Statement of Purpose

Shortbreaks @ West Hyde

August 2017

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Contents

Page No. Our Home .............................................................................................. 3 Action for Children Model of Care .......................................................... 4 Who we care for ..................................................................................... 5 What we do ............................................................................................ 6 Our staff ................................................................................................. 7 Our policies ............................................................................................ 10 How we consult ...................................................................................... 13 How we support children around behaviours of concern ........................ 14 How we support children’s education ..................................................... 15 How we support children’s health needs ................................................ 15 How to complain .................................................................................... 17 Contact details ....................................................................................... 18

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Statement of Purpose

Name of Home: Shortbreaks @ West Hyde Address: Old Uxbridge Road, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, WD3 9XL Telephone Number: 01923 718939

Shortbreaks @ West Hyde is a purpose built bungalow with six bedrooms. Four of these bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms and the other two have an adjoining bathroom with hoisting facilities. We have two lounges, a sensory room, kitchen and dining room and a well-equipped garden. All of the decoration within the project has been chosen by the young people that use the service and makes for a very friendly and welcoming environment.

We can support up to six young people of any gender, aged from five to eighteen, at any one time. In the main lounge, orange and light blue bedrooms and adapted bathroom, we have hoist / tracking equipment to support young people with physical impairments. We also have a mobile hoist, bath chair and height adjustable bath with changing mat. At Shortbreaks @ West Hyde we have a variety of toys and activities available including arts and crafts, electronic games consoles and a gardening area. We also have a project vehicle for trips out. Shortbreaks @ West Hyde is situated in South West Hertfordshire in a picturesque rural setting close to a lake and farm land. The town of Rickmansworth is a short drive from the project and there is a variety of local activities available such as

Our Home

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Denham Airfield, Rickmansworth Aquadrome, Black Park and boat rides on the canal.

The overriding ethos of our home is to develop good quality relationships between children, staff and parents, as we firmly believe these relationships build skills to affect positive outcomes. This is based on research such as Care Matters Time to Change (2007) and The Care Inquiry Making not Breaking (2013) which highlights the importance of the quality of relationships and their ability to develop resilience. ‘It is through secure attachments and positive experiences that children and young people develop the resilience that they need in life. Resilience refers to an individual’s capacity to adapt successfully to change and to stressful events in healthy and constructive ways.’ Care Matters Time to Change (2007). ‘The aim must be to provide children with stability and security, help them develop resilience and the ability to form good and lasting relationships and, most importantly, encourage and support them to realise their potential’ The Care Inquiry Making not Breaking (2013)

Aims of the Service At Shortbreaks @ West Hyde our primary aim is for the young people who visit to have fun, enjoy themselves and make friends in a safe environment where they feel comfortable and valued. We will offer them the same opportunities that other children their age take for granted, and want them ultimately to determine the direction of the service.

We recognise the value and worth of every individual and aim to build self-esteem and self-confidence by meeting their specific access requirements, offering a variety of new experiences and empowering them to participate in decision making within the service. We will work in partnership with the young person, their family and others involved achieving the best possible outcomes for each individual. Objectives of Service

• To create a safe and friendly environment where young people can play, have fun and express their individuality.

• To offer opportunities in and outside of the project with friends where appropriate, that other young people their age have access to.

• To develop social and independence skills

• For the young people to determine the direction of the service

• To promote the value and worth of each young person to the wider community and reflect and feedback positively, strengths and achievements.

• To build on an individual’s self-worth and self-esteem by accepting them for who they are, and believing in them while offering opportunities to stretch them individually.

Action for Children Model of Care

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• To challenge pre-conceived notions of disability and what a disabled young person can achieve.

Shortbreaks @ West Hyde supports children and young people aged 5- 18 years old who live in the West of Hertfordshire. We do not offer services to children and young where their allocated care package exceeds 75 nights per year and where a single stay exceeds 17 days consecutively.

We do not as a rule take young people for emergency placements but each individual request will be specifically considered taking into account the needs of the young person, the young people already present and the staffing levels required to support the young person requiring a placement. If it is felt that we are unable to accept a placement we have the right to decline the request.

If a family already known to Shortbreaks @ West Hyde requires additional support for whatever reason then we will do what we can to support the family. This will require authorisation from Hertfordshire County Council.

We support children and young people with a diverse range of support needs which include (but are not exclusive to) Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Downs Syndrome and Global Developmental Delay.

We are also able to support young people with complex health needs. For this the

staff would have training from the community nurse team to ensure we are able to

provide the correct type of support.

To comply with regulatory standards and ensure the best possible care and support

our staff are bound by the requirements of our Administration of Medication and

Clinical Policy. This ensures:

• Children and young people have access to universal & specialist healthcare

whilst receiving a service

• Children and young people are empowered and supported to take

responsibility for their own health and wellbeing

• Children and young people have the right medicine; clinical procedures are

safely administered and appropriate therapy is carried out by staff and carers

who are trained and competent

We can only provide support for children and young people who primarily have learning difficulties but who may also have associated additional needs.

• Action for Children use the ASPIRE model to provide a structured, consistent approach to service delivery. ASPIRE stands for Assessment, Plan, Intervention and Review. Each phase of our service delivery model is clearly defined, from the point of initial contact and referral, through to assessment, planning, the provision of service and a review. The process also provides a structured framework for the systematic recording of Action for Children's

Who we care for

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involvement with a service user and their family through each stage of the process. We record against this framework in e-ASPIRE, to help to evidence the impact of our services.

We work in partnership with the young people, their families, other agencies such as school and Hertfordshire County Council to develop personalised, achievable outcomes for each young person from the time they start until they move on. We will be reviewing these outcomes and will adjust or change them on a regular basis. These outcomes are put into place to support the young people to achieve and develop skills to further develop their life. These are monitored on a regular basis during the young people’s visits, as part of our young person’s project quarterly or six monthly reviews, within our E-Aspire system and as part of the young people’s Child in Need reviews with their families and local authority caseworker. We enjoy being able to offer a wide range of experiences for everyone. We offer trips and activities both within and outside of the project, within the local area and further afield. We take pride in offering young people a diverse selection of activities and trips which take in to account each young person’s individual interests and aspirations. We encourage participation of everyone in experiencing new things from a variety of different cultures and festivals throughout the year and to try anything that would be a new experience for them. We openly encourage all young people to embrace their own identity, culture and background and we will support them in any way we can to ensure that their needs are met. We also openly encourage all young people to experience other cultures by offering activities related to them such as the food tasting, craft activities and trips out. We regularly gain the opinions of the young people to help us plan upcoming trips and activities. We have in the past held football tournaments, disco’s, karaoke evening, food tasting from around the world, gardening and grow your own and have taken numerous young people up on small air craft to have their first experience of flying. We have a variety of tools to communicate with individuals. We regularly use PECS, timetables, social stories, symbols, photographs and Makaton to aid effective communication.

What we do

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As a service we aim to promote positive relationships and friendships with others. We look at groups and visit dates to ensure we offer a positive environment that can nurture potential friendships and positive experiences. Occasionally during school holidays the West Hyde building is used by Hertfordshire Activities Services. This only happens when West Hyde is closed and does not affect the overnight accommodation we provide.

Name Role

Experience and Qualifications

Rob Wyatt Children’s Services Manager (37 hrs)

MRCCA Level 4 NVQ Health and social Care Children and Young People level4 A1 Assessors Award 30 year experience of working with disabled people 13 years managing short breaks projects for Action for Children

Emily Evans

Registered Manager (37 hours)

NVQ level 4 Registered Managers NVQ level 4 Health and Social Care A1 Assessors Award Proact-SCiPr-uk® Instructor and Positive Behaviour Support Coach 18 years’ experience of working with disabled people.12 years’ experience with Action for Children within a residential setting.

Nicola Gubbins Team Leader (37 hrs)

NVQ 3 Health and social Care Children and Young People. Currently enrolling on level 4 diploma. NNEB Diploma in Early Years

Our staff

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11 years’ experience in a residential setting working for Action for Children

David Lichtenstein Children’s Services Practitioner (37hrs)

VQ Diploma level 3 5 years’ experience in a residential setting working for Action for Children

Gabriel Stoica Children’s Services Practitioner (37 hrs)

NVQ 3 Health and Social Care Children and Young People 1.5 years’ experience in a residential setting with adults. 2.5 years’ experience in a residential setting with Action fir Children.

Alexandra Hampstead

Children’s Services Practitioner (37 hrs)

BSc (Hons) Psychology 2:1 Voluntary work in a Sure Start Children’s Centre with Action for Children 2 years’ experience in a residential shortbreaks setting with Action for children. Enrolled on Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare.

Debbie Stobbs Children’s Services Practitioner (28 hrs)

VQ level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare (sept 2016) 8 years’ experience in a residential setting working for Action for Children

Maria Kaluza Children’s Services Practitioner (20 hrs)

Teaching Qualification (Poland) 5 years’ experience in a residential setting working for Action for Children.

Nicky Chaplin Children’s Services Practitioner (24 hrs)

PGCE (teaching qualification) BSC Honours in Psychology 11 years’ experience in a residential setting working for Action for Children Top up qualification completed.

Charlotte Darrington

Children Services Practitioner (24) hours

Enrolling on the Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare

Carol Dalby Children’s Services Practitioner (4 hrs)

NVQ 4 Health and Social Care Children and Young People A1 assessors Award. 26 years experience working in a residential setting for Action for Children.

Justin Lacey Children’s Services

Worker (37 hrs)

NVQ 3 Health and social Care Children and Young People 12 years’ experience in a residential setting working for Action for Children

Agota Kovacs

Children Services Practitioner

Started in December 2016, has completed probationary period. Social work degree attained in 2013.University of Szeged.

Matilda Adebiyi

Children’s Services Worker – Nights (20 hrs)

5 experience in residential settings with adults And 4 years’ experience in a residential short breaks setting with children within Action for

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children. Enrolled on the Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare.

Sarah Barter Children’s Services

Worker (casual)

Maternity Leave

Cilem Temiz Children’s Services

Worker (casual)

Degree in Clinical Psychology. Currently holds full time post as the Pines.

Julie Courtney Children’s Services

Worker (casual)

Qualification due to start in September 2017

Gemma Woolhead Children’s Services

Worker (casual)

NCFE Level 3 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and learning in Schools. Btec national Diploma Level 3 in Health and Social Care. On maternity leave

Ian Kopelowitz Children’s Services

Worker (casual)

VQ Diploma level 3 8 years’ experience working with Disabled young people in a residential setting

Jo Hill

Business Support Officer (18 hours)

Cluster business support for Hertfordshire projects.

Organisation Line management Structure

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Full time and part time staff receive monthly supervision where possible. Staff who are on a small part time contract such as 8 hours a week or who work on a casual contract receive a minimum of six supervisions a year however every effort is made to keep all staff updated with project events using our “need to know” file, team meetings and team meeting minutes. Staff receive an annual performance review where we seek feedback from young people and their families. At West Hyde we have a staff team that consists of both male and female staff who come from a range of various backgrounds, which enables us to be able to offer a variety of positive role models and experiences for the young people who attend.

Action for Children has an intranet where all policies are stored, reviewed and updated in line with new legislation and guidance. Our homes policies and procedures are based on these. Safeguarding Policy Action for Children has a Safeguarding Framework which contains all the policies, procedures, forms and guidance that relate to safeguarding and child protection. These are regularly reviewed and updated by the Head of Safeguarding.

Shortbreaks @ West Hyde follows Action for Children’s Safeguarding Policy, but also works in line with Hertfordshire County Council. We take safeguarding the young people who use our service very seriously and staff are aware of what to do if they have any concerns. All staff members receive Safeguarding training and we have a comprehensive recording system in place and we will attend any relevant meetings, core groups and conferences etc. relating to the young people. We also have links with the LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) and Hertfordshire’s Safeguarding Board. We have a missing person’s policy which is in line with the Local Authority policies and has input from the local police. Each young person has a missing person’s information sheet which states the likelihood of going missing and possible places they may go. Staff also carry information cards for each young person when out on trips, which contains a recent photograph, contact details and any other relevant information. We get to know the young people at West Hyde very well and think very carefully about each young person’s individual needs when organising their visits. We will look

Our policies

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at the group they will be part of to ensure that all vulnerabilities, behaviours and triggers are taken into consideration to ensure the best possible visit for everyone. Anti- Bullying Policy

Our service has a clear understanding amongst staff, children and young people, parents and carers as to what bullying is and how we deal with it. We define bullying as something which happens in a relationship which involves some form of hurtful abuse of power and occurs on a number of occasions, it can also be persistent. An individual or a group can bully others and there is a deliberate intention to hurt or humiliate another person. We address it by ensuring

• Project staff take steps which encourage the reporting of bullying.

• Staff are not tolerant of bullying in the project and early signs of bullying are acted on.

• Young people are encouraged and enabled to work together to identify their own problems, causes and solutions.

• Staff recognise when a child or young person may be in need of protection as a result of bullying and take action to ensure appropriate safeguards are put in place.

• Staff reassure children and young people subjected to bullying that they are not to blame and ensure they receive support

Children who run away or go missing from care All staff are aware of the risk indicators for the possibility of children and young people to run away or go missing from home or placement. The identification of possible risk of running way or going missing is addressed in safeguarding assessments and plans. All vulnerable children and young people are offered advice and support to alert them to the dangers of running away and going missing and alternative strategies are discussed to help the child or young person to seek alternatives to running away. Our staff and volunteers remain vigilant to the cause of the distress that is resulting in running away or going missing and resources should be used to address the distress, to avert further episodes of running away or going missing. Our staff and volunteers should be aware of the increased risk of running away or going missing for children and young people living away from their families. We recognise that Looked after Children have a significantly higher incident rate of running away and this is considered in care planning. There are many safeguards in place to prevent young people going missing from the home such as an enclosed garden and keypad exit in a double door lobby. Each

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young person has a risk assessment stating if going missing is a possibility and staffing levels are provided relating to the information within it. Staff are aware of the missing person procedure and will respond to it accordingly. There is information on site with clear paperwork and processes for staff to follow. Staffing levels on trips are dependant on each young person’s individual needs and where appropriate 1:1 or higher levels will be offered. Anti-discriminatory policy We are committed to promoting equality, valuing diversity and working inclusively with children, families, our staff and other agencies. We uphold these principles in everything that we do and this helps to define our actions, behaviours and practices. We promote an inclusive organisational culture, built on fairness, respect and dignity for all children, families and colleagues. We do this by challenging and addressing inequalities, discrimination and celebrating and embracing the diversity that exists. We take a zero tolerance approach to discriminatory practices. We are committed to meeting everyone’s individual needs and everyone is valued for who they are. We will support young people to follow their faith, value their culture and background, ensure that we meet all access needs and encourage young people to share their views, thoughts and feelings. As a staff team we regularly monitor activities, trips and meals offered in the project to ensure a range of things are being offered to everyone and can support young people during their religious observations and meet their dietary requirements. Where possible staff of the same gender offer support with personal care. Within this we respect individual, cultural and familial requests but both female and male staff offer general support and activities around and outside of the service. Upholding Children and Young People’s Rights

Our approach to Children’s Rights is based on the UN Convention of the Rights of Children.

We are committed to providing safer care for all of the children and young people that access West Hyde, which means that everything that we do is designed to promote the safety and well being of everyone and that the young people are at the centre of all that we do.

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Action for Children's Corporate Participation Strategy aims for children and young people to become involved in initiatives across all levels and departments and where appropriate, across the organisation. Participation is key to the daily work of projects, and we provide a framework for young people who use our services to contribute beyond Action for Children, e.g. with local authorities, in local government initiatives, and in national participation events.

It is very important to us that the young people are involved in as much as possible with anything regarding West Hyde and that fundamentally their ideas, thoughts and opinions form the basis of any decisions made about their service. What we do:

• Whenever possible we involve the young people in the staff recruitment process by having a young people’s panel, where they ask questions of their choice and each candidate is asked to present something about themselves to the young person’s panel. Independently from the adult panel young people are asked to give their opinions on the people they have interviewed and this then helps form the decision made by the adult panel. Sometimes this is a formal panel question and answer session, other times it is done more informally depending on the preference of the young person. A West Hyde member of staff is always present when candidates are participating in this.

• All young people and their families are asked to make comments about some or all of the staff team and their comments are then used to form part each staff member’s annual appraisal.

• Young people are asked to make decisions about the furniture and the decoration for the building. So far they have chosen paint colours, wall decorations, soft furnishings, carpet, furniture for toy storage and sofas.

• We hold young people’s meetings and support the young people to contribute either in a group or on a one to one basis.

• We ask for their ideas for toys, activities and trips. We have had some amazing fun to date going on boat trips, flights in a light aircraft, day trip to the Isle of Wight, Thorpe Park, restaurants, shopping, Harry Potter, nail salons, swimming, parks and pantomimes to name but a few.

• We send out questionnaires relating to West Hyde to gain general feedback about what people think about their service, what they like and how we could do things better. As a result of this we have purchased new items such as pillows and had various trips and activities. On a day to day basis we will ask the young people for their input about how their visits have been and will record this on their ‘My Visit ‘ forms, we also encourage the use of the ideas / suggestion box to let us know anything they feel is important. This is how we find out quite often about the new toys, DVD’s and trips that are wanted.

How we consult

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Behaviours that present risk or are inappropriate have a purpose and a function and are often a form of communication for those who are not able to get their needs met in more acceptable ways. By being a calm and safe role model staff and carers can help them to learn these skills, or they may be supporting their families and carers to help them do this. Restraints/restrictive practices of any kind should only ever used as a last resort – that is where there is no alternative and there is immediate danger or risk of harm to the child or others. Action for Children is committed to Positive Behaviour Support and is proactively working towards eliminating the use of restraint. This means carefully monitoring methods of behaviour support and working together with children, young people and their families to help them develop skills and increase the potential for a future filled with positive opportunities. The wellbeing of children and young people is a priority and services actively work to lower the risk of dangerous or harmful behaviours. All harmful behaviours have a risk assessment which identifies any interim safety strategies and is part of a personalised behaviour support plan (My Plan). My Plan sets out how children and young people are to be encouraged to get their needs met in less harmful ways and how staff will support them to do this. Young people their family, social worker or advocates contribute to content of their My Plan.

All staff at West Hyde receive training in Proact-SCIPr-uk®, which is a positive behaviour support system that emphasises the need to be proactive in supporting young people from the very start rather than reacting after something has happened. The registered manager is also a positive behaviour support coach to support the team through their proactive approach. This includes grouping the young people appropriately, setting up the environment in a way which suits the young person, getting to know the young person and building relationships and offering suitable activities and staffing levels. At West Hyde each young person has a care plan and where needed a ‘My Plan’ which contains information about the young person and how best to support them. We record on a daily basis about each young persons visit and ask their opinions and make observations. If necessary any significant incident is recorded separately detailing what happened leading up to, during and after an incident and any sanction or restrictive intervention applied. These interventions are also recorded in the Restraints and Sanctions books. The information recorded then helps us to monitor and review what has happened and in some cases show us patterns or specifics that may have been more difficult to see. This information then forms the basis for us to make changes or adaptions for young people to promote a more positive time with us.

How we support children around behaviours of concern

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Where possible we work closely with schools to ensure that we are working consistently to ensure continuity of care, that strategies are shared and used to promote the best possible outcome for young people. We also share relevant information regarding the young people with schools. This can be imperative on a day to day basis especially if a young person attends West Hyde straight from school and then returns to school the following morning. Schools can be a good source of information for us in finding out about how a young person achieves educationally and in different environments and we are able to share how young people are within a social setting. We encourage and support young people to do their homework whilst staying with us. This ensures good routines and reinforces the importance of education.

Our service ensures that children and young people have access to universal specialist healthcare whilst receiving a service. We believe in empowering and supporting them to take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing wherever possible. We ensure children and young people have the right medicine; clinical procedures are safely administered and appropriate therapy is carried out by staff and carers who are trained and competent.

All staff at West Hyde receive training in The Safe Storage, Handling and Administration of Medication and training is refreshed annually and competency assessments take place. Staff also receive First Aid training and regular updates. Staff receive annual refresher training for Epilepsy and Emergency Medication and training can also be provided for things such as the use of Epi Pens and for Gastronomy feeding and intermittent catheterisation. These are done on an individual basis and will be provided by the Community Nursing Team. Our good practice ensures that all medication is logged in and out of the building and any controlled drugs are recorded within the controlled drugs book. All medications are stored in a locked fridge or medicine cabinet for safe and appropriate storage. When a young person is being given or assisted/ supported to take their medication then 2 staff will check that they have the right young person, the right medication, the right dose and the right route before administering. All young people who require medication must have their medication present at the project throughout their visit. The pharmacy label must be present and contain the following information:

• Name of child

• Name of medication

• Medication strength

• Expiry date

• Dose and timings

How we support children’s education

How we support children’s health needs

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*please note labels stating ‘as directed’ without specific information cannot be accepted unless

accompanied by an official letter from the prescribing medical professional clearly stating times and

dose to be given.

In addition to this, for all medications that are prescribed or are purchased over the counter, parents are required to complete an administration agreement form before staff can administer any medication to your child. This form must be completed each time there is a change in a child’s medication.

Medications that have instructions to be used within a specific time such as ‘use

within 28 days’ must have the date it was opened clearly marked on the bottle.

Young people who require emergency medication for conditions such as epilepsy or

asthma will not be permitted to stay without the required medication being on site.

If this happens then families will be contacted to bring in the medication or to collect

their child.

These procedures ensure that staff keep children safe. It is of the utmost importance

that these procedures are followed and staff are not permitted to deviate from them.

Each young person has a medication file where all information and recording is kept. We ensure that we have parents signed consent and appropriate pharmacy labelling and instruction so we can be sure that what we are administering is correct. When necessary we have parent’s permission to contact young people’s G.P for further advice and information. Staff will always gain consent from young people before administering or supporting with medication and in the case of refusal clear records will be kept. It is possible to use ‘covert’ methods of administering medication but this is a decision that is made by a multi-disciplinary team which should include parents, social worker and G.P. If a young person is over the age of 16 then a capacity assessment must also be completed. For young people who have high support needs such as epilepsy we use monitors and alarms to aid staff in monitoring and supporting the young people. If this type of equipment is required parents will give written consent for the use for each child. We are committed to promoting healthy living to all young people and will provide them with a variety of healthy, nutritious and tasty meals. We understand that for some young people food and mealtimes can be difficult and we will do our utmost to support young people around this and encourage their development. We also understand that many people have different dietary requirements for a variety of reasons, being it part of their faith or cultural requirements or for health reasons and we will ensure that we meet all of those individual needs.

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We are committed to excellent customer service and we regard complaints as an opportunity to turn a negative experience for a customer or service user into a positive one, as well as an opportunity to learn and to improve. The context for our complaints procedures is effective customer care, with service standards and service level agreements where appropriate, and with regular dialogue and review with customers of the service provided. Leaflets regarding how to complain are available in several languages.

Complaints can be made directly to any member of staff at West Hyde and all staff will follow the Action for Children complaints procedures in resolving your complaint. You are also able to make a complaint using the ‘Tell Us’ leaflet given to you at your home visit. If you require further copies they can be found in our reception area or you can ask a member of staff. You may also contact: Action for Children Complaints Manager Action for Children 3 The Boulevard Ascot Road Watford WD18 8AG ruth.baldwin@actionforchildren.org.uk Ofsted Ofsted National Business Unit Piccadilly Gate Store Street Manchester M1 2WD 0300 123 1231 Enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk

How to Complain

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Registered Manager Emily Evans Shortbreaks @ West Hyde Old Uxbridge Road Rickmansworth Hertfordshire WD3 9XP 01923 718939

Responsible Individual Shelagh Frankcom Action for Children 3 The Boulevard Ascot Road Watford WD18 8AG 01923 361500

The home is owned by: Hertfordshire County Council own the building.

The service is run by:

Action for Children 3 The Boulevard Ascot Road Watford WD18 8AG 01923 361500

Contact details