DASH Away Weekends provide leisure opportunities for disabled young people in Ceredigion. We believe that parents, carers and young people should have access to the information that they need in order to make an informed choice about the short breaks services that DASH provides. With this in mind, we have compiled the following ‘Statement of Purpose’.
OVERALL AIM
The aim of the DASH Away Weekends is to provide short breaks for young disabled people and a chance for those caring for these young people to have some time off from their caring responsibilities. We hope to provide a break for parents and carers who have very few forms of short breaks available to them by bringing together a group of young disabled people in a safe, relaxing and welcoming environment. We aim to create a social atmosphere, which enables them to have fun and express themselves, to provide a high level of care to each individual who wishes to attend and to do so with respect for their needs and wishes.
FACILITIES AND SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED
DASH is registered with CSSIW to provide up to 20weekend short breaks a year, these normally run between September and June. The Away Weekends are based at Ty Glyn Bungalow in Ciliau Aeron, Ceredigion. The weekends normally begin on Friday evening and the young people will stay at the centre until Sunday afternoon unless alternative arrangements have been made. Times for the weekend can be flexible with arrangements to be made in advance. Transport is not provided to and from the weekend. Guests should arrive at the centre between 6.00 pm and 6.30pm and will be collected by 1.00pm on the Sunday.
DASH Away Weekends are registered to care for children and young people between 8 and 18 years of age. The groups of young people that attend are planned prior to the weekends taking into account compatibility of ages, abilities and their personal preferences. The staff and volunteers provide for the care needs of the young people whilst they are at the centre to enable them to fully take part in all activities offered and get the most out of the Weekends.
SERVICE USERS
The Away Weekends provide a service to young people registered with Ceredigion Disabled Children’s Team - Tîm Plant Anabl (TPA). This includes, in general, young people of both genders who have moderate to severe learning disabilities and associated needs. The care provided on the Weekends is specialised to meet the needs of those individuals. The centre is able to cater for individuals with a range of physical impairments and we will aim to meet the needs of all qualifying young people who wish to access the service.
Some of the additional needs that DASH is able to meet include: communication difficulties, physical and mobility difficulties, sensory support needs, challenging behaviour, epilepsy and those requiring assistance with feeding and personal hygiene. Notwithstanding the needs detailed above, DASH is prepared to make an assessment of any young person’s needs to ascertain whether the Weekends are suitable for them and aims to provide a flexible short breaks service. Each young person is assessed by the TPA prior to their placement to make sure that DASH Away Weekends are suitable for them.
The Away Weekends do not have an educational aim. We believe that when people come to the Weekends, they should experience a home away from home environment. The young people who attend will do so in groups organised to include a mix of ability levels to promote diversity. The groups are no larger than 6 with staff and volunteers that are suitably qualified and experienced.
Each Weekend has a simple structure which we believe helps to keep the atmosphere comfortable for the young people and is similar to what they would have at home, so they can socialise, relax and enjoy their time with us at the centre.
VENUE
The weekends are held at Ty Glyn, a purpose built centre located in Ciliau Aeron (approximately 2 miles from the harbour-side town of Aberaeron). The bungalow itself has 9 bedrooms and each young person gets their own room.
DASH aims to organise bedrooms so that each wing of the bungalow houses a different gender of young person. We are aware that this may not always be possible, however DASH employs a waking night carer to supervise the young people at night.
The centre is set in beautiful grounds, and adjacent to the centre is the ‘Secret Garden’ with wells, an outdoor play area and lots to explore. The centre itself has a pool table, a TV and DVD player, and the staff and young people organize all sorts of fun and exciting activities themselves. If you are unsure whether the centre would be suitable for your child, please contact Tîm Plant Anabl or the DASH Leisure Schemes Co-ordinator.
REGISTERED PERSONS
In line with the requirements of the Children Act 1989 and the Care Standards Act 2000, the DASH Away Weekends are registered and inspected by Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) under the National Minimum Standards for a Children’s Home. This requires us to publish the names and business addresses of each person who is registered under this legislation as persons suitable to be ‘responsible for supervising the management of the children’s home’. As such, these persons named below are the Registered Persons of the DASH Away Weekends:
Mrs Eryl Bray Mrs Non Jenkins
DASH Leisure Schemes DASH Leisure Schemes
Min Y Mor Bungalow Min Y Mor Bungalow
Wellington Gardens Wellington Gardens
AberaeronAberaeron
CEREDIGION Ceredigion
SA46 0BQ SA46 0BQ
These people are Trustees of the Charity DASH (1163672) and have been assessed by CSSIW to be of suitable integrity and good character, they are physically and mentally fit and has satisfactorily completed a DBS Check to be responsible for supervising the management of the Away Weekends. A copy of the outlined duties of the Registered Person is available upon request from the DASH Office. Both have been working with DASH for a number of years and have been involved at a management committee level.
The Care Standards Act 2000 also requires DASH to name a Registered Manager for the provision. As such the person named below is the Registered Manager of the DASH Away Weekends:
Ms Alison Bradley
Min y Mor Bungalow
Wellington Gardens
Aberaeron
CEREDIGION
SA46 0BQ
STAFFING
DASH employs sufficient numbers of suitably qualified and experienced staff of both genders to work on the Away Weekends in line with our overall aim. All staff members undergo rigorous pre-employment suitability checks including DBS checks and two references before commencing duties on the scheme. The basic staff team for each weekend works within the ratio of 1 staff member to 2 young people and includes a Leader, usually two Support Workers, a Driver and a Waking Night Carer who will take charge of the Weekend during the night period.
The staff team is supplemented by the use of supernumerary volunteers when available, these all complete the same suitability checks as staff before commencing duties. Volunteers are utilised to ensure that the young people attending have the opportunity to socialise in groups that are largely made up of their peers. Volunteers do not complete any personal care duties and are not left in a 1-to-1 situation with a young person whilst at the Weekends.
All staff and volunteers have a handbook that sets out roles and expectations.
Where the needs of the young people direct it, staffing levels can be increased to provide the appropriate support for the young people attending the weekends.
SUPERVISION, TRAINING AND DEPLOYMENT OF STAFF
All staff and volunteers are given induction training when they commence working for DASH Away Weekends. The ongoing support and the continuous professional development of staff and volunteers is a primary concern for DASH as an organisation and we aim to meet the training needs of each employee wherever practicable.
Staff are offered a minimum of twice yearly ‘Support and Supervision Sessions’,carried out by the Registered Manager. Volunteers have Supervision Sessions with the Volunteer Co-ordinator regularly, depending on how many volunteering hours they have completed.
Staff deployment on the Weekends is flexible around our baseline staffing outlined above. Staff have defined roles and are all expected to be good role models to the young people in terms of team spirit and to share the responsibility for the majority of the duties on the Weekend, under the supervision of the Leader.
The Weekends do not carry out any direct surveillance of the young people attending, however we aim to employ suitable levels of staffing to adequately safeguard the welfare of the young people attending. Movement during the night period is monitored by regular checks undertaken by the Waking Night Carer, with the assistance of the movement sensitive lighting system.
MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE
DASH Leisure Schemes are directed by a voluntary management committee and parents are invited to attend meetings and put their names forward to serve as committee members. Minutes of the management meetings are recorded.
Parents are notified of our Annual General Meetings, which take place in May. Anyone wishing to take part on the committee should notify the chairperson, Dr Ann Minchin or any other trustee. Parents are free to raise any concerns regarding the care their child receives with DASH staff, or the Leisure Schemes Co-ordinator. For trustee contact details please contact our main office in Aberaeron, (01545) 570951.
The Away Weekends have a simple management structure, which fits in with the overall structure of DASH.
The DAW Monitoring Groupis made up of a DASH Trustee, Responsible Individuals, TPA Representative and the Registered Manager, along with relevant administrative staff. Other members may be invited to sit on the committee from local organisations who have an impact on running the schemes.
All staff and volunteers report to the Manager/Leader over the course of the weekend. The Leader reports directly to the DAW Monitoring Group, including the Registered Persons providing a clear reporting and accountability structure to the Weekends.
ADMISSIONS
The Away Weekends take referrals from the TPA. Weekends are available to any young person on the TPA register for whom alternative short breaks cannot be found as long as the care that can be provided for them whilst at the centre can meet their needs. The TPA initially assess the suitability of Ty Glyn for the young people and then liaise with DASH before they are invited to attend a weekend.
It may become necessary for DASH to refuse admission to the Weekends to an individual, should we not be able to meet their needs fully. This may include young disabled people who have extreme challenging behaviour, for example, who may pose a risk to the safety of the group attending the weekend. No decision would be made to exclude an individual without consultation with the young person themselves, their parents and family, the staff and volunteers, DASH management staff and the TPA.
Emergency placements are not provided.
INTRODUCTIONS
DASH works with TPA to organise a phased introduction to the weekends for young people attending for the first time. This normally involves the individual visiting Ty Glyn for a day first, progressing to staying 1 night at the centre and then, if all goes well, joining in with a whole weekend.
The introduction timescale is flexible and can be adapted to an individuals needs. The families / carers and young people have an input into how best to support them.
OUTCOMES
It is clear that the Away Weekends are of benefit to the families for whom they were designed. Young disabled people of this age group find it hard to access traditional forms of short breaks care such as sitters and host families. Feedback is obtained in a number of ways from both the young people and their families, verbally after each weekend when the parents come to collect their children and also annually as part of the annual review of the service conducted by DASH and TPA Short Breaks Care Co-ordinator. If you wish to see a copy of the Family Feedback from previous years, please contact the Aberaeron Office.
PRINCIPLES OF CARE
DASH has guidance notes for all staff and volunteers which sets out the expectations of DASH staff while providing care over the Weekends. We pride ourselves on running high quality DASH Away Weekends that put the welfare of the young people as the priority, ensuring that their health, safety and well-being is maintained.
DASH aims to meet the care needs of each young person who wishes to attend the Weekends. We understand that due to the nature of the impairments of the young people who wish to attend, we may need to make arrangements for specific therapeutic techniques, (including medication regimes) to be implemented whilst at the Weekends. Should this become the case, DASH staff will work with the TPA to ensure that all care needs are met satisfactorily. Staff can be trained to provide other health support needs, as and when required in order to provide for as many young people’s needs as possible.
Although it is not the primary the responsibility of DASH to protect and promote the health and educational needs of the young people who attend the Weekends, due to the nature of what the service is, we feel that the health and education of the young people is critical to their well being and development. With this in mind, staff and volunteers are encouraged to promote the health and education of the young people at all times.
ACTIVITIES
It is our endeavour to provide a variety of outings and activities to suit all preferences. These differ each weekend but favourites tend to feature more often. Examples of possible activities include; Swimming, Horse Riding, Bowling, Cinema, trips to the beach, and visits to Manor Park, the Centre for Alternative Technology, Fantasy Farm or the Big Pit. The staff and volunteers discuss with the young people attending what activities they would like to choose for the Weekends and we hope to be able to meet the wishes of all those attending.
Activities take place on the Saturday and transport is provided to and from the centre by a qualified minibus driver, employed as part of the staff team, so the outings do not have to be locally based. The young people are provided with a packed lunch and the outings tend to last all day.
Whilst at the centre there are a large range of activities on offer, including arts and crafts, DVDs, music, sports and games and a pool table. Activities are not compulsory and the wishes of the young people are respected with regard to participation, however they are encouraged to take part as a group and work as a team.
CONSULTATION
DASH believes in the importance of gathering feedback regularly to assess whether the Weekends are working well. This is to see what impact the provision of the Weekends has for the families in Ceredigion who attend.By consulting regularly with the young people who come to stay with us, their parents and carers, and the staff and volunteers who make the Away Weekends a success, we hope to ensure that the direction of the scheme is correct and that it is meeting the needs and wishes of the people it was designed for: - disabled young people and their families.
We endeavour to enable each individual to take part in the consultation process and work closely with the TPA to ensure that all young people’s views are taken into account. We take the feedback we receive seriously and act upon feedback within our operational constraints. We strive to create an open and friendly atmosphere so that everyone involved in the Weekends feels that they can offer suggestions and comments whenever they wish to.We have a number of ways of consulting with young people and their families, including feedback forms for the young people and opportunities for the families to give feedback when dropping off or collecting their child/young person and to make comments/suggestions during the regular reviews. The Registered Manager encourages parents/carers to maintain contact directly in order to ensure that feedback is heard.
BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT