Treloar College

Updated 18 October 2017

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

The inspection took place on 7 and 8 June 2017. It was unannounced.

The inspection team consisted of two inspectors and an expert by experience. An expert by experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who used this type of care service. On this inspection our expert by experience had knowledge and experience of service for young people.

Before the inspection we reviewed information we had about the service, including previous inspection reports and notifications the provider sent to us. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to tell us about by law.

We spoke with 19 students individually and in groups. We observed care and support students received in the shared areas of the college.

We spoke with 31 staff members individually and in groups, including care staff, nurses and therapists. We spoke with 14 members of the management team, the principal and chair of governors.

We reviewed records made available to us during the inspection and sent on to us after the visit. These included two assessment records, seven care plans, four communication plans, pictorial questionnaires, timetables, procedures, house mission statements, and leavers reports and plans.

Other records included a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. We also saw records supporting mental capacity assessments and deprivation of liberty applications, transition timetables, the provider’s complaints and compliments log, staff training programme, and student charter. We saw the annual safeguarding report, health and safety reports, and meeting minutes. The provider made available to us the results of student and parents surveys, equality, diversity and inclusion reports, and reports by external organisations, including external consultants.

Updated 18 October 2017

The inspection took place on 7 and 8 June 2017. It was unannounced. At Treloar College’s last inspection we rated it Good.

The college is a residential further education college specialising in support for students with a physical or other disability. Some students had extremely complex needs arising from their disability. Our inspection looked at the residential accommodation, healthcare provision and the care and support for students outside their educational curriculum.

At the time of this inspection there were 89 students accommodated in four residential houses. There were also 18 day students. Most students were in residence during term time, but a small number stayed in one of the residential houses all year. Each residential house had a registered manager.

A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

There were exceptional arrangements in place to manage risks to students’ safety and wellbeing. Risk management was focused on overcoming obstacles and reducing restrictions on students’ activities. Students’ abilities were enhanced, their independence was promoted, and they were supported to participate in activities safely.

Students were supported by sufficient numbers of suitable staff. Appropriate checks were made before staff started to work to make sure they were suitable to work in a care setting.

Students received their medicines as prescribed. Medicines were stored and administered safely. There were arrangements in place for student who wished to be responsible for their own medicines.

Where students had swallowing difficulties, the college had put in place exceptional arrangements to support them with appetising food which was safe for them to eat and allowed them to feel included. Students were supported to eat a healthy diet with a variety of cafeteria and self-catering options which were adapted to their physical needs.

Students were supported by staff who benefited from a comprehensive training and support programme. Where necessary staff received training relevant to a student’s individual needs and conditions, and specialist equipment used to support the student.

Care and support were provided only with students’ agreement and consent. Staff were aware of the legal requirements in force where people lacked capacity to consent.

Multi-disciplinary teams were in place to support students with their healthcare needs. There was an integrated healthcare centre with dedicated nurses and part-time GP.

There were in-house technicians who adapted and customised assistive technology to enable students more easily to express their views, take part in decisions about their care and be as independent as possible.

There was an outstanding focus on equality, diversity and inclusion. Care and support took into account students’ cultural and religious background and their lifestyle choices. The college was accredited as a “Leader in Diversity” by the National Centre for Diversity.

All staff we spoke with put students at the centre of everything they did. We saw examples of excellent relationships between students and staff.

There were exceptionally thorough arrangements to assess students’ needs before they joined the college, during their stay and to prepare them to move on to the next stage in their lives.

Care and support while they were at the college were based on thorough and detailed care plans which were reviewed regularly and kept up to date with their changing needs.

There was a positive, open and empowering culture shared by staff and students. Care and support were dedicated to helping students achieve their goals and ambitions.

Management and quality assurance systems were in place to drive continuous improvement .