Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales

Transcription

1 Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales Children Act 1989 (as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000) Inspection report Out of school care Llanfynydd Out of School Club Llanfynydd C. P. School Llanfynydd LL11 5HG Date of publication 31 March 2011 You may reproduce this Report in its entirety. You may not reproduce it in part or in any abridged form and may only quote from it with the consent in writing of Welsh Ministers.

2 Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales North Wales Broncoed House Broncoed Business Park Wrexham Road Mold CH7 1HP Name of setting: Llanfynydd Out of School Club Contact telephone number: Registered Person/Responsible Individual Person in charge: Lesley Courtney Dounia Curtis Number of places: 24 Date of this visit: 28 th February 2011 Dates of other relevant contact since None last report: Date of previous report publication: 20 th February 2009 Inspected by: Elen Probert Page 1

3 Guidelines on inspection Introduction This report has been compiled following an inspection of the setting undertaken by the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) under the provisions of the Children Act 1989 and associated regulations. The primary focus of the report is to comment on the quality of care and protection experienced by the children. The report contains information on how we inspect and what we find. The report is divided into eight distinct parts reflecting the broad areas of the National Minimum Standards. CSSIW`s Inspectors are authorised to enter and inspect registered child care settings at any time. Inspection enables the CSSIW to satisfy itself that continued registration is justified. It ensures compliance with: The Children Act 1989 (as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000) and associated Regulations, whilst taking into account the National Minimum Standards for this type of registered setting The setting`s own Statement of Purpose At inspection (which in the main are unannounced), CSSIW tries to capture the views and experiences of service users by means of questionnaires for the parents/carers and staff, engagement with children who use the setting as well as information drawn from the provider`s own self-assessment. Readers must be aware that a CSSIW report is intended to reflect the findings of the inspector at a specific period in time. Readers should not conclude that the circumstances of the service will be the same at all times. The Registered Person is responsible for ensuring that the service operates in a way which complies with the service specific regulations. CSSIW will comment in the general text of the inspection report on their compliance. For those regulations which CSSIW believes to be key in bringing about change in the particular service, they will be separately and clearly identified in the requirement section. As well as listing these key requirements from the current inspection, requirements made by CSSIW since the last inspection, which have been met and those which remain outstanding are included in this report. The reader should note that requirements made in last year`s report which are not listed as outstanding have been appropriately complied with. Where key requirements have been identified, the Registered Person is required under Regulation 3C (Compliance Notification) to advise in writing, the appropriate regional office of the of any action required by CSSIW. The regulated service is also responsible for having in place a clear, effective and fair complaints procedure which promotes local resolution between the parties in a swift and Page 2

4 satisfactory manner, wherever possible. The annual inspection report will include a summary of the numbers of complaints dealt with locally and their outcome. CSSIW may also be involved in the investigation of a complaint. Where this is the case CSSIW makes available publicly a summary of any matters it has been involved in together with any action taken by CSSIW. If you have concerns about anything arising from the Inspector`s findings, you may wish to discuss these with the CSSIW or with the registered person. The Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales is required to make reports on registered facilities available to the public. Most reports are public documents and will be available on the CSSIW web site: Summary Llanfynydd Out of School Club is registered to care for 24 children and presently operates after school every Monday to Friday during school term time. The Club has the use of the hall / dining room within Ysgol Llanfynydd. A new Registered Person has been nominated and forms are being processed. An updated Certificate of Registration will be issued after March 14 th 2011 which will include the name of the new Registered Person. An additional meeting was arranged to look at staff files that were unavailable during the inspection visit. This report is based upon the following: Written information from the provider, as required by the CSSIW Parents questionnaires Discussion with the Registered Person and staff Direct observation of activities, interactions and procedures on the day of the inspection The focus of this inspection was to observe the care of the children and to examine the staff files. A very good standard of childcare was seen, held in suitable, safe surroundings with caring staff. The staff worked well together, guiding the children from one activity to another when needed in a smooth and trouble free manner. The homely and relaxed happy atmosphere is a strength of this provision which is set in a small rural school. Staff files were examined and contained all the required information. CRB disclosure certificates have been applied for and the Registered Person will inform the CSSIW when they are returned. Job descriptions and contracts are being drawn up by the Committee for the regular staff. The new Registered Person stated that the Management Committee is in the process of a total overhaul of the club. There are no concerns about the child care. The Committee are considering the management and financial systems and also the forms used in the day to day running of the club. Ten CSSIW parents questionnaires were given out and three were returned. All responded positively to the questions asked and mentioned the weekly forecast of activities sheet. One parent was not aware of the Complaints policy but the other two were. The Club s policies are currently being reviewed and will be included in the Handbook. All added favourable comments including: Staff do a good job Page 3

5 The parent has complete trust in the staff who are professional The service is convenient and essential for working parents The child trusts the staff and enjoys attending The provision enhances a child s learning experiences The Annual Review of the Quality of Care was completed as part of pre inspection documentation using a CSSIW generic form. Children have been asked for their suggestions as to what activities they would like the club to provide. The Supervisor stated that the group are applying for grant funding to put on children s workshops. Also it is intended to have a separate phone line installed for the Club so that there will be a direct line for parents to contact Club staff. Bean bags to create a comfortable area have been ordered. The group will be required to complete their own Annual Review for the year 2010/2011. This should indicate what has gone well during the year, what has not gone so well and what improvements are envisaged for the coming year. The written risk assessments are being reviewed and it is recommended that the hot feeder pipes for the radiators are included. I would like to thank the Registered Person, staff and the children who were present for their warm welcome and full and friendly co-operation on the afternoon of the inspection. Page 4

6 Choice of service Llanfynydd Out of School Club has information about the service which parents who wish to use the provision can read. Policies and procedures are being updated and the Registered Person stated that copies will be sent to the CSSIW. These will also be available to parents. Children s registration forms have been completed and returned by parents. An updated Certificate of Registration will be issued and this should be displayed at the Club. When completed Page 5

7 Planning for individual needs and preferences Through observation and discussion with staff it was apparent during the inspection that the staff knew the children well and were able to consider each child as an individual. The parents are notified of activities that the children have undertaken by verbal feedback and sometimes letters. Staff took time to speak with parents as they collected their children. The parents and the CSSIW have access to a full range of records that are organised. These are stored securely at the premises. The Inspector spoke to a parent as they collected their child. They were very happy with the care provided at the Club. The Club are reviewing Accidents and Incidents sheets and are aware of the need to request that parents sign to acknowledge receipt of the information. When completed Page 6

8 Quality of life Through discussion and observation a happy and caring relationship was seen between the staff and children. There were plenty of age appropriate toys and activities available and the children were happy and busy. The routine provided variety with free play and structured times, including tea time. Two staff cared for eleven children of mostly junior school age. Areas were set out in the main room so that children could choose table top or floor based activities. Things to do included glass painting, construction toys and dolls. Special events in the past have included designing pizzas, baking, board games, bingo, craft and hot chocolate, and a Mad Hatters Tea Party. Staff stated that children have the opportunity to play outside every day. The children spent about 30 minutes outside playing yard games which they thoroughly enjoyed. The Supervisor stated that future events planned are film nights and Cheer Leading in the Summer. When completed Page 7

9 Quality of care and treatment The staff at the Club treated the children with respect and encouraged good behaviour through praise, explanation and reward. The group has created a behaviour management policy, which is available to parents. The staff were aware of the health and dietary needs of the children and knew of any allergies that they had. The staff have current First Aid training certificates and the Registered Person were aware of when training needed to be updated. The First Aid box was readily available and the Registered Person stated that it is well stocked. Good hygiene routines were in place. Surfaces were regularly wiped during the inspection and the premises used were clean. At tea time children were offered hot dogs and squash to drink. Later children could have a biscuit and drinks as required. When completed Page 8

10 Staffing The group has a Supervisor, Assistant and relief staff that are experienced, qualified and skilled to provide good quality care. They have attended courses in order to update their knowledge of childcare. Further training has also been booked in relation to Food Hygiene. The Supervisor and Assistant work in the school during the day which is good practice, providing consistency for the children. All necessary documentation is present within staff files, including references. Job descriptions and contracts are being drawn up by the Management Committee. CRB disclosures have been applied for on behalf of all staff including relief workers. The Registered Person has agreed to inform the CSSIW when these are returned. When completed Page 9

11 Conduct and management of the service The children benefit from a service that is well organised and planned by the staff, Management Committee and Registered Person. Observation on the day of the inspection showed that the group keeps well within the staffing ratios as there were two staff caring for eleven children. Registers were briefly examined at this visit and were satisfactory. The staff evidenced a commitment to equal opportunities and ensured that all the children had access to a wide variety of toys and activities. The group has current public liability insurance. The Club will be required to complete their own Annual Review for the year 2010/2011. This should indicate what has gone well during the year, what has not gone so well and what improvements are envisaged for the coming year. The group is setting up a new annual review procedure. The Supervisor stated that the Registered Person, staff and Committee all feed into the reviewing system as all are invited to meetings or have the opportunity to feedback about the processes involved in the day to day running of the Club. In October 2010 staff left and two new staff members have been appointed. They stated that they have a supportive Management Committee. The Registered Person stated that a new appraisal system is being established and staffing procedures are being reviewed. It is intended that termly 1:1 supervision meetings will take place. When completed Page 10

12 Complaints and protection The Registered Person noted in the pre inspection documentation that there have been no complaints received. The recording of complaints or concerns was not discussed at this visit. Most parents noted in their returned questionnaires that they were aware of the Complaint Policy. The Management Committee are currently reviewing the Complaints procedures. The group has established appropriate policies and procedures for child protection and the staff are aware of the issues involved and have recently attended relevant Child Protection courses. When completed Page 11

13 The physical environment Llanfynydd Out of School Club is held in Ysgol Llanfynydd. The main room was set out to provide a stimulating environment for children s activities. The group uses toilets which are close by. The Club has adequate lockable storage and is hoping to obtain more. The premises are welcoming for children and their parents. The Club has an extensive range of toys, books, furniture and equipment for all types of play. They are appropriate for the ages of children and are in good condition. New equipment has been purchased since the previous inspection. Staff stated that fire drills are completed regularly and through discussion it was evidenced that the procedures are satisfactory. Parents contact numbers and a phone are always taken out. During the inspection it was noted that the staff were very aware of health and safety matters. Safety measures were in place such as the close supervision of children and a secure entrance. The Registered Person stated that Risk Assessments are being reviewed. It is recommended that hot radiator feeder pipes are included in the Risk Assessment. When completed It is recommended that the hot feeder pipes for the radiators are included in the written Risk Assessment. Page 12