Archived: Disabled Children-The Firs Resource Centre

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on our discussions with the manager and staff, discussions with families using the service and records relating to care and staff recruitment.

If you wish to see the evidence supporting our summary please read the full report.

Is the service caring?

The service predominantly supported families with aspects of their children's care that were outside of the regulated activity of personal care. However, it was clear from our conversations with families that positive relationships had been built with support workers and families benefitted from the support and advice that they were able to offer. Comments included "they do a brilliant job", "they do their best helping me" and "absolutely fantastic".

Is the service responsive?

Support packages were reviewed on a regular basis so that staff could respond to any changing needs of the child being supported. The level of support was flexible according to the child's needs over time.

Is the service safe?

Where a child may require support with medication, we saw that appropriate information was available to staff to ensure that it was administered correctly. Staff confirmed that they had good training and support from health services to ensure that they were able to support children safely. Staff were aware of good hygiene and infection control practices.

Staff had confirmed that they had received safeguarding training and told us about occasions when they had been required to report concerns. Staff understood the term whistle blowing and the organisations they could go to if they felt unable to report concerns within the organisation.

There were safe recruitment processes in place when recruiting new staff, to ensure that they were suited to the role.

Is the service effective?

Feedback gained from families as part of the service's quality monitoring procedures indicated that families were pleased with the support from the service and that it met their needs. Staff told us they received good support and training in order to be able to deliver care and support effectively.

Is the service well led?

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in place.

There were systems in place for gathering the views of families who used the service in order to gain feedback about how the service might be improved.

All of the people we spoke with gave positive feedback about the service. They told us the manager and care staff respected their choices about the way care was delivered. All of the people told us they would recommend it to other people.

Comments received included: "they're fantastic'; I can't say a word wrong about the service"; 'they respond quickly when you need them'; 'I shall miss them massively when my child reaches 18' and "I can't fault them in any way."

All of the people who used the service were provided with a comprehensive information pack. The information pack contained additional information regarding services to disabled children and support networks for families.

The service's safeguarding procedures minimised risks to the people for whom they provided care.

Systems were in place which meant staff received appropriate levels of support and training to enable them to meet the needs of the people for whom they cared.

We saw effective systems were in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service people received.