Newcombe Lodge

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

The service understood the importance of a child centred approach. Individuality was promoted and care planning placed a strong emphasis on those individual needs for each child.

Care planning was comprehensive and co-produced; rationale was clear when decisions needed to be made and conducted in a multi-disciplinary way.

Staff understood the needs of each child and made provisions to ensure equity in outcomes was possible, dependant on levels of the child’s engagement.

The service made robust arrangements to ensure children’s onward placements had all the information required to continue meeting the needs of the child.

Find out what we look at when we assess this area in our information about our new Single assessment framework.

Care plans were individualised with holistic content, and staff were able to talk openly and in detail about each child’s background and needs. Children told us staff understood them and felt comfortable speaking to them when they needed anything. The voice of children was evident in care plans; this was utilised to ensure interventions were personalised.

Co-produced care planning on arrival, ensured children had provision in place to keep in contact with friends and loved ones during their time at the home. Healthcare arrangements were established quickly so they had access to appropriate healthcare to meet their needs. Planning for children leaving the service was robust, staff liaised with ongoing provisions to ensure healthcare arrangements were understood. This meant gaps in access to services was prevented.

Care records included documentation that was completed with children. The children’s voice was clearly communicated within sections that was easily accessible, staff assisted children to document their needs and wishes when it was required. For example, children documented how they liked their bedrooms to be and arrangements for how they wanted staff to support this. This meant their private space was comfortable for them and supported their mental health needs.

Children were encouraged give feedback, there were weekly ‘ketchup catch up’ meetings to discuss menu’s, activities, issues around the home environment and any other topics children wished to talk about. These meetings helped inform menu planning and implementation of activities the children would like staff to facilitate. They were recorded and feedback about topics raised were given to children with outcomes and timelines clearly explained where implementation of ideas was possible.

The service had a clear exclusion profile, highlighting areas of need they were not equipped to effectively respond to. These included children with an acute learning disability and children with an eating disorder. Referrals received from local authorities were reviewed to ensure the service could meet their needs. Full occupancy and the stated exclusion profile were the only reasons children could not access the service following referral. This meant that it was rare that a child was inappropriately placed in the service.

Children did not experience barriers to receiving appropriate care and treatment, regardless of their needs. Staff told us managers always made financial resources available to support children accessing additional services, equipment and activities. For example, a child needed an assessment for ADHD which was privately funded by the service, and completed without unnecessary waits.

Staff supported children subject to education, health care plans but were not readily invited to reviews.

Staff recognised differing needs of each child and made provision for the pace at which each child made progress.

Staff supported children with preparing for adulthood. This included practical elements such as, getting a passport, making sure they have a bank account, learning to prepare and cook meals and taking care of their personal hygiene.

Staff also supported children with becoming more independent with their medication, this was undertaken in a stepped approach to ensure appropriate oversight was present.

Prior to leaving the home, the service ensured all children were up-to-date with immunisations, dental visits, optician appointments and other required healthcare matters.