Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock Day Care of Children Gourock Youth Athletic Club George Road Gourock PA19 1YZ Type of inspection: Unannounced Inspection completed on: 29 August 2014
Contents Page No Summary 3 1 About the service we inspected 4 2 How we inspected this service 6 3 The inspection 10 4 Other information 20 5 Summary of grades 21 6 Inspection and grading history 21 Service provided by: Wellington Children's Centre Service provider number: SP2013012072 Care service number: CS2013317435 If you wish to contact the Care Inspectorate about this inspection report, please call us on 0345 600 9527 or email us at enquiries@careinspectorate.com Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 2 of 22
Summary This report and grades represent our assessment of the quality of the areas of performance which were examined during this inspection. Grades for this care service may change after this inspection following other regulatory activity. For example, if we have to take enforcement action to make the service improve, or if we investigate and agree with a complaint someone makes about the service. We gave the service these grades Quality of Care and Support 5 Very Good Quality of Environment 5 Very Good Quality of Staffing 5 Very Good Quality of Management and Leadership 5 Very Good What the service does well The service provides a welcoming environment for children where they can take part in a variety of activities chosen mainly by them. Parents who returned questionnaires to us praised the staff team and the way they cared for the children. What the service could do better Staff should continue to review and develop opportunities for children to influence the programme of activities. What the service has done since the last inspection This is the first inspection of the service Conclusion During the inspection process, we learned that the service is highly valued by families in the community. The service is supported by a dedicated management committee who takes an active role in supporting the staff team. Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 3 of 22
1 About the service we inspected The Care Inspectorate regulates care services in Scotland. Information about all care services is available on our website at www.careinspectorate.com This service registered with the Care Inspectorate on 15 August 2013. Requirements and Recommendations If we are concerned about some aspect of a service, or think it could do more to improve, we may make a recommendation or requirement. - A recommendation is a statement that sets out actions the care service provider should take to improve or develop the quality of the service but where failure to do so will not directly result in enforcement. Recommendations are based on the National Care Standards, relevant codes of practice and recognised good practice. - A requirement is a statement which sets out what is required of a care service to comply with the Public Services Reforms (Scotland) Act 2010 and Regulations or Orders made under the Act or a condition of registration. Where there are breaches of the Regulations, Orders or conditions, a requirement must be made. Requirements are legally enforceable at the discretion of the Care Inspectorate. Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock provides before and after school care for children attending primary school. Children are also able to access holiday care through a partner service. The service is provided by Wellington Children's Centre, a management committee consisting of parents. The service operates from a sports pavilion in Gourock where the service has access to a main hall, toilets, kitchen facilities and outdoor playing fields. The service is registered to care for a maximum of 24 children attending primary school and operates term time and school holidays. The majority of children attend two local primary schools and walk to the service escorted by staff. Based on the findings of this inspection this service has been awarded the following grades: Quality of Care and Support - Grade 5 - Very Good Quality of Environment - Grade 5 - Very Good Quality of Staffing - Grade 5 - Very Good Quality of Management and Leadership - Grade 5 - Very Good Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 4 of 22
This report and grades represent our assessment of the quality of the areas of performance which were examined during this inspection. Grades for this care service may change following other regulatory activity. You can find the most up-to-date grades for this service by visiting our website www.careinspectorate.com or by calling us on 0345 600 9527 or visiting one of our offices. Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 5 of 22
2 How we inspected this service The level of inspection we carried out In this service we carried out a low intensity inspection. We carry out these inspections when we are satisfied that services are working hard to provide consistently high standards of care. What we did during the inspection We wrote this report following an inspection process which was undertaken by one inspector. The inspection took place over two visits, the first visit was unannounced on Tuesday 26 August 2014. The second visit was announced and took place on Friday 29 August 2014. We gave feedback to the manager during the second visit. We sent 10 care standards questionnaires to the service which the manager distributed to families. We received nine completed questionnaires during the inspection process. We asked the manager to distribute four questionnaires to staff and all were completed and returned to us. During the inspection process, we gathered evidence from various sources including the following: We spoke with: - the manager - the senior worker - the staff team - one parent. We looked at: - ways the service involved parents and children in the life of the service - newsletters - information on children - monitoring procedures - activity planning - risk assessments - maintenance procedures - infection control procedures - recording of accidents and incidents. Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 6 of 22
Grading the service against quality themes and statements We inspect and grade elements of care that we call 'quality themes'. For example, one of the quality themes we might look at is 'Quality of care and support'. Under each quality theme are 'quality statements' which describe what a service should be doing well for that theme. We grade how the service performs against the quality themes and statements. Details of what we found are in Section 3: The inspection Inspection report continued Inspection Focus Areas (IFAs) In any year we may decide on specific aspects of care to focus on during our inspections. These are extra checks we make on top of all the normal ones we make during inspection. We do this to gather information about the quality of these aspects of care on a national basis. Where we have examined an inspection focus area we will clearly identify it under the relevant quality statement. Fire safety issues We do not regulate fire safety. Local fire and rescue services are responsible for checking services. However, where significant fire safety issues become apparent, we will alert the relevant fire and rescue services so they may consider what action to take. You can find out more about care services' responsibilities for fire safety at www.firelawscotland.org Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 7 of 22
The annual return Every year all care services must complete an 'annual return' form to make sure the information we hold is up to date. We also use annual returns to decide how we will inspect the service. Annual Return Received: Yes - Electronic Comments on Self Assessment Every year all care services must complete a 'self assessment' form telling us how their service is performing. We check to make sure this assessment is accurate. The provider submitted a self assessment prior to the inspection. The management team identified what they thought the service did well and areas for improvement. Taking the views of people using the care service into account Children present during the inspection were happy and confident in the service. Those we spoke with gave positive feedback about staff and the activities provided. Children also agreed that they were involved in making decisions about the resources. Taking carers' views into account We issues 10 questionnaires for parents and received nine completed questionnaires before the inspection. Seven parents strongly agreed and two agreed with the statement: "Overall, I am happy with the quality of care my child receives in this service." Parents gave the following comments in the questionnaires: "Great friendly confident staff. Lovely environment for the kids." "My son has attended the after school care for the past two years. I have found the centre and staff exceptionally wonderful as does my son. Healthy snacks provided, great interaction with staff had excellent physical and creative activities." Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 8 of 22
"We have been very happy with the care our children get at this service. The staff are exceptional and the kids love it. All staff are excellent and it's well run. The manager in particular is fantastic. We would recommend this after school club and breakfast club to anyone and have actually spread the word as we are delighted with all aspects of their care." "Very pleased with the service. Our son really enjoys it. The staff are friendly and approachable and very flexible too. It is great - we would be lost without it." "My son has been with the Wellington for the past one and a half years, mainly at the out of school care. He enjoys the company of the other children. He is always learning while there and as an only child I feel he gets a good mix of company." "The staff are supportive and helpful and always keep me up to date with his progress and concerns are dealt with promptly." Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 9 of 22
3 The inspection We looked at how the service performs against the following quality themes and statements. Here are the details of what we found. Quality Theme 1: Quality of Care and Support Grade awarded for this theme: 5 - Very Good Statement 1 We ensure that service users and carers participate in assessing and improving the quality of the care and support provided by the service. Service strengths We found that the service provided very good opportunities for parents and children to assess the quality of the service. Staff led a group of children in weekly meetings where they had the opportunity to discuss and plan activities. The manager reviewed their choices during the week. Records showed that activities were often changed in response to children's requests. Children were asked to choose equipment each day and throughout the session they were able request different toys and activities. Children we spoke with were confident in the group and felt included in making decisions. We saw that children had been involved in voting for resources and equipment. Parents were invited to be part of the management committee. Parents were also given opportunities to provide feedback on the quality of the service through twice yearly questionnaires. Staff had placed a folder on the registration table where they shared information with parents in relation to child protection procedures, the Curriculum for Excellence, health and nutrition and other policies and procedures. The manager issued a monthly newsletter to families keeping them up to date with events and changes within the out of school care service. Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 10 of 22
A parent we spoke with agreed that she found the newsletters informative. She also commented that she was given the opportunity to take an active role in the service if she wished to do so. Areas for improvement In speaking with staff and children, we learned that children's council meetings were always held on a Monday to allow them to plan for the week ahead. This meant that some part-time children could not be involved. The manager agreed to review the timing of council meetings to include everyone. Grade awarded for this statement: 5 - Very Good Number of requirements: 0 Number of recommendations: 0 Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 11 of 22
Statement 3 We ensure that service users' health and wellbeing needs are met. Service strengths Staff had developed individual plans on each of the children which included a registration form and All About Me booklet completed by the child and their parents. We saw that there was a process in place for these to be updated regularly to reflect children's changing needs and interests. The manager planned experiences for children which reflected the Curriculum for Excellence and reviewed them regularly to monitor outcomes for individual children. Staff prepared a choice of healthy snacks for the children arriving at the service. We saw that children routinely washed their hands before snack. Staff put one portion of snack into an individual plastic container which meant children could choose without handling children's food. Children were able to play outdoors each day on the large playing fields. During the inspection, children were taking part in different team games including football and rounders. Photographs showed that children had regular opportunities to be active and enjoy physical play. Staff had attended training in the document Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC). They were promoting children's health and wellbeing using SHANARRI (Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible, Included) and other wellbeing indicators. Staff were aware of their role in protecting children and how to report any concerns. They had attended regular child protection training and some staff had also been involved in an anti-bullying workshop with the children. Children we spoke with agreed that staff would help them if they had any worries and would keep them safe. Areas for improvement Staff provided a limited number of spaces at the snack table. During our inspection visit, we saw some children standing to eat snack or waiting for a table space. We suggested that the provider considers making more space available for children to have snack when they arrive from school. Grade awarded for this statement: 5 - Very Good Number of requirements: 0 Number of recommendations: 0 Inspection report continued Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 12 of 22
Quality Theme 2: Quality of Environment Grade awarded for this theme: 5 - Very Good Statement 1 We ensure that service users and carers participate in assessing and improving the quality of the environment within the service. Service strengths Strengths in relation to this statement are the same as those identified under Quality Theme 1, Statement 1. Areas for improvement Areas for improvement in relation to this statement are the same as those identified under Quality Theme 1, Statement 1. Grade awarded for this statement: 5 - Very Good Number of requirements: 0 Number of recommendations: 0 Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 13 of 22
Statement 2 We make sure that the environment is safe and service users are protected. Service strengths The service was based within a sports pavilion where accommodation consisted of an entrance hallway, hall, kitchen and toilet facilities. During the week, the service had almost exclusive use of the hall. The hall is situated on large playing fields which children have access to each day. Although the area is not completely secure, staff had carried out risk assessments and set boundaries which the children were aware of. The hall premises were clean, secure and regularly maintained. The out of school care staff cleaned the premises each day prior to children arriving. Staff also carried out a daily risk assessment of the premises. Staff followed suitable procedures to control the spread of infection. The manager confirmed that staff reported any repairs to the owner of the premises and these were addressed quickly. Staff walked children to the service from two local primary schools. Risk assessments were in place for both the routes. Staff confirmed that the risk assessments were reviewed regularly and adult to child ratios would be amended if necessary. Risk assessments were in place for the premises, outdoor areas and walking children from school. Parents who returned care standards questionnaires to us gave the following comments on the environment. "Gourock environment is old but has great outdoor space and has a fantastic range of resources." Areas for improvement The manager should continue to review and update risk assessment procedures to take account of any changes to the accommodation and school escort arrangements. Grade awarded for this statement: 5 - Very Good Number of requirements: 0 Number of recommendations: 0 Inspection report continued Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 14 of 22
Quality Theme 3: Quality of Staffing Grade awarded for this theme: 5 - Very Good Statement 1 We ensure that service users and carers participate in assessing and improving the quality of staffing in the service. Service strengths Strengths in relation to this statement are the same as those identified under Quality Theme 1, Statement 1. Areas for improvement Areas for improvement in relation to this statement are the same as those identified under Quality Theme 1, Statement 1. Grade awarded for this statement: 5 - Very Good Number of requirements: 0 Number of recommendations: 0 Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 15 of 22
Statement 3 We have a professional, trained and motivated workforce which operates to National Care Standards, legislation and best practice. Service strengths Staff members all held an HNC in Childcare. The manager held a BA in Childhood Studies. Staff met each week to discuss their work and plan for children. All staff had an understanding of the service policies and procedures. Staff we spoke with, and those who returned questionnaires to us, agreed that they followed the service's policies and procedures in their work. All staff had a copy of the National Care Standards and had regular opportunities to discuss them in relation to outcomes for children. The manager had introduced a new format for staff appraisals which provided a framework for constructive discussion with individual staff. We saw that records included meaningful information about staff, their personal development and training. Staff we spoke with, and those who returned questionnaires to us, confirmed that they received regular individual supervision with their manager. Staff were encouraged to contribute their ideas for developing the service. During the last year, staff had accessed training through the local authority which included: - getting it right for every child - child protection - first aid - food hygiene. Inspection report continued The service was a member of the Scottish Out of School Care Network and staff had attended training and development opportunities specific to their work with school age children. Parents who returned questionnaires to us gave the following comments on the staff team: "Great friendly confident staff. I have found the centre and staff exceptionally wonderful as does my son. Great interaction with staff." "The staff are friendly and approachable and very flexible too. It is great - we would be lost without it." Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 16 of 22
"The staff are supportive and helpful and always keep me up to date with his [son's] progress and concerns are dealt with promptly." Areas for improvement The provider and manager should continue to support staff through the very good development opportunities we identified at this inspection. Grade awarded for this statement: 5 - Very Good Number of requirements: 0 Number of recommendations: 0 Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 17 of 22
Quality Theme 4: Quality of Management and Leadership Grade awarded for this theme: 5 - Very Good Statement 1 We ensure that service users and carers participate in assessing and improving the quality of the management and leadership of the service. Service strengths Strengths in relation to this statement are the same as those identified under Quality Theme 1, Statement 1. Areas for improvement Areas for improvement in relation to this statement are the same as those identified under Quality Theme 1, Statement 1. Grade awarded for this statement: 5 - Very Good Number of requirements: 0 Number of recommendations: 0 Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 18 of 22
Statement 4 We use quality assurance systems and processes which involve service users, carers, staff and stakeholders to assess the quality of service we provide Service strengths The manager followed effective procedures for assuring the quality of the service and these were outlined in the service monitoring and evaluation policy. They included: - undertaking detailed evaluations of children's experiences each term - meeting with staff each week to review the service - regularly reviewing policies and procedures - inviting feedback from parents - sharing the service complaints procedure with parents. The manager invited parents and staff to be involved in grading the service on annual basis. The senior worker audited the quality of the day to day provision through: - monitoring the playroom - meeting with the staff team each week to review the service. Areas for improvement The management team should continue to implement the very good monitoring and evaluation systems in place. Grade awarded for this statement: 5 - Very Good Number of requirements: 0 Number of recommendations: 0 Inspection report continued Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 19 of 22
4 Other information Complaints No complaints have been upheld, or partially upheld, since registration. Enforcements We have taken no enforcement action against this care service since registration. Additional Information N/A Action Plan Failure to submit an appropriate action plan within the required timescale, including any agreed extension, where requirements and recommendations have been made, will result in the Care Inspectorate re-grading a Quality Statement within the Quality of Management and Leadership Theme (or for childminders, Quality of Staffing Theme) as unsatisfactory (1). This will result in the Quality Theme being re-graded as unsatisfactory (1). Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 20 of 22
5 Summary of grades Quality of Care and Support - 5 - Very Good Statement 1 Statement 3 5 - Very Good 5 - Very Good Quality of Environment - 5 - Very Good Statement 1 Statement 2 5 - Very Good 5 - Very Good Quality of Staffing - 5 - Very Good Statement 1 Statement 3 5 - Very Good 5 - Very Good Quality of Management and Leadership - 5 - Very Good Statement 1 Statement 4 5 - Very Good 5 - Very Good 6 Inspection and grading history All inspections and grades before 1 April 2011 are those reported by the former regulator of care services, the Care Commission. Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 21 of 22
To find out more about our inspections and inspection reports Read our leaflet 'How we inspect'. You can download it from our website or ask us to send you a copy by telephoning us on 0345 600 9527. This inspection report is published by the Care Inspectorate. You can get more copies of this report and others by downloading it from our website: www.careinspectorate.com or by telephoning 0345 600 9527. Translations and alternative formats This inspection report is available in other languages and formats on request. Telephone: 0345 600 9527 Email: enquiries@careinspectorate.com Web: www.careinspectorate.com Wellington Children's Centre - Gourock, page 22 of 22