Dala Care Home Service Low Road Hightae Lockerbie DG11 1JT Telephone: 01387-811001 Type of inspection: Unannounced Inspection completed on: 15 November 2016 Service provided by: Radical Services Ltd Service provider number: SP2003002568 Care service number: CS2007155419
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 has been registered since 2008. Dala is a care home service provided by Radical Services, a private care provider, which is part of the Pebbles Care Group of companies. The service is presently registered for up to three children and young people aged 8-18 years and mainly offers longer-term placements. The service is situated in a small village in Dumfries and Galloway, close to Lockerbie, where there is access to the motorway system and a mainline railway station. There was one young person using the service at the time of this inspection. They had been placed by a local authority in the North of England. Following a period of absence, the previous manager of the service had left the service at the start of October and a new manager had taken up their position on 1 November 2016, just two weeks before this inspection. A new assistant manager had been appointed just one week prior to our inspection visit. How we inspected the service We looked at progress in regard to the recommendation we made following our last inspection and another recommendation we made after we had upheld a complaint about the service. In order to do this, we met with the new manager and assistant manager and also spoke with three of the staff on duty at the time of our inspection and with the young person currently using the service. We also spoke by telephone to the social worker responsible for their placement. We looked at paperwork maintained by the service and, in particular, the young person's care plan, risk assessment and behaviour support plan and associated records. We also looked at minutes of a team meeting. Taking the views of people using the service into account The young person currently using the service was due to leave just two weeks after our visit. They spoke of recent management changes and said that these had been difficult for them to accept. They also told us that they did not like it when they were looked after by staff from other houses. They described occasions, prior to the appointment of the new manager, when they had been physically held. They did not like being held and felt this had made them worse, rather than calming things down. Nevertheless, they said that they liked most of the staff and that, overall, they would miss Dala and that it would have been 'ideal' if it had been nearer to their home area. Taking carers' views into account We did not speak to any relatives of people using the service, but did speak to the young person's social worker. They told us that the placement had failed to meet the young person's identified needs and that a new placement had therefore been identified. They added that the recent management changes had led to improvements in the way the service is provided, but that a new placement had already been agreed. page 2 of 6
What the service has done to meet any requirements we made at or since the last inspection Previous requirements There are no outstanding requirements. What the service has done to meet any recommendations we made at or since the last inspection Previous recommendations Recommendation 1 The provider should devise a strategy for encouraging young people to change unhelpful behaviour. Also, the provider should work with the community to increase their understanding of the work of the service and the kind of young person cared for. National Care Standards, care homes for children and young people. Standard 6:13: feeling safe and secure This recommendation was made on 29 April 2016. Action taken on previous recommendation This recommendation was made following a complaint about the service. The service provider had submitted to us an appropriate action plan, but this had not yet been fully implemented. Notifications and associated incident reports submitted to us by the service indicate that managers and staff have sometimes struggled to support young people to change behaviours which are harmful to themselves or others. Improvements had, however, been made following the recent change of managers. This includes steps which increase our confidence that the service is now addressing the concerns raised through this complaint. We will continue to look at progress in relation to this recommendation during future inspections. Recommendation 2 Managers should ensure that all notifiable events are notified promptly to the Care Inspectorate and updates provided of any actions or outcomes following notified events. National Care Standards, care homes for children and young people. Standard 7.1/4: management and staffing. This recommendation was made on 12 May 2016. Action taken on previous recommendation The service had taken steps to ensure that appropriate notifications are made. The service provider's area manager had also maintained good contact with us to ensure we are well informed of the background to changes being made at the service. page 3 of 6
Complaints Please see Care Inspectorate website (www.careinspectorate.com) for details of complaints about the service which have been upheld. Enforcement No enforcement action has been taken against this care service since the last inspection. Inspection and grading history Date Type Gradings 12 May 2016 Unannounced Care and support Management and leadership 22 Dec 2015 Unannounced Care and support 3 - Adequate 2 - Weak Management and leadership 2 - Weak 3 Oct 2014 Unannounced Care and support Management and leadership 6 Nov 2013 Unannounced Care and support Management and leadership 8 Nov 2012 Unannounced Care and support 6 - Excellent Management and leadership Not assessed page 4 of 6
Date Type Gradings 31 May 2012 Unannounced Care and support 2 - Weak Management and leadership 16 Jan 2012 Unannounced Care and support 1 - Unsatisfactory Management and leadership 9 Sep 2011 Unannounced Care and support Management and leadership 20 Dec 2010 Unannounced Care and support Not assessed Not assessed Management and leadership Not assessed 10 Sep 2010 Announced Care and support Management and leadership 25 Mar 2010 Unannounced Care and support Not assessed Management and leadership Not assessed 14 May 2009 Announced Care and support Management and leadership 3 - Adequate page 5 of 6
To find out more This inspection report is published by the Care Inspectorate. You can download this report and others from our website. Care services in Scotland cannot operate unless they are registered with the Care Inspectorate. We inspect, award grades and help services to improve. We also investigate complaints about care services and can take action when things aren't good enough. Please get in touch with us if you would like more information or have any concerns about a care service. You can also read more about our work online at www.careinspectorate.com Contact us Care Inspectorate Compass House 11 Riverside Drive Dundee DD1 4NY enquiries@careinspectorate.com 0345 600 9527 Find us on Facebook Twitter: @careinspect Other languages and formats This report is available in other languages and formats on request. Tha am foillseachadh seo ri fhaighinn ann an cruthannan is cànain eile ma nithear iarrtas. page 6 of 6