Imago Community

Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Imago Community Imago Community Imago Community John Spare House, 17–19 Monson Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1LS Inspection under the social care common inspection framework

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disabled children

This residential holiday scheme for disabled children is part of a charitable trust. The scheme provides school holiday or weekend residential trips throughout the year for 10- to 17-year-olds who may have learning disabilities and/or sensory needs.

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Overall experience and progress of

children and young people, taking into account:

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good

How well children, young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Date of previous inspection: 18 November 2016

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Key findings from this inspection

This residential holiday scheme for disabled children is good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Children enjoy their time on the holiday scheme, and staff are attentive to their needs.  Children have the opportunity to try new skills and experiences.  Staff have training to enable them to meet the children’s specific needs. Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Imago Community  The managers provide strong and effective leadership.  The holiday scheme is well planned. Evaluations by staff and children after each holiday weekend inform future events.

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Key findings from this inspection

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

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Key findings from this inspection

 Risk assessments are not completed in respect of children going missing from each venue.  An agreement with parents and children is not in place in relation to the use of electronic devices with access to the internet during the holiday scheme. Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Imago Community

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Recommendations

 Staff and volunteers actively promote the welfare of children for the duration of the scheme and should have a clear policy on how to help a disabled child understand issues around safeguarding. (National Minimum Standards, 3.2) In particular, agree safety measures in relation to the use of electronic devices and access to the internet.

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Recommendations

 The scheme implements a proportionate approach to any risk assessment. (National Minimum Standards, 3.4) In particular, ensure that all risk assessments in relation to the risk of children going missing from activity centres are completed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy their time on the holiday scheme. The matching process is effective in ensuring that children are well matched and like spending time with each other; team games further enhance their shared experience. Staff are attentive and nurturing towards children; positive interactions between staff and children were observed during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are provided with a range of activities, some of which are new to them. During the inspection, children were able to participate in climbing, bowling, visiting the circus and having a meal in a restaurant. Children were observed to enjoy these activities. Staff ensured that the children were able to access all the activities offered and that they could also choose not to participate but to observe their peers instead.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers ensure that care plans are updated prior to a child accessing the holiday scheme. This ensures that staff have the necessary information to care consistently for the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Accommodation at the holiday centre is well maintained, with adequate space for children to socialise and spend time together as a group. Indoor activities are available if needed. Children are able to use the facilities to play games or watch a film together in the evening.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents, as well as children, benefit from the holiday scheme. They said that it is a valuable resource. A parent said, ‘I can spend time with my other child whilst my daughter has fun.’ Another parent said, ‘My son used to be timid but it’s brought him out of his shell’. Feedback from children is gathered after each holiday. Staff use this information to continually develop the service and try new places to visit. Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Imago Community

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

There have been no safeguarding concerns reported. Staff have regular opportunities through organisational systems to communicate any concerns they have. Staff demonstrate a good knowledge of safeguarding issues.

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

Close supervision by staff keeps children safe. Children respond to the staff’s boundaries and guidance due to the close, trusting relationships they have with the staff. Staff are alert, but not overly intrusive in their supervision of children and are aware of individual vulnerabilities.

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

All activity centres are visited prior to being used. Risk assessments are completed to identify potential dangers. The organisation has a generic missing policy which informs staff of the actions to take if a child leaves the activities. However, not all venue risk assessments include the risk of children going missing and how this could be prevented or responded to swiftly. A planned change in the way risk assessments are completed will address this shortfall.

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

Medication arrangements are thorough and effective. Staff ensure that medication is safely stored. They are meticulous in administering medications to children and recording these accurately, including having a member of staff acting as a witness.

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

Children are able to contact their parents during the holiday scheme. Children are discouraged from bringing their own mobile telephones or other electronic devices with internet access; however, this does occur. There is no written agreement between staff, parents and children to agree rules and expectations around the use of these devices. Children are at risk of unsupervised access to inappropriate internet sites.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is suitably qualified. The responsible individual oversees the day-to-day running of the scheme. Leaders and managers complete regular audits and unannounced visits to the holiday schemes to ensure that they are run to a high standard. Leaders and managers provide an on-call system to support the staff during the weekend. They offer emotional and practical help, attending the scheme to cover staffing if another adult is needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staffing levels are adequate for the number and abilities of the children placed. Staff are informed, during briefings, of any changes to care plans or support for each child. The leader of the scheme is a strong leader who ensures the smooth running of each day the scheme operates.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The organisation has invested in a comprehensive training programme, which enhances the ability of the staff to provide a good standard of safe care. Staff confirmed that they have the relevant information needed to work with the children. Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Imago Community This ensures that experienced and confident staff care for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff evaluations, supervisions and team meetings ensure that staff are able to reflect on the holiday. The staff use these forums and debriefs after the holiday has taken place, to make continued improvements. All staff make a contribution in considering how the scheme is run.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers evaluate the holiday scheme effectively to make continued improvements. They have a good understanding of the areas of development and are committed to delivering the highest standard of care to the children who use the scheme.

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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.

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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: Imago Community

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Residential holiday scheme for disabled children details

Registered provider address: John Spare House, 17–19 Monson Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1LS Responsible individual: Ashley Giles Registered manager: Sarah Warner

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Residential holiday scheme for disabled children details

Email address: angela.holland@imago.community

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Inspector

Suzy Lemmy, social care inspector Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Imago Community 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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