Heswall Disabled Children’s Holiday Fund

Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Heswall Disabled Children’s Holiday Fund 1 Heswall Disabled Children’s Holiday Fund Heswall Disabled Children’s Holiday Fund 9 Milton Road, Waterloo, Liverpool L22 4RE Inspection under the social care common inspection framework

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disabled children

Heswall Disabled Children’s Holiday Fund is a charitable organisation that provides a summer holiday for disabled children and children with complex health needs and special educational needs. It provides a one-week holiday at a residential activity centre. It aims to provide a range of activities and experiences for disabled children who would not otherwise have a holiday.

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disabled children

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2014.

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disabled children

In 2021, the organisation expanded its services by introducing a one-week holiday option for children in both the South West and North West regions.

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disabled children

The inspector visited the children’s holiday scheme in the North West. At the time of the inspection, 33 children were enjoying their holiday, 30 children were staying overnight, and 3 children chose to go home at night.

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Overall experience and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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outstanding

The residential holiday scheme for disabled children provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Heswall Disabled Children’s Holiday Fund 2 residential holiday scheme contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people.

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outstanding

Date of previous inspection: 21 August 2024

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Heswall Disabled Children’s Holiday Fund 3

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outstanding

The manager’s vision of providing children with a great holiday is successfully met. They help children have new, fun experiences, which creates lasting memories and makes them excited for the holiday all year. One parent said, ‘This holiday has been the best gift a family like ours can ask for. We know that [Name of child] has lots of fun and the camp supports her independence so positively. This experience benefits us all so positively.’

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outstanding

Children are exceptionally well supported by volunteers, who build close relationships and get to know them extremely well. The volunteers understand and value each child’s unique way of communicating. They are trained to use tools like Makaton, pictures, and symbols for non-verbal children, ensuring that every child can make choices and have their wishes and feelings heard.

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outstanding

Children’s care plans are specific to each child. They are clearly written so all volunteers can quickly see how to meet the child’s needs. There is excellent communication with parents to help create their child’s plan. As a result, the management team and volunteers know the children very well. This ensures that the children are cared for to a high standard throughout the week.

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outstanding

Leaders and helpers carry out home visits to meet families. This enables essential information to be shared, and the holiday environment to be suitably adapted. This careful approach to getting to know the children’s complex needs means that their holiday is extremely well planned.

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outstanding

Children are thoughtfully matched with peers, helping friendships blossom from the outset. Children have opportunities to take part in a wide range of activities. High levels of volunteers, with an inclusive attitude and careful planning, mean that the children get to try new activities and experiences.

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outstanding

Activities are planned, however, with a high degree of flexibility. Children can take part in a whole activity or come and go depending on their confidence and abilities. There are indoor and outdoor activities, on and off site, including swimming and kayaking. All activities can be adapted to enable all children to take part in their own way, with no barriers from their abilities or disabilities.

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outstanding

The camp focuses on helping children develop their independence skills, and volunteers take great delight in their progress. Volunteers provide a lot of encouragement, which motivates children to engage with the activities and experiences. As volunteers model this high level of encouragement, children quickly begin to encourage each other, which helps them form friendships. Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Heswall Disabled Children’s Holiday Fund 4

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outstanding

Many children are eager to return to camp, which highlights what a wonderful and enriching experience it is. At the end of camp, children celebrate with a disco. They get to keep memorabilia, such as their daily diary and the crafts they have made. Camp photos are also shared with parents, which helps children share their memories and stories long after the holiday is over.

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outstanding

There is an excellent ratio of volunteers to children. This allows each child to have one-to-one care and protection throughout the holiday. They are also supported by group leaders, specialist helpers and the management team. The manager ensures that safe recruitment practices are used for all volunteers.

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outstanding

Volunteers provide children with clear directions on how to stay safe at camp and during specific activities, such as fire safety at the BBQ. By setting clear boundaries and expectations, often in a fun way through games and songs, volunteers ensure children understand what is expected of them. Volunteers are also proactive in addressing any concerns between children, reminding them of the importance of kindness.

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outstanding

Children stay in a well-maintained, safe and pleasant environment. Leaders and managers make sure that the accommodation and facilities meet children’s needs and enable them to maximise opportunities for safe independence. Sleeping arrangements are appropriate. Sleep-in and waking night volunteers are on shift to ensure that children are safe during the night. The kitchen and dining areas are well organised, safe and well equipped.

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outstanding

Volunteers and leaders are required to complete safeguarding training prior to the holiday scheme. They are also required to attend further safeguarding training on the day before the holiday scheme begins. Volunteers all meet at the end of each day, and they discuss any concerns and agree best supportive actions to support children so they can enjoy their holidays.

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outstanding

Volunteers report all incidents or concerns to leaders, no matter how minor. This allows leaders to monitor and respond to all issues. There is a key focus on monitoring and addressing children’s well-being needs. The holiday is well stocked with resources to assist children, such as fidget toys, colouring sheets and games. Helpers are very attentive and responsive to children’s well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is well supported by a large and committed team. These experienced leaders take great care of the volunteers, acknowledging their effort and providing support if they become tired or struggle. Volunteers, in turn, love helping the children, with one calling it ‘the best week of the year’. Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Heswall Disabled Children’s Holiday Fund 5 The manager ensures that volunteers receive excellent training. There are sessions earlier in the year and refreshers the day before the holiday. This continues with reflection and learning throughout the week. The manager has created a robust volunteer handbook. This contains all the information a helper needs and includes guidance about each child, links to the weekly planner, helpers’ numbers, roles of each helper, and any risks. As a result, volunteers say they feel prepared for their role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have developed a group of volunteers who are caring and respectful towards the children. They aspire for the children to experience new and exciting experiences and become more confident and develop their skills. The volunteers speak about the children very warmly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The scheme provides adults with opportunities to volunteer and to gain new skills and confidence in supporting children with various abilities and disabilities. Some volunteers come back each year. The volunteers are provided with useful information and training before joining the scheme. They are clear about their roles and responsibilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The arrangements for the safe administration of medication need to be strengthened. This is due to one medication error and a separate instance of a child refusing their medication. While neither event had a significant impact on the children, the volunteers involved did not seek medical advice. The registered manager recognised these shortfalls and was in the process of strengthening the policy with new guidance for volunteers during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Parents provide excellent feedback on the holiday’s leadership. The team goes above and beyond during planning to ensure every child has a fun-filled week, which includes visiting children at home to assess the best care arrangements for their time at camp. As one parent noted, the holiday is ‘very well run’. This parent highlighted how their child, who was a day visitor last year, now feels safe enough to stay overnight, which helped her settle on arrival.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have ensured that appropriate suitability checks are carried out on all volunteers. A robust series of checks and balances ensures that volunteers only get to support vulnerable children if they are safe to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This holiday program is truly exceptional, thanks to a dedicated manager and management team. The scheme is highly regarded by children, parents and volunteers. The manager works to ensure that everyone involved benefits from the week and the lasting memories that are created. Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Heswall Disabled Children’s Holiday Fund 6

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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, The 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 make suitable arrangements for the disposal, handling, recording, safe administration and safekeeping of any medicines held, kept or received for the purpose of the care of children accommodated by the scheme.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

any such medicine is stored in a secure place so as to prevent children accommodated by the scheme from having unsupervised access to it;

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Requirement Due date

any medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed. (Regulation 18 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that helpers keep children safe. The guidance should require them to contact a health professional if there is a medication error or if a child refuses to take medication when they are supposed to.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that medicines are administered in line with the child’s prescription. Where there are errors in administering medication or when a child refuses their medication, contact should be made with health for guidance, and appropriate actions taken to ensure there is a swift response. 10 September 2025

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: Heswall Disabled Children’s Holiday Fund 7

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Residential holiday scheme for disabled children details

Registered provider: Heswall Disabled Children’s Holiday Fund

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Residential holiday scheme for disabled children details

Registered provider address: 9 Milton Road, Waterloo, Liverpool L22 4RE Responsible individual: Mr Charlie Bough Registered manager: Mr Vincent Keating

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Residential holiday scheme for disabled children details

Email address: committee@heswallcamp.org.uk

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Inspectors

Jennifer Quest, Social Care Inspector Stacey Ilaboya, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential holiday scheme for disabled children: Heswall Disabled Children’s Holiday Fund 8 regulates and inspects 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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