled in relation to Schedule 1 of the Residential Holiday Schemes for Disabled Children regulations 2013. The scheme provides exciting, educational and safe residential short breaks for children with disabilities. It provides an exceptional opportunity for children to enjoy and experience time away from home, to have fun, make new friends, visit new places and try lots of new

p.6

good

activities. All of the parents’ feedback reports confirm how this service enhances their child’s lives and gives them opportunities they would not otherwise be able to access.

p.7

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of the help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the residential holiday scheme for disabled children knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

p.7

Information about this inspection

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 Holiday Schemes for Disabled Children (England) Regulations 2013 and the national minimum standards. Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Action Breaks

p.7

Residential holiday scheme for disabled children details

Registered provider: Action for Children 04764232 1097940

p.8

Residential holiday scheme for disabled children details

Registered provider address: 23 Derham Park, Yatton, Somerset BS49 4DZ Responsible individual: Mrs Yolanda Hampshire Registered manager: Post vacant

p.8

Residential holiday scheme for disabled children details

Email address: ask.us@actionforchildren.org.uk

p.8

Inspectors

Guy Mammatt, social care inspector David Kidner, social care inspector Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Action Breaks 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 looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.8

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 4234 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9