We carried out a review of the data available to us about Disabled Children Service North -The Outback on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Disabled Children Service North -The Outback, you can give feedback on this service.
Disabled Children Service North -The Outback is a domiciliary service to support disabled children with their daily routine and parental support. The service also supports children from its office base at The Outback, this aspect of the service did not form part of our inspection. At the time of the inspection the service was supporting five children aged between five and eighteen. All the children receiving the service required support with personal care. CQC only inspects where people or children receive personal care. The help involves tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. We also consider any wider social care provided connected with their care plans. We will refer throughout the report to the children who received the service as people
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Staff ensured people were safe from harm through training and the confidence to report any concerns. Any risks had been assessed and measures were in place to reduce them or provide guidance to manage them. There were consistent staff who worked flexibly to meet the needs of people. Staff had been recruited to ensure they were suitable to work with people. Infection control was managed, and lessons learnt when events had occurred.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff had received the required training to enhance their skills and support their role. Peoples health and wellbeing was monitored to ensure they received the correct support, equipment and care with meals.
The staff were caring and had all developed relationships with the people. There was a small team which ensured consistency. Individual needs were respected and recognised. People’s independence was encouraged, and small steps celebrated.
People received responsive care which was care planned and developed with the person and their family. Communication was an integral part of the care to ensure the person could make their own choices. A complaints policy is in place which people and relative were aware of, however had not felt the need to access. End of life care was considered as part of the care planning process.
The service was run by staff who shared the same values. There was an open culture and the registered manager understood the requirements of their registration. Audits and quality systems were in place to ensure the service continued to meet people’s needs. Improvements were ongoing, and the service worked with a wide range of professionals.
The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensured that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.
The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection was Good. (Published 29 October 2016)
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.
The service is registered with CQC to provide personal care and support to children and young people up to the age of 18 in their own homes, mainly in and around the north Derbyshire area. Although the service also supports children from its office base at The Outback, this aspect of the service did not form part of this inspection. At the time of this inspection four young people received support from the service.
The service is required to have 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. The manager had been in post for three months and had applied to the Care Quality Commission to become a registered manager.
Medicines were administered by staff, however records of medicines administration were not kept in line with the provider’s expectations.
Policies and procedures were in place. The registered manager confirmed some policies, such as the medicines policy for the overall service, would be developed to be specific to staff administering medicines in people’s own homes.
Systems and processes designed to check on the quality and safety of services were in place and further checks were being developed. The registered manager understood where shortfalls in the service were and took action to address those. This included shortfalls in risk assessments.
People told us they felt safe with the care provided by the service. Staff we spoke with had received training in safeguarding people and understood how to report any safeguarding concerns.
Staff recruitment and deployment was managed safely. Some people had not received a service when the member of staff who provided their support had not been at work. Additional staff had now been recruited to ensure the service could, in the near future, ensure sufficient staff were deployed to meet people’s needs.
People were cared for by staff that were respectful and caring. Staff had developed positive and caring relationships with the people they cared for. Staff supported people with their independence and promoted people’s dignity and privacy. People were involved in planning their care and support.
The registered manager understood how the Mental Capacity Act 2005 related to people using the service. For children under 16, the registered manager ensured consent to their care and support was obtained in line with guidance.
People received support from staff who had the skills and knowledge to meet their needs. Although staff did not support people with their nutrition and hydration needs, information on these needs was available to help staff understand people. People were supported to access other healthcare provision when required.
People were supported to raise any worries or concerns. People received personalised and responsive care and their views and preferences were respected.
The service promoted an open and inclusive culture. The registered manager demonstrated an open and inclusive style of leadership.
Due to verbal communication difficulties , we were not able to speak directly with the children , but spoke with one family who use the service.
We were told that the service was excellent, brilliant and they could not manage without them. We were told they liked their care worker and the Outback care staff treated their children with respect and they were involved in all key decisions.
We found that there were effective recruitment and selection procedures in place.
We also found that care staff had worked there for a long time, care staff said they 'had the best job ever.'
Families told us they were happy with the service and the care workers were very professional in their work.
We found that the service had good procedures in place for the safe handling and administration of medication.
We found that they provision had a robust complaints procedure and children and young people views were listened to and acted upon.
Relatives we spoke with felt their children were in safe hands and confirmed that they had no concerns about their child's safety whilst using the service.
We saw that care and welfare needs were well met. All the relatives we spoke with were full of praise for the service. They used words such as brilliant, fantastic and second to none to describe it. One told us 'They have helped through dark times' and another said 'They bend over backwards to help out'. They all confirmed the service was reliable and that staff were punctual and stayed for the allocated time.
We saw that record keeping had improved since our last visit in 2012 and the service now had an up to date range of records on the young people's care and support needs, staff training and supervision, health and safety records and quality assurance records.