Futures

Ratings

• Overall

  Good

• Safe

  Good

• Effective

  Good

• Caring

  Good

• Responsive

  Good

• Well-led

  Good

Our view of the service

Overall service commentary (2000)

Futures is a care home which consists of 3 bungalows located on the site of Chailey Heritage Foundation. The provider, Chailey Heritage Foundation, is a registered charity that supports children and young adults with complex physical and learning disabilities. Futures is registered to support up to 21 people. They support people between the ages of 16 and 25. At the time of inspection there were 16 people being supported.

We undertook this comprehensive assessment due to the length of time since our last visit. We have assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. The service was fully compliant with these principles. There was a registered manager in place who had been at the home for 11 years.

The provider liaised with other healthcare professionals to provide continuity of care and treatment, this ensured people had safe transitions and pathways of care if moving between different services. Although the service is not registered to provide nursing care, people had access to clinical services on site which allowed for a range of specialist clinicians and therapists to assist them when needed; this included 24-hour support from an NHS nursing team. Environmental risks were well managed, and safety checks were completed as required. There was an established recruitment process in place and the registered manager ensured there were enough staff to safely support people. Staff completed a variety of training courses and visual competencies prior to starting work, allowing them to deliver care with confidence and developed a range of skills, including supporting people requiring clinical interventions.

People received their medicines safely as prescribed. Staff could consult with the clinical services team for advice and guidance on medicines or people’s care. People’s independence was encouraged, and people were supported to make simple decisions about their daily routines.People were assisted to lead full and busy lives with a range of activities and outings being offered. Opportunities to go on holidays with their peers, or families, were facilitated for people, with the required staffing support in place. A quality assurance team provided a high level of oversight, and regularly monitored and evaluated any risks, incidents and accidents. Clear feedback pathways were evident with regular team meetings, and attention was given to learning and improving the service. The home provided regular feedback opportunities for staff and families and acted to implement positive change when necessary. The service promoted a culture of openness and transparency and had a welcoming friendly atmosphere. The provider had all required policies in place, and these had been regularly reviewed.

People's experience of this service

People living at Futures had profound and multiple disabilities and relied on staff who knew them well to understand how they communicated. Various communication tools and methods were used to support people to make choices and decisions. People’s interactions with staff were positive. Staff knew people they supported very well and could interpret small signals and body language to understand how people were feeling and what immediate care was needed. People responded with smiles when staff communicated with them. We observed that people were well looked after, relaxed and cared for. Feedback from families was positive, with comments praising the staff for the way they interacted with people. Families told us they felt their loved ones were safe and well supported. People were supported to take part in a wide range of activities to meet their individual needs and interests. People’s rooms had been decorated to their individual tastes, people andtheir relatives had been involved in the décor decisions.