Perth & Kinross Council - Young People's Housing Support Service Housing Support Service

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1 Perth & Kinross Council - Young People's Housing Support Service Housing Support Service Wellbank House 41 Dundee Road Perth PH2 7AQ Telephone: Type of inspection: Unannounced Inspection completed on: 18 May 2017 Service provided by: Perth & Kinross Council Service provider number: SP Care service number: CS

2 About the service Perth & Kinross Council - Young People's Housing Support Service is based at Wellbank House. The service provides a short-term period of proactive residential work supporting a move to independence for homeless young people between the ages of 16 and 24. The service can accommodate 10 young people. Staff also provide support to young people in satellite flats based in the community. The service aims are: - To provide minimum six to 12 months accommodation in a safe environment. - To encourage and support residents to have the practical skills for independent living. - To support and guide residents in all areas of personal development; in assessing options; in making choices; and in reaching decisions concerning their future housing needs. - To work with young people and families on relationships and, where appropriate, to explore reintegration into the family home. - To encourage residents to secure or maintain employment and/or relevant education/training during their stay in Wellbank. - To offer individualised advice and support through a key worker system. - To liaise with other agencies in promoting greater awareness of issues concerning homeless young people and to campaign for improved resources. This service has been registered since 5 November What people told us Before the inspection, we received six completed Care Standards Questionnaires (CSQs) from young people telling us what they thought of the service. Of these, four people 'strongly agreed' with the statement that they were happy, overall, with the quality of care and support they received. Another one 'agreed' that they were happy and one 'disagreed'. During the inspection, we met with eight young people who were currently living at Wellbank. All but one of the young people expressed a very positive view of the service and even the one who didn't said that they could see that the service could be of benefit to others, they just didn't feel that it was necessary for them. All of the young people we spoke with felt safe at Wellbank. They had, on the whole, very good relationships with staff and they valued the support which was offered. All had a very good understanding of the purpose of their placement and of what was expected of them. They knew what they needed to do to make progress towards independence and eventually getting their own tenancy. One or two expressed frustration with the extent to which they had to demonstrate their competence in key skills but, overall, young people felt that the Wellbank approach helped them to establish structures and routines which would be helpful when they were living independently. page 2 of 7

3 Several of the young people told us that they had made friends with other young people in the house and were enjoying group activities at Wellbank and out and about in the community. Some of the comments young people made were: - "The first time I came here I felt very scared but now I feel very safe and happy. I have enough of everything here. I have a free life here." - "I really appreciate that I have been thought of and cared for. I am very pleased with the service and everyone who provided the service was really considerate. I am very much indebted." - "Some staff don't treat me like an adult or speak to me disrespectfully. Most staff are not friendly and/or encouraging." - "I am doing well here. I have had a lot of help with budgeting, saving and being more independent." - "I think this is a good service. I am clear about my plan and what I have to do to move on. I get good advice from staff." - "The staff have been very good with me. I trust them, they are very reliable. If they say they will do something, they do it. I have enjoyed lots of activities; swimming, kayaking, gym, running. I am very happy here." - "I am glad to be here. The room is spotless. There are rules but there have to be rules. The support is brilliant. It's 24 hours, so even if you can't sleep the staff will talk to you. They helped get my money sorted out no problem. So far, it's a very good service that's right for me." - "Staff help and support me with everything. I am very happy to have my own room and shower. I feel safe. The staff are kind. I have had lots of activities; boxing, kayaking, swimming. I feel as if they really care about young people." - "I didn't know what it was going to be like or I probably wouldn't have come. I can do everything for myself and staff know that I can, so I don't see why I have to keep showing them. I have done everything that they have asked. Some staff are alright. Some staff don't speak to you." - "I've been here a few months. On the whole, it's good. The quality of support is good. They all care but some of them are better at it than others. They encourage you to keep healthy and to study. Getting up in the morning is hard but it gets you into a good routine." - "I haven't been here that long but its better than I thought it would be. The rooms are nice. I have my privacy and I feel safe. I can study in my room or I can use the studio if the house is busy. I wasn't really used to it at first but now I am getting more confident." - "I love most of the staff, they're cool." page 3 of 7

4 Self assessment The service was not required to submit a self assessment for this inspection. From this inspection we graded this service as: Quality of care and support Quality of staffing Quality of management and leadership 5 - Very Good 6 - Excellent not assessed What the service does well Wellbank provides well planned, effective support which helps young people to develop the skills they need to manage their own tenancy and to lead a more independent life when they move on from the service. Staff worked alongside young people to develop realistic plans to support their progress. Clear structures and boundaries meant that young people had a very good understanding of what they needed to do to acquire the necessary skills, including budgeting, cooking, cleaning, and household management. The service promoted young people's health, ensuring registration with primary healthcare services, support to attend appointments and follow through with courses of treatment, and effective liaison with healthcare professionals. Staff were particularly good at picking up on mental health issues and supporting young people to access appropriate help. There was excellent support for young people to develop healthier lifestyles, through promoting healthy eating, providing in-house activities, including kayaking and hill walking, and enabling access to community-based sports activities. This had a positive effect on young people's physical health and mental wellbeing as well as helping to build constructive leisure activities in preparation for living independently. The current group was benefitting from a sense of community, supported by the staff team, organising shared meals, quizzes, film nights, and arts and crafts etc. All of this was helping young people to develop positive social contacts, and for some, contributed significantly to a sense of emotional wellbeing. The service had recently been supporting young asylum seekers. The response to this new challenge was exemplary, taking into account all aspects of this highly vulnerable group's needs, including developing an understanding of their complex legal position, overcoming language barriers, and respecting and celebrating their culture. As a result, young asylum seekers felt safe, respected and included. This was a professional, motivated and enthusiastic staff team. All staff were qualified to at least Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) level 3. They benefitted from an exceptionally well organised training plan which was linked to a thorough 360 degree annual appraisal process, the employee review and development (ERD) system. There was a well established ethos of reflective practice, with the team encouraged to challenge and support practice. Most staff had additional skills (for example, outdoor education, counselling, etc.) which were used to enhance young people's experiences. Central to the success of the service were positive relationships with young people through which staff were able to share their knowledge and support the development of skills. As can be seen from the comments made by page 4 of 7

5 young people ('What people told us' section), they valued the advice and support of staff and almost all said that they felt that staff "really cared" about them. Throughout the inspection, we observed interactions which were professional, respectful and warm. What the service could do better The service could improve the structure of support plans to more clearly reflect young people's progress and achievements within the service. In particular, the process of reviewing young people's progress should clearly record the date, who was involved, the decisions which were made, and the reasons for these. Requirements Number of requirements: 0 Recommendations Number of recommendations: 0 Complaints There have been no complaints upheld since the last inspection. Details of any older upheld complaints are published at Inspection and grading history Date Type Gradings 22 May 2015 Unannounced Care and support 6 - Excellent Management and leadership 17 May 2013 Unannounced Care and support Management and leadership 1 Sep 2011 Unannounced Care and support page 5 of 7

6 Date Type Gradings Management and leadership 4 - Good 17 Dec 2008 Announced Care and support Management and leadership page 6 of 7

7 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 Contact us Care Inspectorate Compass House 11 Riverside Drive Dundee DD1 4NY enquiries@careinspectorate.com Find us on Facebook 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 7 of 7