Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company

Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company Ambleside, Onehouse Road, Stowmarket IP14 1QS Inspection under the social care common inspection framework

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disabled children

The residential holiday scheme for disabled children provides a holiday for up to 10 children for two nights during school holidays or weekends. The scheme is run specifically for children who may have complex needs, including learning and physical disabilities and related health needs. Referrals are made either through Activities Unlimited or directly from parents.

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disabled children

This is the registered manager’s first management post. The manager has been in post for one year but has worked at the service for a number of years. The manager is currently undertaking a suitable level 5 qualification.

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Overall experience and progress of

children and young people, taking into account:

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good

How well children and 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: 28 July 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children look forward to and enjoy their holiday. A parent said that they only tell their child that they are going the day before as they get so excited. The children benefit from the social aspects of the holiday scheme. They relish the opportunity to socialise, make new friends and meet up with old ones. As a result, some lovely friendships and nurturing relationships develop. For example, two previously isolated older children were able to bond over a shared interest in football and cars.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The themed breaks run by this scheme are not adventure-based, which suits those children who have chosen to enjoy a more relaxed pace. A parent said, ‘[My child] has always enjoyed going. He enjoys the social aspects and loves the arts and crafts activities.’ The staff consult on and involve all of the children in activities. The children enjoy the experience of sleepovers with their friends and sharing movie night together with some popcorn.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager undertakes a detailed assessment of each child’s needs. Children can visit a holiday scheme before they come on their first holiday. This enables the staff to have a good understanding of the children’s needs when they first stay. Many of the children have been coming on these holidays for years. They have developed trusting relationships with the staff. The staff know the children well and have become attuned to their individual needs and personalities. The staff are child- focused. They help the children to communicate what they want and need. As a result, the children develop their communication, social and independence skills and gain greater confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The building in which the themed breaks are based meets the needs of the children. Children with additional needs are provided with suitable aids and adaptations such as hoists and profiling beds. However, there is no call system. Therefore, physically disabled children are unable to attract the attention of staff during the night should they require assistance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The themed break services are valued by the children, professionals and parents alike. A parent said, ‘They look after him [the child] really well.’

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

The children take pleasure in their holiday and get excited about going. This demonstrates that they feel safe. The children are confident to raise any worries or concerns that they have with the staff. A child said, ‘I would trust them [the staff] with my life.’ Parents are secure in the knowledge that the staff keep their children safe. A parent described how the staff had helped them feel confident enough to allow their child to enjoy overnight stays. Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company The staff are very good at sensitively addressing any anxiety caused by changes in environment or the children missing home. The staff are skilled in techniques such as redirection and distraction to help the children settle. The children support each other and help everyone feel more settled.

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

There have been no incidents of children going missing. However, the staff do not consistently follow written guidance aimed to reduce this risk. For example, risk management plans state that the gates to the grounds will be closed once parents have left, to prevent any child leaving the grounds unobserved. However, these gates remained open until the inspector raised this issue with the manager on the second day of inspection. This is of particular concern as most of the children have no road safety awareness. The risk is further increased as the building is situated on a bend on a rural single-lane road with no pathway, along which vehicles travel at fast speed.

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

There have not been any safeguarding concerns. The staff fully understand their pivotal role to keep the children safe and the additional vulnerability of disabled children. The manager shares the role of designated safeguarding officer with the responsible individual. However, the manager has not undertaken suitable training to be confident that she fully understands this role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager understands the strengths of the service and the areas for development. The manager and staff have successfully addressed most of the requirements and recommendations set at the last inspection. As a result, the service has improved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager leads by example. She has built very positive relationships with the children, parents and partner professionals. A member of the local authority commissioning team said, ‘As a provider, they [the staff] go above and beyond to support Suffolk children.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager leads the team in a child-focused way. Appropriate staffing levels enable staff to deliver the responsive support that the children want. The staff are highly valued by parents and partner professionals. The staff enjoy working at the holiday scheme. They feel valued and supported both through regular supervision and effective teamwork. This is clear in their consistently enthusiastic and upbeat interactions with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recording systems are not consistently of a good standard. Children’s case records do not always give clear information about children’s needs or heritage and are occasionally cut and pasted. On one occasion, the wrong child’s name was used in a care plan. The records of staff supervision do not consistently demonstrate that all staff benefit from regular professional supervision. The staff rota does not detail the actual times when staff are on site. This means that it is not clear how many and which staff are available at any given time. Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company Staff recruitment records do not consistently demonstrate that enough attention to detail is given when recruiting staff. The recruitment file for one new member of staff did not evidence that the manager was satisfied as to the staff’s fitness for work or

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

their qualifications, and it was not clear if employment references had been verified.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Residential Holiday Schemes for Disabled Children (England) Regulations 2013 and the national minimum standards. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the scheme is conducted so as to promote and make proper provision for the welfare of children it accommodates. (Regulation 10 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff adhere to risk management plans. Provision should be made for an emergency call system for non- mobile children. Furthermore, ensure that the manager undertakes suitable designated safeguarding officer training. 01/07/2019

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Recommendations

◼ The registered person can demonstrate, including from written and electronic records, that it consistently follows good recruitment practice, and all applicable current statutory requirements and guidance, in staff recruitment and carers’ selection. (National minimum standards 9.2) ◼ The scheme has and implements a written policy that clarifies the purpose, format and content of information to be kept on the registered person’s files and information to be kept on the child’s files. Records may be kept in electronic form. Staff and volunteers understand the nature of records maintained and follow the scheme’s policy for the keeping and retention of files, managing confidential information, and access to files (including files removed from the premises). There is a system in place to monitor the quality and adequacy of record keeping and take action when needed. (National minimum standards 15.1) In particular, ensure that care records contain all relevant information and are

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Recommendations

accurate and up to date. Furthermore, ensure that clear records are maintained of the rotas worked and staff’s professional supervision. Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company

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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: Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company

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Residential holiday scheme for disabled children details

Registered provider: Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company

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Residential holiday scheme for disabled children details

Registered provider address: Felixstowe Ferry Centre, Ferry Road, Felixstowe, IP11 9RT Responsible individual: Mrs Anna Boulton Registered manager: Miss Shauna Christopher

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Residential holiday scheme for disabled children details

Email address: annaboulton@achievingaspirations.uk

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Inspector

Joanna Heller, social care inspector Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Achieving Aspirations Community Interest Company 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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