This membership review is intended to reflect the experiences of the visitor who might be looking for a placement. It is subjective, consistent and impartial and reflects the impressions of our team member on the day of the visit. It is a snapshot view only. The contents of the review are intended to cover some of the subjects and issues which an individual, their relatives or their placement officer might ask.

This review has been published with the written agreement of the home owner or an authorised representative of the company.

'Bespoke Service for Children Who May Challenge Traditional Services'

Summary of Findings

Interact Specialist Children's Services is a privately-owned organisation based in the North East of England.

Established in 2003 Interact supports young people aged 8 - 25 years with autism, Aspergers Syndrome, social disabilities, learning disabilities, challenging behaviours and complex needs.

Interact has achieved outstanding and excellent OFSTED results.

There were 5 services in operation at the time of my visit.

I visited 2 of the services however as this was during term time I was unable to meet any of the residents as they were all accessing education.

The staff and accommodation at Interact were of an excellent standard. The experience within the company and success of highly challenging placements clearly demonstrated their ability to support and develop young people with autism.

Introduction

The Lodge offers 52 week a year, residential provision for 4 young people. Interact prides itself on offering bespoke person-centred packages for individuals who significantly challenge traditional services.

Accommodation was in the form of 4 individual bedrooms and communal areas including bathrooms, kitchen, lounge, dining room and an activity handover area.

First Impressions

The Lodge is located within the picturesque village of Shotley Bridge, a part of the Derwent Valley, County Durham. The property is on a quiet road with parking facilities for several vehicles as well as on road parking. I was able to park with ease on the day of my visit.

The house is detached and very pleasing to look at. It was not distinguished from other neighbouring residences by signage.

The door was opened quickly and I was greeted by Elizabeth, the Registered Manager of River View Cottage, another Interact service. I was warmly welcomed and asked to sign the visitors’ book.

I was shown through to the dining room where I met Debra Reine, Director, Marie, the Registered Manager of The Lodge and Hayley, one of the Team Leaders at The Lodge. All were most welcoming and I was offered a cup of tea prior to a tour of the service.

The Environment (External)

The house is a beautiful, large detached property. It is a stone built building which appeared to be in an excellent state of repair.

To the side of the property were the aforementioned parking spaces.

There was a large amount of outdoor space including gardens, part of which was at the time of my visit being developed in to a sensory garden. There was also a barbeque area, trampoline, basketball hoop and a weather station set up by one of the residents.

The external space was peaceful and plentiful, surrounded by a wood through which Debra informed me the young people could stroll to visit friends at another Interact service.

The Environment (Internal)

The entire property had been decorated to a high standard and was clean and well maintained. The decor befitted the country building whilst clear consideration had been taken of differing individuals sensory requirements.

Each of the communal rooms was homely and well considered. Photographs of the staff and residents taking part in activities and holidays adorned the walls as well as some of the resident’s family pictures, which was lovely to see.

The Lodge had been furnished to a very high standard and each of the rooms I viewed had large windows which offered excellent light and views of the countryside.

The communal lounge was very large with high ceilings and whilst there were plenty of places to sit it remained very homely and inviting. The dining room had a large table big enough to fit all residents and supporting staff around in order to eat or complete activities. The kitchen and utility rooms were again excellently presented with all that you would hope to find. Each of these were accessible to the residents in order to facilitate developmental work, however there were lockable cupboards to store items that required locking away for safety. The two bathrooms were spacious and offered both bath and shower options. The entrance hall itself was large and had a separate area with seating, storage boxes for each individual and a television area. Debra explained to me that this area was used as a transition / handover area between activities.

One of the residents had very kindly given permission for me to see his bedroom. In fact Debra told me that he was very excited to hear what I thought of it as soon as he returned from school. The building is one level, excellent for anyone with physical disabilities or mobility issues. I entered his room with Debra. It was a lovely large room with built-in wardrobes. It was fully furnished and there were many photographs and murals on the walls. Debra explained to me that individuals can decorate their rooms to their own requirements. This is something they like to determine in the transition process and do with the individual in order to help them settle in.

The Lodge had a lovely feel to it. Everything had been well thought out regarding decor and furnishings. Moreover it was clear that the individuals living there were the centre of the home.

The Wider Environment

Shotley Bridge is a village located in the Derwent Valley. It is a picturesque setting with local amenities and access to public transport. The nearest town is Consett which is less than 3 miles away and offers a variety of leisure, retail and developmental activities. Newcastle and Durham are less than a 30 minute drive away from The Lodge.

Debra explained to me that, at the time I visited, all of the individuals they supported access education. They attend a variety of schools and colleges in the area dependent on what best suits their needs. The staff at Interact have excellent relationships with local education establishments including being able to access facilities out of hours to ease transitions.

Understanding Autism

Interact caters for a wide range of conditions including autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. It was clear from the environment and discussions with the staff team that the service was very capable of supporting individuals on all stages of the spectrum.

Autism, learning disabilities and sensory training were all part of the staff induction programme and were expanded upon following 6 months in post.

All staff undergo CPI (Crisis Prevention and Intervention) training in order to equip them to deal with the most challenging of behaviours.

Communication systems were varied and tailored to each individual. Staff were trained in a variety of systems including TEACCH, PECS and Makaton. There were widgit symbols displayed around the house from timetables to door signs, menu plans and guides to washing hands effectively. There was input from speech and language therapists regarding the development of these systems.

Each individual also had a sensory profile. This was reviewed 6 monthly.

Preparation for admission and transition was thorough. Staff spent time with the individual in their current home as well as the individual visiting Interact. Each process differed dependent on needs however was clearly thought through and might include storybooks, photographs, preferred activities and timetables. A transition booklet was developed for each individual including aspirations, interests and indeed what they used to enjoy prior to a possible crisis scenario. A welcome pack was also gifted at the time of transition including items geared to that individual’s specific interests.

Daily activity programmes were clear and, once again person centred. I was shown several and Debra explained to me how they devise them to ensure that the personal needs, potential and need for structure of the individual are met.

Debra also explained to me that Interact and the residents also engaged with the wider community to aid their understanding of autism. This included attending local council meetings and holding open days and events where anyone may attend. This had enabled the development of good relationships with the community.

Health and Wellbeing

The health and wellbeing of each individual was clearly imperative to daily life at Interact. Balanced diets and nutrition are a part of daily life and the kitchen displayed a variety of charts including ways for each individual to monitor their daily water and fruit and vegetable intake. The residents were encouraged to take part in menu planning, shopping and food preparation.

Staff had access to dieticians and had supported individuals with extreme nutrition issues to have a healthy diet.

All young people were registered with the local doctor as a part of the admission process and were supported by staff and social stories to attend all required health appointments. Debra discussed the level of anxiety around these, particularly for individuals with autism and I was shown an example of social stories that may be used to calm this.

Staff received first aid training upon induction.

Activity programmes were varied and included physical activity. The location of the service means that a great deal of time can be spent outside enjoying the countryside.

Debra and the staff team discussed relationships with the individual’s families. They explained that often upon point of admission these relationships had broken down. They told me how vital it was for them to support the rebuilding of these relationships in order to add to an individual’s wellbeing and quality of life. This was done in a variety of ways depending upon the situation and the individuals concerned. Debra was rightly very proud of how family units have been rebuilt.

Individuals Using the Service

At the time of my visit there were four individuals living at The Lodge, one of whom was near to transition. As each resident accesses education I was unable to meet any of them during my time there.

I was shown one of the individual’s life books. This was a scrapbook which was added to regularly showing pictures, activities and anything else the young person may wish to add. The book demonstrated an engaging and varied lifestyle including theme nights, community based activities and holidays both in and out of the UK. As I looked through the book staff were very enthusiastic about the detail of the memories I was looking at. I was told that the residents thoroughly enjoy completing the books and look at them regularly.

I was shown several activity planners. These were all very varied and included daily living skills, group activities, accessing the community and choice time. The service was bespoke and person centred and the plans were devised with the individuals taking into account their needs, goals and aspirations. Life skills were determined based upon a skills assessment. From these milestones, outcomes and where the individual’s specific need lies were determined.

Residents engagement across the services was encouraged and once a month a theme night was held with a different country as the theme. Each service takes turn to host and the residents research and organised the event. I saw many photographs of these group activities.

Interact have managed to achieve 100% success with regards to reintegration into education. Residents were supported by the staff team to attend a variety of schools and colleges in the surrounding area.

Debra stated that residents could access a variety of services including dieticians, psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors, advocacy, equine therapy, rebound therapy and music therapy.

There was a clear and comprehensive assessment process in place which involved the individual themselves, families, current support placement if relevant and professionals.

I was informed that the mix of individuals was a key consideration during the admissions process.

Individuals are placed from local authorities all over the UK.

Interact would consider emergency placements.

Staffing

I had the pleasure of spending time with several members of the staff team during my visit. As well as Debra I met with Marie, the Registered Manager of The Lodge, Elizabeth, the Registered Manager at River View Cottage and Hayley, Team Leader at the Lodge. All were incredibly welcoming and clearly very passionate about the individuals they support.

Each service within Interact had a registered manager, 2 to 4 team leaders, key team and support staff.

Staff retention was very high. The recruitment process involved group assessments days which included formal interviews, problem solving, group work and team building. Recruitment was a collaborative process and the residents could have as much input as they desired.

The induction process was clear and began once staff have achieved an enhanced DBS check (formerly Criminal Records Bureau). The induction includes shadowing experienced staff, training in TEACCH, PECS, autism, communication, sensory interaction, person centred planning, first aid and medication administration. Following 6 months in post advanced foundation training in all of these areas was undergone with staff then moving on to NVQ study.

Debra stated that Interacts’ staff were their most important resource. The staff team agreed that they felt well supported with the opportunity to develop internally. For the first 6 months staff had fortnightly supervisions moving onto monthly however staff could ask for a supervision at any point and debriefs were a standard post incident process.

The staff that I met were clearly highly skilled, knowledgeable and innovative. They had a clear passion for supporting their residents and stated that they had aspirations for the young people they support.

Staffing ratios were determined by the levels set through local authority assessments. The service was staffed 24 hours per day.

Management of the Home

On the day of my visit Marie was the Registered Manager of The Lodge. She had a wealth of experience regarding supporting individuals with autism and other complex conditions.

The management across Interact appeared well connected and supportive. Debra fully engaged with all of the services on a daily basis.

The relevant policies and procedures were all in place. All confidential information was locked securely away.

The Lodge was OFSTED, CQC, IIP, IIC and ASDAN registered. At the time of my visit it had recently become the first independent specialist children's service in the region to achieve the Investors in Children rating.

Conclusion

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at The Lodge. Debra and the staff team were most welcoming and had a clear passion for what they do. They had worked collaboratively with multi agencies to use innovative strategies that have successfully transformed individuals’ lives. I felt that the most challenging and varied of needs would be met within this service.

Whilst I did not have the opportunity to meet the residents, the photographs and homely feel demonstrated a lovely environment to live and work in.

Many thanks to Debra, Elizabeth, Marie and Hayley for their time and especially to the young man who allowed me to see his room.

Visiting Officer - Kate Race
Review and Assessment Manager, Living Autism