The Care Quality Commission

Archived: Learning Difficulties and Disabilities Outreach and Sitting Service

Highwood Annexe, Fairwater Drive, Woodley, Berkshire, RG5 3RU (0118) 974 6999

Provided and run by:
Wokingham Borough Council

All Inspections

20 September 2011

During a routine inspection

The people who use this service are the parents of children and young people with learning disabilities. The service offers support to the parents by providing staff that care for the children or young people in their own homes while the parents take short breaks, or by staff escorting the children or young people on social outings and activities outside their home.

Parents we spoke with told us that they had been fully involved in the planning of their support packages and had been involved in making decisions. They felt the staff always respected theirs, and their children's, privacy and dignity. One parent told us that the service had 'very much worked with me to get what my family needed' and another that the staff were 'very much led by what my child wants to do'.

Parents told us that they felt their needs were being met and that the staff cared for their children in the way they should. They told us that staff from the service had visited them before their support began to assess what was needed and to agree the support to be provided.

Parents told us that they had confidence in the staff keeping their children safe and that they would tell the manager or another staff member if they had any concerns. One parent commented: 'I never worry when I leave my children, I know intuitively that the staff would do the right thing in any situation.'

Parents felt that the staff had the skills they needed when providing care to their children and working with their families as a whole unit. Parents were all complimentary about the staff, comments received included: 'they make a difference to my child's life', ' the staff are always willing and such lovely people' and 'my child doesn't stop laughing from the moment they leave to the moment they get back'.

Parents felt that their views were actively sought by the service and that their opinions were listened to and taken into account by the management and staff. Two parents described how the service had responded to a request for additional support at very short notice. One parent told us they were very impressed at the response from the service and the other that the staff had been 'fantastic' and a big support.

Parents all felt the service was open to any suggestions and that the service staff were very good at communicating with them. When we asked the parents if there was anything the service could improve, all answered no.