Social Services

Rota visitsBriefing

24 November 2014

Social Services Rota Visits

Briefing about our ‘in-house services’

and councillors’ visits:

• Role and purpose of rota visits

• Other ways services are regulated and

monitored

• Getting the most from the visit

• Follow up to your visit

• Overview of current issues

Social Services Rota Visits

Reason for undertaking the visits:

• It is normal practice that Elected Members

undertake regular visits to Children’s and Adults

establishments

• This function was laid down within the Children

Act 1989 and Care Standards Act 2000

• Regulations no longer make this a requirement

but it is accepted as good practice

Social Services Rota Visits

Purpose:

• To exercise the role of “corporate parent”

• Ensures collective approach to safeguarding

• To familiarise Members with the services that Social

Services directly provides

• To monitor and comment upon the performance of

Social Services establishments

• Give users of Residential and Day Care services direct

access to elected members in order to enhance the

quality of personal social services to the users of those

services

Social Services Rota Visits

New approach:

• Starting in January 2015

• Eight councillors to undertake the visits

• Each establishment visited every three months

• Briefings available in advance of visits

• Report template and guidance to be updated

• Outcomes of visit shared with premises asap;

response within ten working days

Social Services Rota Visits

In-house services:

• Three older peoples residential homes

• Two day centres (mixed use)

• Four children’s homes

• One residential respite home for learning

disabled adults

Social Services Rota Visits

Variety of agencies hold us to account:

• CSSiW – Social Services regulator (not day

service)

• Responsible Individual

• Internal Audit

• Contracts and Commissioning

• Health and Safety

Social Services Rota Visits

Legislation sets out ‘National Minimum

Standards’ for services

40+ for adult, 37+ for children services covering

• quality of life

• quality of care

• quality of environment

• quality of management

Social Services Rota Visits

Annual Quality Assurance Reports:

We ask service users/families questions inc :• I feel safe and secure at the day centre/home/with the service

• I am helped to make choices and my preferences are followed

• I enjoy the meals that are provided

• There is a good range of activities to take part in

• I am confident that if I had a complaint it would be taken seriously

and responded to

• I am given an opportunity to contribute my ideas and make

comments on the home/day centre

• I am listened to

Answers are confidential and anonymous

Social Services Rota Visits

We ask our employees questions inc.:• I have the training I need to undertake my job

• I am happy with my rota

• I feel the day centre/home is run in the best interests of service

users/residents

• If I was concerned about a services user/resident, their health,

safety or care I would know how to report that concern

• I am given an opportunity to contribute my ideas and make

comments on the home/day centre/service

• I always attend team meetings

• My line manager gives me clear instructions

Answers are confidential and anonymous

Social Services Rota VisitsGetting the most from your visit

(in advance)

Consider giving notice – this will allow the manager to inform services users, service user groups, families and

employees so they can be available to meet you and raise

any issues

Consider a briefing from Service Manager – to gain up to date information

Obtain most up to date reports – eg. CSSiW, Quality Assurance, H&S, last rota visit report

Social Services Rota Visits

Getting the most from your visit (during the visit)

• Take time to listen to service users/families and

employees

• Consider hearing from them what it is like to be

part of the service

• What is it they value (or don’t ) about the service?

• What do they think would make a difference?

Social Services Rota Visits

Following the visit:

• Report back to Service Manager anything urgent

same day

• Write up your visit and send to Member

Services, Service Manager and Manager

• Within ten working days we will respond to any

actions that you have highlighted

Social Services Rota Visits

Overview of current issues:

• Adult day services, care homes and residential

respite subject to change and efficiency projects

• Regulatory action over past 12 months

• Demographic, legislation and other matters

Social Services Rota Visits

Current Issues – children

• Fabric of building

• Are our children safe?

• Are our staff safe?

Social Services Rota Visits

Questions?

Social Services Rota Visits

• Lucy Jackson, Adult Social ServicesLucy.jackson@newport.gov.uk

01633 210467

• Lyn Richards, Children and Family Lyn.richards@newport.gov.uk

01633 210099