Information Guide

Welcome
 
This information guide has been compiled to help you understand how your service can work for you.

Mission Statement

Take-a-Break provides community based short breaks for children and young adults who have a disability or life threatening illness, and adults with a learning disability. This support enables people to live their lives to their full potential, gain skills and move towards independence with confidence.

The Organisation

Take-a-Break has been in operation since1996, initially providing a range of services to children and young people with disabilities or life threatening illnesses. In 2002 the service was extended to provide support for adults aged eighteen to sixty five years. The service has continued to grow and now operates across Coventry, Warwickshire, Solihull and Leicestershire.

The Service

Take-a-Break will tailor the service to meet your needs. This will be clearly set out in your Service Agreement and Take-a-Break Care Plan.

Initial Referral Process
A member of the Take-a-Break Management team will arrange a home visit. This may be a joint visit with a Social Worker, or Community Nurse if appropriate.  The purpose of the visit is to discuss and agree the support package arrangements i.e. dates and times of sessions and assessments, and complete paperwork.

What is the Service about?
• Support is provided for people living with family/carers or  living independently
• We support people to access community facilities of their choice
• We support people in their own homes
• Group support and activities are available for all age groups
• Specialist services for people with complex health needs or challenging behaviour.
• Voluntary work / work placements

Who Can Access the Service?
• Children and young people aged from birth to eighteen
• Adults aged 18 - 65 years with an ongoing identified support need
 

When can Support be provided?
• 7 days a week
• Daytime,  Evening or Weekend
• Public Holidays - only if agreed and detailed in care plan
• Support is usually a minimum of 2 hours
• All support is flexible by negotiation

Overnight care may be provided in exceptional circumstances

Children and Young People

What Support is provided Children’s Services?
• Saturday Clubs – term time only
• Holiday Play-schemes
• After School Clubs/Activities
• Activity/Residential Weekends
• Individual Support is available for children and young people to access leisure and community facilities of their choice on a weekly basis
• Sessions are usually between 2 - 4 hours long, many children regularly enjoy activities such as swimming,  and bowling

Adults

What Support is provided by Adult Services?
• Support to develop new skills and increase independence
• Assistance with life skills and leisure opportunities
• Access to community and educational facilities
• Build networks with family and friends
• Maintain a quality of life at home
• Offer short breaks to carers/families
• Support workers are matched to client needs

We can provide support for the management of complex care needs, this includes:
• Personal care
• The management of epilepsy
• Naso-gastric care
• Feeding difficulties
• Challenging behaviour
• Safer People Moving 
Support staff are not permitted to undertake invasive procedures unless they have been assessed as competent by a Community Nurse or Doctor

How we Monitor the Service?
• Take-a-Break is inspected by the Care Quality Commission and OFSTED
• Service is monitored every six weeks
• We hold regular individual service reviews, usually involving the service user and referring agency
• We have regular staff supervision and training sessions
• Staff complete diary sheets for each session
• We carry out skills audits where appropriate
• Each person is consulted about the type of service they want and are encouraged to participate in service user forum groups
• Each service is outcome led

Copies of Take-a-Break’s Policies and Procedures are available upon request.

Staff Recruitment
All potential sessional workers are invited to attend an interview upon satisfactory completion of an application form; candidates are required to complete the following;

• Enhanced Criminal Record’s Bureau check
• Rehabilitation of offenders form
• Medical check form

Candidates are required to supply names and addresses of two referees.
Job offers are made to successful candidates subject to all checks returning satisfactorily.

Training
All staff and volunteers are required to complete a training and induction programme prior to working with a service user.

Training consists of completing the Common Induction Standards Framework.

Developmental training is available in:

• How to manage challenging behaviour (Team Teach certified)
• Bereavement
• Safer People Handling for people with physical disabilities. 
This training is specific to the service user.

Identification
Staff will identify themselves by use of an identification card which includes a recent photograph. If you have any reason to doubt their authenticity please contact the office number on the reverse side of the card for verification of their identity.

Transport
Staff members transporting using their own vehicles are required to supply copies of the following:

• Full driving license
• Insurance certificate
• M.O.T Certificate
• Tax Disc

Record Keeping
All staff are required to complete time sheets for the sessions showing date, times, travel and out of pocket expenses. You are asked to sign the time sheet at the end of each session to confirm that you have received the service.
Where possible, we encourage the individual receiving the support to sign.

Diary sheets/ work journals
Support staff are required to record the activities / tasks undertaken during the session and any progress made or new skills learnt.

Skills Audits
Skills audits are undertaken periodically where it is appropriate for progress to be monitored in specific areas such as cooking, money recognition, road safety awareness. This information is shared with the Reviewing Officer or Social Worker when necessary.

Cancellations
If we need to cancel a session we will endeavour to replace the hours within the week.
If you need to cancel a session we will attempt to re-arrange the hours but cannot always guarantee the availability of staff.

If you need to cancel a session please provide as much notice as possible. You can leave a message on the office answer machine or in the case of very short notice please contact the emergency on call number.
Office: 02476 644909
Emergency: 07774914061

Bank Holidays
It is not usual practice for TAB staff to provide support on Bank Holidays, unless it has been agreed and is written in your care plan. If your session falls on a Bank Holiday we will try and replace the hours at another time.

Finances
Staff cannot be responsible for an individual’s finances unless it has been specified as a particular area of support and detailed in your care plan. Where possible, individuals will look after their own monies, purse or wallet. Guidance can be given and reminders to assist where necessary.

Good Practice
Take-a-Break operates a no smoking policy for staff whilst at work. If an adult we support wishes to smoke they are at liberty to do so in a designated area. They should not attempt to smoke in a staff member’s vehicle.

Staff are not permitted to drink alcohol whilst at work or arrive for work under the influence of alcohol. Any adult being supported by TAB may wish to drink alcohol during their session. Staff are asked to be aware of drinking restrictions and encourage sensible limits.

Mobile Phones
Staff are discouraged from using their mobile phones for personal use whilst at work. Co-ordinators may need to call during sessions and will try to keep the call as short as possible. It is a policy of the organisation that staff do not give out their personal mobile numbers to people they support. If you need to get a message to someone urgently the Manager on call will ensure the worker is informed.

Property
Support staff cannot be held responsible for the property of anyone they are supporting. Staff will remind the person they are supporting to take care of their valuables. Staff are trained to encourage individuals to handle their own finances where appropriate and will provide receipts for bought items. If this is an area of particular concern it would be helpful if it is drawn to the attention of the Co-ordinator so that extra measures can be implemented.

Key Holding
Support staff do not generally hold keys or security codes for people they are supporting unless it is specified in the care plan. If there is a need for this facility it must be discussed with the Manager to ensure protocols are in place to minimize any risk to the individual or support staff.

Sickness and Infectious Diseases
Take-a-Break cannot support people who are ill. Consideration for staff who support other vulnerable people is vital to restrict the spread of infection.

If a person becomes ill whilst in the care of Take-a-Break arrangements will be made for his / her return home.

1. A Take-a-Break Co-ordinator will attempt to contact parents /carers where necessary.
2. Where parents / carers cannot be contacted a Co-ordinator will  telephone the emergency contacts provided in the Personal Details form.
3. Where the person being supported is living independently, the support staff will make a decision based on the severity of the illness as to whether a third party needs to be contacted i.e. next of kin, GP.
4. If telephone contact with parents / carers and emergency contacts is unsuccessful and / or no arrangements for collection have been made, a TAB Co-ordinator will contact The Integrated Disability Service or Adult Social Care.

Gifts and Gratuities
It is the general policy of Take-a-Break that individual gifts should be politely refused. However, it must be acknowledged that the exchange of small token gifts is a natural part of the development of relationships.

It is for the protection of all staff and clients that all situations where gifts are offered or accepted should be reported to the Co-ordinator. No cash should be offered or accepted by staff.
All gifts will be recorded.

Have your say
We value the contribution you can make to the way we shape our future services. To ensure you have an opportunity to let us know how you feel about the service we undertake an annual quality audit.
We also welcome individual comments at any time. If you have any recommendations to improve the services we provide, we are always happy to hear from you.
 
Complaints Procedure
If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, please contact the Director on 02476 644909.

Below are the addresses of the three key agencies for inspecting the quality of service provided by Take-a-Break Warwickshire Ltd.

Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED),
Call: 0845 601 477or visit the website www.ofsted.gov.uk/childcare

Care Quality Commission
West Midlands Region
Care Quality Commission
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4PA

Adult Health & Community Service
Adult Reviewing Team,
Orion House
Athena Drive, Tachbrook Park
WARWICK
CV34 6RQ
Tel: 01926 410410

Integrated Disability Service
Orion House
Athena Drive, Tachbrook Park
WARWICK
CV34 6RQ
Tel: 01926 410410