Short Breaks for Children

1. Medication procedures need to be robust. Where errors are identified remedial action should identify and impact positive change. The Care Inspectorate guidance on the reporting of incidents must be followed. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state that: 'Any treatment or intervention that I experience is safe and effective' (HSCS 1.24); and 'I benefit from a culture of continuous improvement, with the organisation having robust and transparent quality assurance processes' (HSCS 4.19).

2. To ensure young people are cared for in a high quality environment which meets their needs the provider should: - Carry out a strategic review, alongside future service design which would support the longer-term sustainability of short breaks provision - Ensure that the environment at Laburnum is maintained to a high standard through significant upgrade of the building and timely repairs. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state that: 'I experience a high quality environment if the organisation provides the premises' (HSCS 5).

3. Risk assessments should be reviewed and developed to ensure they are specific about risk and strategies of support. They should be individual to each young person's specific need This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state that: 'My care and support meets my needs and is right for me' (HSCS 1.19).

4. The organisation need to radically review how short breaks and outreach support are provided to minimise cancellations and provide stability and consistency. They should consider: How allocations and rotas impact service delivery Clarity of roles between managers and senior staff, ensuring senior staff spend significantly more time mentoring the team and providing staff supervision More effective use of team meetings or other team building opportunities to develop a more cohesive staff team with greater staff morale. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state that: 'My care and support is consistent because people work well together' (HSCS 3.19); and 'I benefit from a5. The service should complete a staffing needs assessment to ensure the right amount of staff are available to meet the needs of young people, and as required by the Care Inspectorate (in the document 'Guidance for providers on the assessment of staffing levels'). This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state that: 'My needs are met by the right number of people' (HSCS 3.15); and 'I have confidence in people because they are trained, competent and skilled, are able to reflect on their practice and follow their professional and organisational codes' (HSCS 3.14).

6. The service should develop an improvement plan which is aspirational for the future of Short Breaks and the children and families it supports. It should be grounded in the foundations of 'The Promise' and Scotland providing the very best care to its children and young people. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state that: 'I benefit from a culture of continuous improvement, with the organisation having robust and transparent quality assurance processes' (HSCS 4.19).