Archived: Youth Graces UK Limited

We gathered evidence against the outcomes we inspected to help answer our five key questions. Is the service caring? Is the service responsive? Is the service safe? Is the service effective? Is the service well led?

Below is a summary of what we found. The summary is based on our observations during the inspection, speaking with people using the service, the staff supporting them and from looking at records.

If you want to see the evidence supporting our summary please read our full report.

Is the service safe?

We spoke with four people using the service. We also spoke with the relatives of two of these people. People using the service told us they felt safe. They said staff always wore their ID badges, this meant they could be easily recognised. Safeguarding procedures were robust and staff understood how to safeguard people they supported.

There was a matching process in place that ensured that each person using the service was supported by a member of staff who had the specific skills and experience to meet their needs. The agency had a twenty-four hour on call service for dealing with emergencies and issues such as staff absence or sickness.

Is the service effective?

People said they had been consulted about their or their relative's care and support needs. One person said 'In the beginning they spoke to me about what my needs were, they did that quite well.' A relative of another person using the service said 'The agency carried out an assessment of my father's needs before we started using the service and asked us what he needed. I am very impressed with the agency.' We saw that people's files included their specific care needs and what staff needed to do to support them. People said staff turned up on time and did what they were supposed to do.

The agency carried out spot checks on staff to make sure they turned up on time, carried their identification cards and completed the tasks as stated in people's care plans. We saw that records of spot checks on care staff were kept on file.

Is the service caring?

We asked people for their opinions about the staff that supported them. Feedback was positive, for example a person using the service said 'Broadly speaking I'm very happy with the agency. My carer is an admirable fellow and the care I have received has been exemplary.' A relative said 'I am very happy with the agency so far. They are very caring about my father and what he wants. The staff are very positive and friendly and we have very good communication with the agency manager.'

Is the service responsive?

People told us they knew how to make a complaint if they needed to. They were confident that the agency would listen to them if they had to make a formal complaint and they were sure that their complaint would be fully investigated and action taken if necessary. One person said 'I recently had a concern about a member of staff. My husband and I spoke to the agency manager. I have a new staff now and it's all good. I know I can talk the agency if I need to and they will listen to me.'

We saw that feedback from people using the service was captured through spot check visits and satisfaction surveys and the feedback received was used to make improvements to the service provided.

Is the service well-led?

We found there were effective systems in place to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that people received.

Staff told us they enjoyed working at the agency, there was good communication with the registered manager and the care coordinator and they felt well supported. They told us they had completed an induction, they had received lots of training and regular supervision.