What outcomes have we achieved?

Key Area

Quality Indicators

Related National Care Standards

1. Key performance outcomes

QI 1.1

Improvements in performance

QI 1.2

Fulfilment of statutory duties

The particular needs of all children and young people have been met very well within a culture which ensures there are the highest expectations for each child to achieve and fulfil their potential. Initial baseline assessment information for each child and young person is evidenced so that progress from prior attainment is tracked, analysed and collated to provide a picture of overall progress and success. Senior managers and relevant staff are clear about the level of attainment and achievement for each child and young person across care, education and health. Services keeps accurate, up-to-date information about accreditation. Data gathered includes evidence on improvements in personal and social development. It demonstrates that general approaches and specific programmes are promoting positive outcomes for all children and young people, including improving their future life choices and exit outcomes. Data shows that children and young people have been protected and kept safe and securely where necessary. There is evidence to show that children and young people are listened to and have influenced change. Priorities within the improvement plan take very good account of the care, health and education needs of the children and young people, and ensure a measurable impact on their overall achievements and future life chances. The service is successful in achieving its key outcomes in terms of its overall performance, and is committed to improvement. The service aims as stated in the school handbook and in its functions and objectives are being realised. The improvement plan takes the service forward on all fronts and delivers best value-for-money for children and young people, their families and placing authorities.

Q1 1.1 Improvement in performance

Evaluation of this QI

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve outcomes

Is the service clear about the needs of children and young people it intends to support?
Does the service have a service level agreement (SLA) with placing authorities to ensure they deliver outcomes for children and young people within best value practice?
How clear is the service about the outcomes it believes are appropriate for each child and young person?
To what extent are the needs of the children and young people homogenous and able to be met within the current skills force and 24 hour curriculum?
How well does the service promote high expectations of staff, children and young people?
How comprehensive and accurate is the data on the attainment of children and young people?
What strategies does the service use to support staff in improving the achievement and attainment of children and young people?
Is the system to track attainment and achievement sufficiently accurate and comprehensive?
To what extent do the priorities in the improvement plan lead to improved impact for children and young people?
To what extent do the priorities in the improvement plan lead to better overall outcomes for the service? How well does the service analyse its data and respond appropriately to ensure continuous improvement?

Check admissions criteria and functions and objectives.
At admissions meetings ensure the discussion considers outcomes for children and young people.
Examine the quality and appropriateness of SLAs.
Check on exit of the child or young person that the service has met the stated outcomes.
During recruitment and in on-going training, check staff are clear about the importance of high expectations for them and for children and young people.
At key meetings, ensure all staff are clear about long-term targets for children and young people.
Through supervision and appraisal and during team meetings, ensure there are opportunities to discuss overall outcomes for children and young people and opportunities to problem-solve improved approaches.
Check that impact on learners is consistently high.
Randomly sample individual attainment and achievement records of children and young people.
Track the progress of a few pupils within the service’s tracking system.
During senior managers meetings and in whole staff meetings, ensure opportunities to monitor progress within the improvement plan and take alternative steps when needed.
During supervision, speak to staff about use of data to improve outcomes.

The service provides care and education of a high quality which takes into account the principles of best value. It is able to demonstrate to placing authorities that its fees reflect the overall quality of service, the specialist services provided, and the additional support required to meet the care and learning needs of the most vulnerable and challenging children and young people. The service can demonstrate how it adheres to relevant legislative and statutory requirements. It works in partnership with placing authorities and families in ensuring that it complies with relevant statute and legislation. The staff are knowledgeable about the importance of complying with legislation.

Q 1.2 Fulfilment of statutory duties

Evaluation of this QI

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve outcomes of the service

How effectively does the service’s financial manager liaise with senior managers and provide accurate budgetary information?
How do senior managers ensure that costs reflect the quality of service they provide?
How frequently do senior managers and the financial manager review costs and take into account specialist and/or additional services?
How effectively does the service inform placing authorities about general and specific costs?
Does the improvement plan clarify costs for improvement?
How effectively do senior managers ensure that relevant staff have up-to-date knowledge about legislation which affects the service
What checklist exists for relevant legislation?

Check minutes of financial meetings.
In discussion with senior managers, check they consider value for money and are clear about placement and overhead costs.
Examine minutes of discussions about fee structure.
Examine documentation to authorities which requests additional payments.
Check justification for additional costs.
Examine the improvement plan to ensure costs for improvements are clearly identified and that they have been discussed with appropriate staff, including the finance manager and external managers.

Does it include information on and take account of:
– Age of Legal Capacity 1991
– Children (Scotland) Act 1995
– Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000
– Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004
– Supporting Children’s Learning – Code of Practice 2005
– Race Relations Act 1976;
– Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000
– Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001)
– Equality Act (Gender Equality Duty 2007)
– Circular 4/2002 (length of school week)?

Discuss with senior managers recent legislation and its implications.
At staff meetings and during supervision, discuss implications of legislation
Check through minutes of review meetings, during observation and through checking the timetables of children and young people aspects of legislation such as transition arrangements in line with ASL Act and SEED’s Code of Practice, presence of CSPs, awareness of race and gender equality, disability issues and the length of the school week.

Key Area

Quality Indicators

Related National Care Standards

2. Impact on learners

QI 2.1

Learners’ experiences

QI 2.2

The school’s successes in involving parents, carers and families

3. Impact on staff

QI 3.1

The engagement of staff in the life and work of the school

4. Impact on the community

QI 4.1

The school’s successes in engaging with the wider community

QI 4.2

The school’s successes in engaging with the local community

The level of performance across care and education of each child and young person is accurately identified when they are admitted. Children and young people are fully involved in planning how they can make progress across care and education. They understand the targets set for them within integrated plans. The progress of children and young people is carefully monitored and tracked to demonstrate improvements in learning and behaviour, and in aspects of health since their admission. Where possible, children and young people identify their own areas for improvement, strengths and development needs. Children and young people presenting challenging behaviour show increased attendance in classes, are more motivated to participate in evening and weekend activities and show less evidence of frustration, disaffection and, in some instances, anger. They are able to say that their future life chances are improving. Children and young people who have sensory or severe and complex additional support needs are seen to be benefiting from a high level of care, specialist intervention and therapy, and show that they are striving to become as independent as possible through access to a wide range of appropriate experiences. Through relevant supported means of communication they say they feel safe and respected. All children and young people say they feel well looked after and are able to ask for help when needed. They show willingness to participate in activities during the day, in the evenings and at weekends. Children and young people show a level of confidence through participating in relevant activities. They contribute in a range of situations such as the school assembly and festivals. They take responsibility for themselves and others where appropriate. They show a willingness to try new experiences. Their progress is in line with high expectations and they recognise their own progress in learning and overall behaviour. They show pride when they achieve and enjoy opportunities to celebrate their successes. The service displays achievements through wall displays and photographs. Senior managers monitor, evaluate and share information for planning the appropriate next steps for and with children and young people. The exit outcomes for each young person are as positive as circumstances permit and, where possible, the service continues to monitor progress for a period of time. (Measurable outcomes from the service can vary⁹ and are dependent on the needs of each child and young person during any period of time.)

Q 2.1 Learners’ experiences

Evaluation of this QI

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve impact on learner

Is the overall ethos of the service one which promotes broad achievement across care and education?
Do children and young people participate in a relevant range of activities throughout the week?
Are these activities linked to identified needs in their integrated plans and do they take good account of the four capacities of ACE across 24 hour and 7 days?
How accurate and helpful is the initial assessment for each young person across care, health and education?
How skilled are the staff in planning across care, health and education?
Are the targets set in integrated plans understandable, useful, specific and measurable?
How well do key team workers take responsibility for tracking progress across integrated plans?
How comprehensive and useful is the range of evidence to illustrate progress?

Through observation and during supervision, judge the degree of motivation of children and young people and the extent to which staff understand the need for high expectations.
Speak with children and young people to ensure they are included and feel they are treated fairly.
Observe practice to evaluate the extent to which staff-pupil interaction in care and education promotes the four capacities and impacts positively on children and young people.
Randomly check children’s and young people’s files to judge effectiveness of initial assessments.
Monitor and discuss with key staff at key team meetings the quality of integrated plans to ensure targets set match the needs of children and young people.
Ask children and young people if they are clear about the targets within their care plans.
Observe the quality of celebrations of success and wall displays and the range of opportunities for pupils to display confidence, flexibility and willingness to ‘change’.

Does the data include: individual Records of Achievement; records of attendance at evening and weekend activities; DVD/video evidence of activities and experiences, such as outdoor activities, talent shows, Xmas concerts; individual success stories; wall displays; regular celebration of achievement; and children’s and young people’s responses to questionnaires and verbal discussion about their view of their progress?
To what extent are children and young people making progress
– in relation to personal and social development
– across each formal subject area
– in broad achievements?
How well are children and young people encouraged to recognise their own strengths and areas for development and when they are making progress?
To what extent do all teachers take responsibility for tracking progress within their subject, using a standardised format.
How effective is the service’s overall tracking system for integrated care and education targets

Talk to children and young people and attend some reviews to check their progress in relation to their attitude to learning, activities on offer, independence, future options, activities.
Talk to children and young people about the impact of specialist input.
Ask children and young people if they think staff listen to them during class time and in their residences.
Check that there is good analysis and response to the range of feedback from learners.
Using the school’s tracking system, check the progress across care, health and education of a sample of children and young people.
Monitor trends in and opportunities for accreditation through examining the tracking systems.
Sample the range and quality of Records of Achievement.
Observe practice to ensure that staff are confident in engaging children and young people in discussion about how they believe they are progressing.
Check that staff ascertain the views of children and young people with communication difficulties.

Is the level of children’s and young people’s participation in activities reviewed at staff supervision and at reviews?
How effectively do senior managers summarise the progress of children and young people across all subjects, including using attainment data for 5-14; NQ/S-Grade; ASDAN results where appropriate; and ensure accurate and comprehensive reports are provided for parents and others?
How well does the service track the exit outcomes for children and young people?
To what extent does the service monitor the progress of children and young people when they leave the service?

During supervision of care, health and education staff, ensure that all staff understand the importance of tracking and recording progress efficiently.
Check reports to parents, carers and placing authorities provide accurate and comprehensive information about achievement and attainment across the 24-hour curriculum.
Check exit outcomes for children and young people and sample progress of young people beyond six months of leaving the service.

Parents, carers and families say they feel welcomed by the service from initial contact, through admission visits, and review and exit meetings. They are provided with accurate and understandable summary information about the aims of the service, its functions and objectives. Families report that the service makes every effort to keep them informed about the care and education of their children through regular telephone contact and/or meetings. They also say that staff are prepared to listen to their views about these matters. Families report that the service responds promptly to any concerns or enquiries they may raise. Families also feel confident that they are always kept informed about any accident, serious incident, including when a child or young person absconds, or illness. They report that they receive very helpful support from the service either in their own home or at the school in the form of introducing strategies for managing challenging behaviour, supporting alternative communication systems or assisting with medical issues. Parents say the information they have about the curriculum being followed by their child during the day and in the evenings and weekends is clear and understandable. They say that review reports accurately reflect their child’s progress across care and education. Families believe they are able to influence developments and initiate change in the school.

Q 2.2 The school’s successes in involving parents, carers and families (including the corporate parent)

Evaluation of this Qi

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the service’s successes in involving parents carers and families (including the corporate parent)

How well are parents, carers and families involved in:

• initial visits
• admission meetings
• in assessment, in particular are they included in planning and assessment and providing historical medical information on the child or young person
• in target setting
• in reviews
• in exit meetings

Check the attendance of family member at the range of meetings and record this in the file of the child or young person.
At meetings, seek and record the view of the family about the quality of the placement, support provided, the quality of information sharing and whether or not they feel welcomed by the service.
Check whether meeting times/ venues are convenient for parents or carers.

Are parents, carers and families involved in:

• parents nights/open days; and
• other activities appropriately, e.g., concerts?

Is video-conferencing available?
How helpful is the initial documentation about the service which is given to parents and carers?
Are parents or carers asked to contribute to risk assessments; are risk assessments shared with them
Are parents and carers asked to complete consent forms (for outings, medication etc)?
Does the service ensure key staff have relevant information about family circumstances and seeks every opportunity to facilitate positive contact with parents or carers, including siblings?
How well does the key team maintain consistent, regular contact?
Are key events communicated to the family via newsletters etc?
Are families invited to celebrate the child’s or young person’s success?
Do parents and carers receive regular reports and believe they are accurate?
Are parents and carers told about changes in the service which might affect their child?

Check records of parents’ and carers’ attendance at all key meetings and events, including their attendance to celebrate success; follow up reasons for poor attendance.
Check the quality of information provided for parents and carers, including risk assessments and consent forms.
Attend key meetings to ensure relevant information about the family is shared.
Randomly check telephone logs and contacts with the family which should include positive contact with siblings to ensure regularity of quality contact.
Check quality of risk assessments.
Analyse records of incidents and accidents to ensure parents and carers are informed as necessary; follow up with staff and families as needed.
Sample the quality of newsletters to families.
Sample the quality of reports to parents, carers and placing authorities.
Check reports on visits to home and parents and carers to school to judge quality of support for families.

Are accidents and incidents communicated and views sought where appropriate?
How well does the service support the family with relevant advice and strategies?
How effective is the training provided for staff in working with families, particularly those who are disengaged?
Does it contain information on attachment?
How are the family’s views on the school sought?
How speedily does the service respond to parental complaints and concerns?
How content are the families about the quality of provision they receive from the service?

Observe some staff/parent or staff/carer sessions.
Analyse and collate questionnaires and consultations and follow up as needed.
Check record of follow up action.
Check the quality of follow up action to complaints.

All staff across care and education report that they enjoy their work and that morale is high. Care, health and education staff confirm that they feel supported by senior managers and are clear about their respective and complementary roles. There is evidence to show that all staff, including night staff, are actively involved in working groups across care and education. Staff say they are consulted about their involvement in improving the quality of the service through surveys and questionnaires and during supervision. Statistics show very good attendance rates of staff and provide evidence of the reason for staff absence. Staff talk about experiencing a good range of support which encourages them to stay in the service. This includes the service’s training plan which includes essential aspects of care and protection for all staff as well as specific training related to education which can be made available to care and health staff as appropriate. Staff are able to describe the impact of training on children and young people. Care, health, education, administrative and ancillary staff believe that the service is a satisfying place to work, senior managers pay due regard to their health and safety and that there career opportunities are available to them.

Q 3.1 The engagement of staff in the life and work of the school

Evaluation of this QI

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the engagement of staff in the life and work of the service

How positive is morale within the service?
Are all staff clear about their respective roles?
Are all staff properly involved in a range of working groups which have appropriate membership across the whole service, for example are the food supervisor and school nurse working together with other relevant staff and young people to take forward issue to do with healthy eating?

Observe, and talk with staff to check the level of morale.
Check job descriptions are up-to-date and reflect current practice needs.
Check composition of working groups to ensure staff have opportunities to extend their skills and knowledge; speak to staff.

How well does the service ensure night staff are kept informed and involved?
How well do senior managers use the statistics on attendance and absence, suspension, recruitment and retention to examine their support of staff?
How well does the service manage absence through sickness?
How well does service audit training needs?
How appropriate is the training plan in light of training needs audit?
How do senior mangers ensure there are career pathways open to all staff?
How does the service support and challenge staff to ensure what is learned during training is reflected in improved practice?
How well does the service ensure that their staff feel safe and secure working with challenging children and young people?
How robust are arrangements are in place to ensure the organisation complies with health and safety regulations?
Do the staff feel that they have opportunities to progress in the service?

Check that night workers have equitable opportunities for training and representation; speak to night workers.
Examine attendance statistics etc for trends which indicate positive or negative morale; ask staff about degree of support.
Examine recent training needs audits and check response.
Examine the training plan and ask staff if they believe it is appropriate and can provide good future career opportunities.
During supervision and through observation, check that staff’s practice is improving as a result of training.
During supervision, at staff meetings and during informal discussion, check that staff feel safe.
Using a health and safety checklist and/or in discussion with the relevant member of staff, check that health and safety issues are met.
During supervision, check that staff believe there is sufficient training and support in place to help them progress within the service.

Where appropriate, a range of people in the local community are involved in service activities. These may include the community police, neighbours and ‘friends of the service’, voluntary agencies and employers. They talk positively about the work of the service and are known to the children and young people. They are involved and consulted as appropriate on relevant aspects of service development The local media report positively on the achievements of the children and young people and the service. Placing authorities report that the service works well with the child’s or young person’s local services to support their re-integration as appropriate, and when the young person is ready to leave school. Staff from placing authorities such as social workers, careers officers and health staff report that the school provides good information to ensure continuing support for children and young people. There is statistical data to show positive and appropriate re-integration. Partner agencies such as Who cares? Scotland and Children’s Rights officers are positive about the work of the service and the level of their involvement. Local agencies such as those involved in medical, health and well-being provision, therapy, the police, careers officers and through care and after-care staff report that the service encourages their involvement and has a clear view of the combined impact they can make in improving life chances for children and young people.

Q 4.1 The school’s successes in engaging with the local community
Q 4.2 The school’s successes in engaging with the wider community

Evaluation of this QI

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the engagement of staff in the life and work of the service

Where appropriate, what degree of involvement is there of people from the immediate community?
How well do they know and relate to children and young people?
How well has the school developed positive relationships with the local media?
Where appropriate, how well does the service support children and young people to return to their local community (home, residential unit, supported accommodation; and mainstream school, alternative educational provision, further education, training, and supported or open employment)?
How well does the service track future placements to learn lessons about through-care and after-care?
How well does the service check the satisfaction of placing authorities and relevant local staff through open days, individual visits, questionnaires, open forums?
How well does the service survey the views of agency staff to ensure their partnership arrangements work well?
How well does the service respond to these views to try to improve the service?

Meet with and ask representatives of the community how they involve themselves with the running of the school.
Ask children and young people how well they know local representatives and if they meet them at open days etc.
Observe evidence of involvement of all staff and key members of the community in key events such as open day, festivals and coffee mornings.
Check recent media coverage.
Randomly sample leavers to check how well they have moved on. Check future accommodation situations, support networks and education opportunities. Speak with children’s and young people’s local social workers and other relevant support workers to ascertain the suitability and robustness of future placements
Check responses to questionnaires sent to placing authorities which highlight customer satisfaction and positive outcomes for children and young people. Check changes in practice which take forward points for action as a result of the questionnaires
Check responses to questionnaires sent to agencies as above.

Key Area

Quality Indicators

Related National Care Standards

5. Delivery of education

5. Delivery of care

Q 5.1
Q 5.2
Q 5.3
Q 5.4
Q 5.5
Q 5.6
Q 5.7
Q 5.8
Q 5.9

The curriculum
Teaching for effective learning
Meeting learning needs
Assessment for learning
Expectations and promoting achievement
Equality and fairness
Partnerships with learners and parents
Care, welfare and development
Improvement through self-evaluation

NCS 1: Arriving for the first time
NCS 14: Supporting your education
NCS 15: Supporting your communication
NCS 6: Support arrangements
NCS 5: Comfort safety and security
NCS 3: Care and protection
NCS 16: Leaving school

The service has a very clear admission procedure which includes an accurate description, in its handbook for parents and placing authorities, about what it can offer. Prior to a parent, child or young person visiting the service, senior managers have received accurate verbal information from the placing authority on the needs of the young person. Staff visit the child or young person at their home or in a previous placement when possible. Admission to secure accommodation is undertaken according to the needs of each child or young person and may be on an emergency basis. Nevertheless, in both residential special schools and secure services, children and young people are helped to settle in. Medical examinations are arranged to ensure all health needs are considered. In secure services, property and body searching procedures are fully explained to the individual child or young person and undertaken sensitively. Whenever possible, a key worker is allocated to the child or young person before admission. Information about the service is produced in understandable language which may have been written by young people supported by advocacy services. The information ensures that children and young people are clear about the support they can expect to receive, establishment rules, including expected behaviour and how to make a complaint should this be necessary. Children and young people have received explanations about aspects of health and safety, including fire safety and they have been informed about the roles and responsibilities for different staff. Key workers make clear to children and young people what expectations there are of them and what activities and learning opportunities are available. Residential special schools have clear timescales for admission meetings and, in secure services, timescales are undertaken according to legislative requirements. The service has high expectations of the quality of information it requests from placing authorities, including discussion about the need for the child or young person to have a coordinated support plan (CSP).

NCS 1 Arriving for the first time

Evaluation

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the processes involved in admitting young people

Does the service have written procedures which clarify the admissions process?
How informative, reader-friendly and accurate is the school handbook which is given to placing authorities, parents and carers?
How does the school try to elicit if they can meet the needs of the child or young person when initial contact is made by a placing authority or parent?
Does the service arrange to visit the child or young person prior to a visit to the service?
How well does the school use the visit by the parent, child or young person and authority representative prior to admission to check suitability of placement?
How do senior managers decide if a referral is appropriate?
What arrangements are made for the allocation of key workers?
How informative, reader-friendly and accurate is the handbook for children and young people?
What medical arrangements are in place for admissions?
Does the secure service have a policy on search and are staff clear enough about procedures?
Does the service ensure the placing authority provides accurate and comprehensive information about the child or young person at the admission meeting, including discussing the need for a CSP.

Check policy and procedures for admission.
Read the handbooks for authorities, parents and the young person to ensure accuracy etc.
Ask staff about the nature and usefulness of the initial visit by the child, young person and their parents or carers.
Attend a referral meeting to see how decisions are reached about appropriate/inappropriate referrals.
Speak to children and young people and their families and authority representatives to see how well they believe they have been welcomed by the service and if they believe they have good information about the service.
Speak to key workers about the system of allocation of staff to children and young people and check their understanding of their role.
Speak to the service health person to ensure all aspects of medical information are considered.
Ask staff about their understanding of the search procedure.
Attend an admission meeting to ensure that the service requests and where possible receives necessary background information including care, health and education information.

The service has ‘A Curriculum for Excellence’¹⁰ as its reference point and provides learning opportunities for children and young people across 24 hours. All members of staff have a clear view of their particular role in promoting the four capacities for all children and young people within ACE, across 24 hours. The service has established a clear rationale for its overall curriculum which has been shared with all stakeholders including parents, carers and placing authorities. The service ensures that all staff are committed to developing a positive ethos which promotes successful learning. Whilst the curriculum gives full consideration to national guidelines, the service ensures that the curriculum for each child or young person is personalised and flexible to take account of individual strengths, interests and needs. The service provides a broad and balanced range of subjects to ensure children and young people have the best opportunities to attain and achieve. Programmes, activities and courses are developed and updated regularly to ensure progression in learning for all children and young people. Cross-curricular approaches to literacy and numeracy enhance pupils’ learning. The service uses effectively appropriate information and communication technology (ICT) to enhance learning experiences of pupils. The service ensures that it delivers a discrete programme of personal and social education, including specialist programmes and therapies¹¹ as appropriate. Each subject and activity promotes the personal, emotional and social development of each child or young person, and encourages responsible citizenship. Enterprising activities encourage young people to work together and think creatively. Very good consideration has been taken of all accreditation possibilities. The service uses creative timetabling to deliver a curriculum which meets the different needs and entitlement of children and young people.

QI 5.1 The curriculum

Evaluation of this QI

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the structure and quality of the curriculum across 24 hours

Does the service’s rationale for the curriculum make reference and take good account of the aim and principles of ACE?
How clear are care and education staff about their roles and responsibilities in relation to promoting the four capacities of ACE?

Check the school’s rationale for the curriculum.
Observe that it is being adhered to and that all staff are clear about their role in delivering the aim and principles of ACE.
Check that the school handbook makes accurate reference to the curriculum rational and framework.

Have they shared this and the curriculum framework with parents and placing authorities?
How appropriate is the school’s framework for the curriculum?
– does it take account of up-to-date national guidance?
– is it sufficiently broad and balanced to ensure that children and young people will achieve and, where possible, move on to future education opportunities?
– is the framework linked to a range of appropriate accreditation opportunities which are suitably challenging?
– are learning and teaching policies helpful and up-to-date?
– are the range of therapies adequate and effective?
– are enterprising activities motivating children and young people?
Are class timetables sufficiently flexible to ensure each child or young person accesses an appropriately broad and balanced, and if necessary, individualised programme?
How well has the service planned for the promotion of PSD using the skills of all staff in the service?
How well do staff collaborate to plan and deliver health and well-being?
Are staff sufficiently trained and is hardware sufficiently up-to-date to ensure that children’s young people’s learning is enhanced through an appropriate range of ICT?

Check the breadth and suitability of the curriculum in light of the needs of the young people.
Examine programmes of study to check they provide challenge and progression.
Check records of achievement and accreditation to see over the past three years to ensure the curriculum promotes suitably challenging achievement and attainment.
Sample timetables for individual children and young people to see how appropriately broad and balanced their curriculum is.
Observe therapy sessions to ensure that children and young people have their therapy needs met.
Observe enterprising activities and judge the quality of the process and outcomes.
Examine the framework for the delivery of personal and social development (PSD) to ensure it is comprehensive, includes all important aspects, and meets individual needs.
Observe different sessions of health and well-being to see how well staff deliver collaboratively and meet the general and specific PSD needs of children and young people.
Check ICT facilities and examine the training programme to ensure staff have had recent training on relevant aspects of information and communication technologies.

Care, health and education staff work well together to support the personal, social and emotional needs, as well as with the learning needs, of children and young people. All children and young people have a key worker who works with a specified member of education staff and other relevant people to set and share relevant targets for their personal, social, emotional and educational development. Whenever possible, the child or young person is centrally involved in these meetings. Key staff help children and young people to understand that the lessons they learn during classroom activity time, such as preparing a snack, using a particular communication aid or controlling their anger more effectively, can be carried over to evening and weekend activities, and that care staff will support them. Effective links between care and education staff mean that the key worker knows how to support the child or young person when there is a requirement for more formal homework such as completing folios for examination purposes. They will also will encourage the child or young person to study in appropriate locations using computers or library resources as required. Care staff know the importance of encouraging all children and young people to engage with learning. They read to some children and young people and encourage others to read and accompany them on relevant activities during evenings and weekends. Children and young people are able to study in their own rooms or the communal living area which is suitably furnished with a desk, and lighting and which provides access to games, newspapers, magazines, audio-visual equipment as appropriate. The service has ensured safe access to the Internet.

NCS 14 Supporting your education

Evaluation

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken across care and education to ensure young people are supported to learn effectively

How well do staff know/find out about children’s young people's interests and build on these to create opportunities for learning?
What opportunities do care and education staff have to meet and reach a shared understanding of the child’s or young person’s needs?
How clear are key workers about the education targets for each young person?
What opportunities do staff have to undertake joint training about specific additional support needs of children and young people?
What opportunities are there for care and education staff to work in classrooms and units and generally support each other in different settings, for example do teaching staff having lunch in units?
Do care staff have a positive attitude to education?
Do they ensure that evening and weekend achievements are celebrated?
Are there displays or photographs of significant achievements/events?
Does the environment, furnishings and resources in the living accommodation encourage the child or young person to continue to engage with learning?
What security is in place to ensure safe access to the Internet?
What shared understanding is there about routines for homework?
What joint opportunities are there for care and education staff in provision of broad-based educational experiences and compensatory activities throughout the 24-hour curriculum?

Check arrangements for care and education staff to meet to agree understanding of the needs of children and young people.
Attend key meetings to check level of shared understanding.
Examine education targets to see if they are understandable and can be used in the residential setting.
Check training opportunities to see what support staff have available to them in relation to specific needs, such as dyslexia and dyspraxia, ethnic needs, communication difficulties, moving and handling and intimate care.
Check timetables to see when staff can cross over between care and education.
Observe in the evenings and weekends to check if the culture in the living areas encourages children and young people to continue to engage in learning: resources/displays/ photographs.
Speak to children and young people about their evening and weekend activities.
Ask them what homework they do.
Ask them what they have achieved.
Check appropriateness of furnishings and resources to see if it ‘educationally rich’.
Check safe access to the Internet and ensure the service policy has clear procedures.
Check the service’s policy on homework, ‘catch-up’ and extended learning and observe support provided for these different activities.
Observe activities such as residential experiences and special day visits to check quality of collaborative working and its impact on children and young people.

Teaching approaches are well matched to learners’ needs and prior attainment. Teachers have clear information from care staff and others about the social emotional, behavioural and health needs of children and young people so that they can understand their barriers to learning. Teachers work directly with children and young people to develop their independent learning skills. Children and young people are involved in evaluating how teaching approaches impact on their learning. Teachers share the purposes of lessons with learners. Explanations, expositions and instructions are clear and unambiguous and praise is used appropriately. Discussion with learners promotes learning and builds confidence, and learners’ contributions are encouraged and valued. Quality discussions, dialogue and interaction are key aspects of teaching. Skilled questioning stimulates learners’ interest and motivation and teachers welcome and build upon learners’ responses. Teachers make sound judgements and respond quickly to ensure that teaching meets the needs of individual learners and takes full account of prior learning. Teachers identify and support weaknesses in learners’ knowledge.

QI 5.2 Teaching for effective learning

Evaluation of this QI

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the overall quality of teaching and ensure effective learning of all young people across 24 hours

Does the service provide very good training on teaching and learning and take account of different approaches such as using emotional intelligence/literacy, and different learning styles?
Have teachers been given sufficient initial information about the young person and/or are initial education assessments robust enough to ensure teachers can plan appropriately for the child or young person?
Do teachers have sufficient knowledge of each child’s or young person’s additional support needs and has training supported them to deliver appropriately (for example use of ICT methods for dyslexic pupils, use of Makaton)?
Are teachers clear enough about what plans they have to write?¹²
– termly teaching plans
– daily/weekly/ plans
– individualised educational programmes (IEPs)
Do the plans ensure clarity of teaching (and therefore learning)?
How well has the teacher organised the classroom to ensure effective learning: seating/whiteboard/lighting/ ‘special’ areas/display of relevant resources?
How well have teachers created an effective environment for learning through good wall displays, visual indication of progress?
Do lessons follow a clear structure?
– recap/learning outcomes
– shared/input/support/independent
– learning/summary/evaluation by children and young people
How well does the teacher know each child or young person and show a level of interest that makes each one feel valued and respected?
Is the focus on teaching and learning rather than on behaviour?
Have teachers ensured that support staff are clear about their role?
Can teachers be flexible if the lesson does not go according to plan?
How well do they use praise, check for understanding, remind young people of outcomes, remind them of high expectations, explain next steps and show relevance of homework?
Do teachers use questioning for a range of purposes: to include all young people; to respond to individual’s level; to challenge and motivate; and to encourage participation?
How well do teachers vary their teaching approaches, including planned use of ICT, to reinforce learning?
Is work marked in a way in which the child or young person can improve their performance during the next lesson?
Do teachers consistently give out and positively mark homework?
What support and challenge is in place to ensure the quality of teaching is continuously improved?

Read initial education information provided and examine initial subject assessments.
Check that teaching plans are clear and can be used by others if necessary; and that they fit with the programme of study.
Observe classroom practice with a clear focus on particular teaching strategies, including the use of ICT, and overall quality of the learning environment.
Observe practice with a view to ensuring the additional needs of young people are being met.
Check effective use of resources, including seating arrangements and the overall quality of the learning environment.
Speak to children and young people to check their understanding/acquisition of skills and informed attitudes.
Ask them if they enjoy the subject.
Discuss progress with pupils and teachers.
Evaluate test results and continuing assessment.
Check quality of feedback to teachers on planning and practice as part of their supervision.
Check that support workers are clear about their role and the learning goals.
Observe practice to ensure good use of questions and effective implementation of Assessment is For Learning (AiFL)
Audit software resource banks, the general use of resources and use of Internet sites.
Check ICT competence of all staff, including support staff.
Examine the quality of teachers’ marking and ensure it is in line with AiFL guidance.

All staff are clear about the specific communication needs of each child and young person. They have had relevant training which ensures they are knowledgeable about the best means of communication with each child and young person. When English is not the first language of the child or young person, the service has contacted relevant services and/or parents for support and help. Care and education staff organise tasks and resources in appropriate formats to enable children and young people to access information effectively. For example, dual language books and websites and bilingual dictionaries are available for learners who are literate in their own language. Where available, EAL and bilingual specialists support staff are used to support staff, children and young people and offer specialist advice. Staff encourage the use of English through structured opportunities and use a variety of methods suitable for bilingual children and young people such as visual prompts, paired reading, mind maps and ICT. Opportunities for translation are available for children and young people and their parents when needed. For children and young people whose have significant language and communication difficulties, care staff liaise closely with education staff and other relevant agencies to ensure they are clear about the best means of communication. This can include a range of methods including technological support, BSL signing, on-body signing, Makaton, sign-along, gesture, symbols and photographs. Children and young people who have difficulty with communication are given relevant support to communicate their feelings, understand their reports and voice their opinions. When being supported by external agencies such as Who cares? Scotland, children and young people are given the necessary support to communicate effectively with them.

NCS 15 Supporting your communication

Evaluation

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the understanding of all staff towards using the most appropriate means of communicating with all children and young people

How informative is each child’s or young person’s profile in describing his or her communication needs?
Have relevant staff, including speech and language therapists, teachers of the deaf and EAL staff been involved in identifying and describing needs?
How well does the 24-hour curriculum support communication development and self expression, particularly in areas such as expressive arts and community participation?
How well are communication needs identified and targeted in integrated plans?
What specialist training has been provided?
What opportunities exist to ensure staff update their skills and knowledge?
Are relevant texts, ICT resources and games available?
Are there translation opportunities for children, young people and their parents or carers?
How effective are staff in using alternative and augmentative communication strategies?
Are children and young people with communication needs ‘listened to’ and able to interact?
To what extent do children and young people with communication needs participate in activities such as the school council?
Are external advocacy staff supported to work with children and young people with communication needs?

Check young people’s profile to see if communication needs are well identified and described.
Check involvement of specialists and meet with them.
Examine plans to see how well communication methods are described.
Examine plans to ensure communication needs are considered across 24 hours.
Observe evening activities to judge how well they take account of and promote communication needs.
Check training programme and speak to staff about their relevance.
Attend some sessions to check quality.
Check the range of texts, etc. which meet the need of children and young people with communication needs.
Ensure that translation is provided, for example at review meetings.
Observe staff when communicating with children and young people.
Ensure there is equality of opportunity for children and young people with communication needs so that they can participate as fully as possible.
Speak with advocacy staff to ensure they are supported to work with all children and young people.

The staff are clear about the importance of a care plan or integrated plan for each child and young person, and are confident in working with relevant staff and the child or young person to write it. All staff have accurate information about the child’s or young person’s particular interests and needs, including cultural, ethnic, health and educational needs so that care plans can be specific and highly personalised. The service has in place a system of key worker who liaises and has formal timetabled meetings with relevant staff and the child or young person to update the plan and monitor and discuss progress. The plan/s takes account of health, care and education needs so that all staff closely involved in supporting the young person are clear about expected outcomes and can provide coordinated support. Children and young people are also helped to be clear about the importance of the content and aims of their care plan and are fully involved where possible with their family and staff in developing and reviewing it. Staff view the child’s or young person’s plan as a working document. Regular review meetings, including statutory care reviews, ensure that changing needs or circumstances are taken into account when the care or integrated plan is re-written. The service has in place daily communication meetings so that the changing needs of children and young people can be shared amongst all staff who will respond accordingly.

NCS 6 Support arrangements

Evaluation

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the approaches to integrated planning and review of progress of all young people

Do all children and young people have an integrated plan in place or a set of suitable plans?
How well do these plans recognise their individual needs?
Are targets set within the plan sufficiently specific and are roles, responsibilities and action points specified?
How effective are the service’s arrangements to ensure team meetings take place and that they monitor and review along with the young person progress towards targets in the plan?
Have key workers been given sufficient training and support to undertake this key role?
Are children and young people suitably involved and how aware are they of their targets?
How well do staff use the plans: do they refer to them regularly to inform their practice?
Are plans written in such a way that children and young people and their families can make sense of them?
How effectively do staff update the plan to recognise changing needs?
How informative and honest are review meetings?
How well is the plan used to ensure parents, carers and placing authorities are clear about progress and future plans?
How effective are daily communication meetings in sharing information and providing a problem-solving forum to meet changing needs?

Check nature and quality of plans, including realism and specificity of targets.
Trail information on a few young people from initial assessment through to current plan to check quality of planning and progress; speak to those young people about their experience and ask them about their targets.
Check action points are carried through.
Check the service’s arrangements to ensure key meetings can take place.
Speak to key worker/key teacher to ensure they feel confident in planning and reviewing.
Attend a key meeting to see how effective it is and to ensure involvement of all including the child or young person.
Observe practice to see if staff are working to support the young person meet the outcomes of the plan.
Attend review meetings to see how effectively the plan is used to explain progress and difficulties.
Attend daily communication meetings to ensure staff are fully aware of the daily changing needs of children and young people and contribute to discussion about overcoming barriers

When evaluating the overall quality of meeting needs, services also take very good account of the National Care Standards 1, 6, 14, 15 and 16. These are ‘Arriving for the first time’, ‘Support arrangements’, ‘Supporting your education’, ‘Supporting your communication’ and ‘Leaving school’. Staff must have a clear view of each child’s young person’s learning needs and know how other needs impact on learning. Initial assessment, which takes account of prior learning and the young person’s previous education placement, must be robust, undertaken as quickly as possible following admission and provide teachers with sufficient information to teach at an appropriately challenging level. Other initial assessment information such as health and emotional needs should be taken into account when planning learning. Teachers’ plans, including IEPs, should take very good consideration of individual learning needs and indicate clearly how children and young people can overcome barriers to learning. Tasks, activities and resources should take very good account of the child’s or young person’s individual learning needs and promote achievement. All staff should be clear about their particular role in meeting learning needs. Teachers, care staff and classroom support staff should know the learning targets for each child or young person. The key teacher and key worker should work with the child or young person to set these targets within an integrated plan. Multi-disciplinary meetings ensure other support staff such as therapists and behaviour support staff are fully involved in planning and know how they will work together. Education reports for parents, carers and placing authorities include information from all relevant staff and show how the service is meeting learning needs effectively. The service is knowledgeable about the implications of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 and ensure that it works in partnership with placing authorities to ensure young people have their needs well identified and, when necessary, recognised through the creation of a coordinated support plan (CSP). The service uses the information in the code of practice effectively, including ensuring that very good transition arrangements are in place.

Q 5.3 Meeting learning needs

Evaluation of this QI

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the overall learning experiences of all children and young people

How clear are staff about individual needs?
How effective is the service’s initial education assessment process and is it undertaken in consideration of care assessment and needs?
How well do staff plan to meet needs, including additional learning support needs?
How flexible are staff in meeting different and changing needs?
How well do care, health, therapy and education staff share their understanding of the needs of the child or young person so that plans are personalised?
How effectively do all staff, including therapists and support staff, plan and work together to meet needs?
How efficient are teachers and other staff in ensuring they provide programmes at appropriate levels as soon after admission of the child or young person?
How aware are young people of the targets in their plans?
What support is in place to ensure IEPs are suitably challenging?
What systems are in place to ensure that courses and programmes are always at a suitable level to meet the needs of all children and young people?
Do attainment results and broad achievements reflect targets set for children and young people?
How proactive is the service with authorities in ensuring that they have taken account of advice within the ASL Act and the Code of Practice to ensure the needs of children and young people are met, particularly at times of transition and in relation to having an up-to-date CSP?

Observe children and young people, check files and speak to staff about individual needs.
Examine individual files to check the quality of initial assessment.
Examine assessment records to check if staff take account of changing needs.
Attend multi-disciplinary planning meetings and key team meetings to judge the quality of shared thinking and collaborative working and skills in planning to meet changing needs.
Trail some children and young people and check the level of their courses against their individual needs.
Observe children and young people and speak to them about their targets to see if they are suitably challenging.
Observe practice and examine tracking systems to ensure course are at suitable levels.
Examine attainment figures and discuss them with staff in light of what has been observed in the classroom.
Attend review meetings and check files to ensure those young people who require CSPs have them.
Check that appropriate transition arrangements are in place

Services know how to gain very good initial educational assessment information about the needs of each child and young person so that they can plan their programmes at appropriate levels as soon as possible following admission. Services also ensure that teachers and care staff and, where required, therapists work together to develop an initial profile so that teachers can understand underlying barriers to learning which occur because of emotional, sensory, physical or other needs. The service has clear expectations of teachers in respect of the different forms and purposes of assessment. Staff are confident about up-to-date assessment methodology and have accessed relevant training courses. Assessment is used effectively to plan the next steps for learning. The service ensures that teachers know what is expected in terms of approaches to planning and has provided relevant support. Teachers’ plans clearly state what is to be taught and learned and are individualised as required to meet particular needs. Reports for parents, carers and placing authorities are clearly written, state levels and achievements and clarify progress.

QI 5.4 Assessment for learning

Evaluation of this QI

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the approaches to assessment across the school

Does the service have an up-to-date policy on planning, assessment and reporting which clarifies for all teachers what is expected of them?
Does the policy outline procedures and approaches to initial educational assessment?
Does the service ensure integrated approaches to assessment so that care and education staff understand the holistic needs of young people and thereby make sense of barriers to learning?
What training has there been to improve teachers’ skills in planning, assessing and reporting?
How confident are teachers about the different approaches and purposes of assessment?
Are assessment approaches linked to plans and seen as an integral part of teaching?
How well is assessment information used to monitor provision and progress, and to plan for improvement?
Does assessment involve high quality interactions, based on thoughtful questions, careful listening and reflective responses?
Are pupils, staff and parents clear about what is to be learned and what success would be like?
Are pupils and staff given timely feedback about the quality of their work and how to make it better?
How involved are pupils and staff in deciding next steps in their learning and identifying who can help?
Do pupils and staff identify and reflect on their own evidence of learning?
How well are attainments and achievements tracked and monitored to inform about impact on pupils and their progress?
Is there clarity about the different types of teaching plans? That is are there termly, weekly, daily plans?
Are there IEPs?
Is assessment linked to learning outcomes identified in plans?
How well do education reports inform the reader about progress and levels of achievement and attainment?
How useful are reports to parents and placing authorities?

Examine the service’s relevant policy and procedures.
Check that it includes information on initial education assessment.
Attend admission, ‘settling in’ and early key team meetings to ensure all staff are clear about the holistic needs of young people.
Sample some files and match them against the current performance of some young people to check how informative and comprehensive the initial assessment is.
Check the training programme to check what training has taken place to support teachers.
Talk with teachers to gauge their confidence in planning, etc.
Check the overall quality of teachers’ plans, assessment records and reports to parents and authorities.
Check that teachers forward plans show a range of formative assessment methods to inform their planning and direct their teaching.
Observe practice to judge the implementation of AiFL strategies.
Observe young people to see if they are clear about what is to be learned and how they can improve their work.
Observe practice to see how well young people are supported by staff to judge the quality of their learning.
Sample the progress of young people through examining the tracking system and observing young people.
Check the quality of all plans and match them against the current progress of some young people.
Check the quality of education reports and match them against the performance of some young people.
Ask parents and representatives of placing authorities if they believe the reports are useful and meaningful.

All staff set and maintain high standards across all aspects of the service so that children and young people achieve personally, socially and educationally. All staff give clear messages about the importance of attending classes and trying new experiences in evenings and weekends. All staff show, through their own behaviour and attitude, high levels of enthusiasm, motivation and willingness to participate. The quality of relationships between staff and children and young people is of a high standard and staff use praise appropriately. Rewards motivate children and young people and clear boundaries and consequences ensure that young they strive to do their best. Achievements are regularly celebrated and take account of day, evening and weekend activities. The service ensures that children and young people have the best opportunities to attain appropriate national qualifications and have broad achievement recognised. Children and young people are clearly proud of their achievements and talk about them.

Q 5.5 Expectations and promoting achievement

Evaluation of this QI

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve staff’s approach to ensuring that children and young people have high expectations and can achieve to their maximum

Are staff ambitious for their children and young people?
Do they give them clear messages about how to do well and improve their situation?
Does the service provide a sufficiently broad range of learning experiences in classrooms and during evenings and weekends to motivate children and young people to achieve and to try new activities?
Do staff demonstrate behaviour which models enthusiasm, a good work ethic and positive attitudes?
Do staff support young people through appropriate use of praise and reminding them of their strengths and previous successes?
Does the service have a policy and procedures which promote positive behaviour (PPB), clarifying rules, rewards and consequences?
How does the school celebrate whole-school and individual success?
Taking account of the needs of the children and young people, how well do they attain national qualifications and other achievements, for example through ASDAN, Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and Caledonia Award?

Observe practice in classrooms and units to see how staff talk about and with young people.
Ensure the service’s school curriculum is suitably challenging.
Check the service programme of activities for evenings and weekends and check how this is planned and discussed with young people.
Check how efficiently the different programmes are delivered and by whom?
Observe practice to judge that the quality of interaction.
Check the PPB policy and procedures and observe the degree of consistency in its implementation
Attend celebrations of success.
Check the level of attainment and achievements of children and young people to see if they are at a suitably high level.

The service is committed to treating all children and young people fairly and in a way which recognises their different needs. Policies and procedures take account of individual differences including gender, race, religion, learning strengths and disabilities. Staff and children and young people are clear about anti-bullying strategies and they say that staff respond appropriately to any incidents of bullying. Rewards and consequences are given in a way that children and young people think is fair and individualised. Access to specialist or additional services is equitable and based on careful assessment of need. Children and young people have access to external advocates and are clear about how to make a complaint. The service has a school council in place and also ensures that children and young people can voice their opinions at unit meetings or at food committees. Children and young people are given good learning opportunities to extend their understanding of diversity and differences in classrooms, during assemblies and in the community. They have good opportunities to learn about poverty or deprivation through enterprising charity work. All staff, children and young people are clear about race and gender equality issues, and the service has clear procedures in place to deal with discrimination.

Q 5.6 Equality and fairness

Evaluation of this QI

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the approaches which ensure all children and young people are treated fairly and with respect and that have a very good understanding of issues of diversity, including race, disability, gender, religion and culture

Does the service have a range of policies which clarify equality and fairness issues including for gender, race, religion, learning strengths and disability?
What training has taken place to ensure staff are clear about equality issues?
service’s policies on race, gender and disability discrimination?
Is the anti-bullying policy clear?
Do children and young people feel protected from bullying?
How effective is the school’s PPB policy in ensuring all young people are treated equitably, taking account of different needs?
How are decisions made about providing access to specialist or additional services to ensure the needs of all are met fairly?
How regularly do you people have access to Who Cares? Scotland workers and/or children’s rights officers?
Do children and young people know and have access to the service’s external manager?
How effective is the school council, unit meetings and food committees in listening to children and young people and responding when appropriate?
Does the service ensure that children and young people learn about diversity and anti-discrimination through classroom activities, input at assembly, charity work and work in the community?

Check the service policies on equality and discrimination to ensure they are up-to-date and take account of recent legislation.
Check the training programme to ensure staff have received relevant training.
Observe practice to see if staff implement what they have learned through training on equality and anti discrimination.
Check the bullying policy and examine the bullying log.
Ask children and young people if they feel safe and if they have been bullied do they believe the incident was effectively dealt with.
Attend relevant meetings such as reviews or key meetings to check equality of access to specialist or additional services.
Ask the Who Cares? Scotland worker and children’s rights officers if they think young people are well and fairly supported and listened to.
Speak with the external manager to see if children and young people approach them about issues.
Attend the school council, unit meeting and food committee to judge how well they listen and respond appropriately to the issues children and young people raise.
Examine activities, including charity work to see how well they help young people to learn about diversity.

Parents, carers and, where children and young people are looked after and accommodated, placing authorities, are encouraged to work in partnership with them in their child’s care and education. The service ensures that parents, carers and placing authorities are clear about what the school can offer through its school handbook and during visits. They share with them the service’s aims for their children and appoint a key worker as the main link. The service and placing authority agree a service level agreement which clarifies the aims for the child or young person. Parents and carers are encouraged and, in some cases helped, to attend meetings which review children’s and young people’s progress. The child’s or young person’s key worker keeps in regular contact with parents and ensures that they make regular phone calls to home where appropriate. The service provides regular newsletters and other means of communication to keep parents and carers informed about key events and activities in the school. The service ensures that if a child or young person is involved in an incident or accident, or has absconded or is ill, parents and carers are informed. The service actively encourages all parents and carers, irrespective of the distance they live from the service, to attend open days, school shows, celebrations and other events. When parents and carers find attendance difficult, the service contacts the child’s or young person’s local social worker to seek support. The service is able to reassure parents and carers that they can meet the learning, social and emotional, ethnic or communication needs of their children and support them appropriately. The service is also committed to supporting parents and carers to help their children. The service has information for parents and placing authorities which describes the quality of it provision. Where possible, the service encourages parents and carers to form a support group for themselves and the school.

Q 5.7 Partnerships with learners and parents (including the corporate parent)

Evaluation of this QI

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the quality of partnerships with learners and parents in the widest sense

How does the service try to engage with parents, carers and placing authorities?
How accurate and comprehensive is the school handbook provided for parents, carers and placing authorities?
How clear is the service, parents, carers and the placing authority about the aims for the child or young person?
Does the service try to ensure there is a service level agreement for each child or young person with all placing authorities?
When is this monitored and changed when needed?
What level of attendance is there of parents and representatives of the placing authority at:
– admission meetings
– progress reviews
– planning meetings
– transition meetings
– open days and other celebrations?
Does the service always contact parents, carers and/or the authority in the event of an incident etc?
How regularly does the child’s or young person’s key worker contact parents?
Are parents and carers content with the level of contact from their children?
How regular is the service newsletter to parents, carers and authorities, and is it informative?
How approachable do parents believe the service is?
How helpful do parents and carers believe the service is in supporting them to meet their child’s needs?
Is the service able to accommodate parents and carers who have to travel long distances or who wish to attend support sessions?
How well does the service communicate to parents and carers the quality of its provision?
How successful has the service been in forming a parent and carer support group?

Attend admission and review meetings and speak to parents and carers to check how well the service has tried to engage with them and made them feel welcome in the service.
Read the service handbook to check accuracy and readability.
At an admission meeting, discuss with service managers, parents, carers and placing authorities what the shared view is about the aims for the child or young person.
Check the quality of service level agreements (SLA).
Check if the SLAs are monitored and updated.
Check attendance rates at key meetings and events.
Attend meetings and events and speak to parents and placing authority representatives about how well they believe the service is meeting the needs of their children and young people.
Check logs of incidents etc to ensure parents, carers and placing authorities are contacted when required.
Speak to key workers and check logs to see the regularity of home phone calls.
Speak to children and young people to ensure they phone family regularly when appropriate.
Ask parents and carers if they are happy with the frequency and nature of contact from the school.
Attend parent and carer support sessions to see how helpful they are and speak to them about the skills and strategies they have learned.
Check the quality of parent or carer accommodation.
Read the information sent to parents, carers and placing authorities which describes the quality of the service.
Attend the parent and carer support group and ask how effective and supportive it is.

The service has ensured that the living accommodation is clean, in good decorative order and provides such home comforts as books, games, fruit and drinks. Children and young people are encouraged and supported to personalise their rooms and the accommodation’s heating, ventilation and lighting is sufficient for their particular needs. There is a rolling programme of refurbishment in place and reflected in the improvement plan to upgrade the accommodation. The service has an accessibility strategy which takes account of suitable access for children, young people and staff who may have a physical disability. Regular day-to-day maintenance ensures the accommodation is kept in good condition. The service is committed to ensuring that children and young people feel safe because of the secure arrangements, particularly during the evening and at night. The service has ensured that children and young people know what to do or are provided with the necessary support in the event of a fire and have practised fire drills during the day and at night. The service provides clear guidance about the its no-smoking policy on admission and has a range of strategies in place to help children and young people to reduce and stop smoking. There is a suitable number of staff to support children and young people when they take part in activities. The transport provided for children and young people is safe and staff undertake risk assessments for a range of activities in order to keep them and others safe. Children and young people always wear seatbelts or appropriate restraints. If they have an accident or are involved in an incident, their parents or carers and social worker will be informed. Children and young people are kept as safe as possible because all staff are trained to deal with emergencies and a suitable number can administer first aid.

NCS 5 Comfort, safety and security

Evaluation

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the quality of accommodation and facilities and ensure the maximum safety

How homely is the living accommodation?
Have children and young people been given the opportunity to personalise it?
Has very good account been taken of privacy, dignity, choice and safety in the living accommodation?
Are children and young people content with the quality of their living accommodation?
Do staff report any particular difficulties in relation to aspects of the accommodation such as the temperature?
Does the service have a good system to ensure strategic major refurbishment can take place?
Does the service take regular account of its accessibility strategy to ensure refurbishment is in line with suitable access for those with physical disability?
How efficiently is day-to-day maintenance carried out? How robust is the system to ensure security arrangements?
Is external lighting sufficient?
In secure provision, how effective are the arrangements to move young people from place to place?
How regular are fire drills? Are they efficiently recorded? Does the service ensure sufficiently regular contact with the fire service?
How effective is the service’s policy on no smoking?
Is there a sufficient number of staff on duty, including in the evening and weekends to support children and young people?
Are the cars and minibuses regularly serviced and are children and young people clear about appropriate behaviour in transport?
Are risk assessments for outings robust?
Are there sufficient numbers of staff trained in first aid?

Observe the living accommodation when the children and young people are using it.
Ask children, young people and staff about their views on comfort, safety and security.
Ensure the accommodation takes full account of privacy, dignity, choice and safety.
Check that the improvement plan includes planned upgrading of living accommodation?
Ensure the improvement plans have considered accessibility issues.
Check the maintenance log book, speak with the facilities manager and check action with staff.
Spot check security arrangements and in secure provision observe movement arrangements.
Check the fire drill record and ensure all extinguishers and other fire equipment is regularly serviced.
Review the policy on no-smoking; speak to children and young people about smoking and speak with the school or LAC nurse and the PSE teacher about support for those who do smoke, including staff.
Check the duty rotas and speak to staff, children and young people to ensure there are always sufficient trained staff to support them.
Check service records for transport.
Check risk assessments for outings and access to first aid training.

Staff ensure that children and young people feel safe and protected through the nature and level of support they receive during the day and at night. Staff ensure that children and young people know enough about the service’s policies and procedures in relation to bullying and child protection, including the appropriate use of touch, to be able to use them or challenge them as required. The service is committed to undertaking robust initial risk assessments and to updating them regularly. The service ensures that children and young people know how to contact ‘Childline’ and other advocates to ask for help if needed. The service’s policies on PPB and ‘safe holding’ are explained to children and young people so that they are clear about the rules, rewards and consequences. Children and young people know that staff will have been properly trained and that when incidents occur they will be recorded. The service has a clear policy to ensure that children and young people and staff are supported following an incident. There are also clear procedures in place to inform relevant agencies and families about serious incidents and accidents. The service has clear policies on the use of intimate care which have been explained to families and, where appropriate, with the children and young people themselves. Staff are clear about their responsibilities in relation to ensuring that children and young people have safe use of the Internet and access suitable television or DVD programmes and have in their rooms suitable posters or photographs. The service’s policy on procedures in relation to absconding is clear and is worked in partnership with the police when necessary. Staff feel able to challenge poor practice and, when necessary, to use the service’s ‘whistle blowing’ policy.

NCS 3 Care and protection

Evaluation

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the care, safety and welfare of all children and young people

Are staffing levels sufficient and flexible enough to meet the varying needs of children and young people?
Does the service ‘feel’ safe and secure and is there a sense of openness?
Is staff deployment sufficiently consistent to provide continuity of care/meaningful relationships?
How clear are child protection policy and procedures?
Are they in line with local/host authority guidelines?
Have all staff accessed recent CP training and are they confident in their role and responsibility?
Is there an identified child protection coordinator who has knowledge, skills, time and contacts to allow them to carry out their role effectively?
Do children and young people have access to responsive and effective complaints procedures?
Are risk assessments in place, individualised, responsive and regularly updated to respond to changing needs?
How clear and effective is the service’s policy on PPB?
Are children and young people clear about rules, rewards and consequences?
Is de-escalation and safe holding/use of safe restraint viewed as part of a continuum of strategies to manage behaviour?
How up-to-date and clear are the service’s policy and procedures for safe holding?
Does it take account of ‘Holding Safely’?
Are staff are trained and re-accredited?
How effective is the process of recording?
Are sensitive debriefing systems in place for children, young people and staff?
Is there a system of internal and external audit?
In secure accommodation services, is there is a written policy on personal and room searches which is shared with children and young people, and includes information about their rights?
Do services ensure that same gender staff are available for searches?
Are searches carried out with respect for the child’s or young person's right to privacy and dignity?
Are staff are trained and skilled in search procedures and familiar with relevant policies, guidance and legislation?
Are arrangements to move children and young people from place to place robust and safe?
How able do staff feel to challenge or question poor practice and use the whistle blowing policy?

Sample staff rotas.
Read records of 1:1 discussions.
Observe the quality of relationships between staff, children and young people and ensure there are sufficient staff to support activities and actively listen to them.
Discuss the nature and quality of support with key workers, children and young people.
Check the quality of the CP policy and procedures and trail some CP cases.
Check the dates of CP training and ensure all staff have received recent training.
Ask staff how they would deal with a CP issue.
Speak with the CP coordinator to ascertain knowledge.
Speak to children and young people about their use of the complaints system to see if complaints are listened and responded to.
Examine risk assessments and check relevant training opportunities for staff.
Check the PPB policy and observe its implementation.
Speak to young people to check their understanding of PPB.
Examine the policy on safe holding and see how it fits with the PPB policy.
Check records of restraint to judge appropriate use. Speak to staff, children and young people about incidents.
Check that children, young people and staff are supported following incidents.
Check that procedures are in line with ‘Holding Safely’.
Speak to senior managers and the external managers about their approaches to monitoring and analysing incidents of restraint.
Check the policy on searching.
Speak with staff, children and young people about their experience of searching.
Check that staff have received relevant training on searching.
Observe safe movement procedures.
Speak with staff to judge how confident they feel in raising practice issues of colleagues and senior managers.
Check the numbers and circumstances of recently suspended, disciplined or dismissed staff.

The service takes full account of NCS 3 and 5, ‘Care and protection’ and ‘Comfort, safety and security’, in respect of the care, welfare and protection of all children and young people. The service ensures that all staff are committed to promoting the four capacities of ACE, using permeating approaches and a comprehensive range of planned programmes which meet the personal, social, emotional and behavioural needs of all children and young people. The overarching health and well-being programme is based on specific assessed needs of each child or young person, is delivered by relevant staff, often collaboratively, during the day, in the evening or at the weekends as appropriate, to groups or individuals. The programmes take account of up-to-date research and methods, such as attachment theory, nurturing approaches, emotional intelligence and resilience. External agencies support the service when necessary. Children and young people contribute, where possible, to setting targets to develop their personal skills, and are supported to review their progress. Key staff monitor and track progress of children and young people carefully and report on this at key meetings and reviews. The service provides a wide range of opportunities across 24 hours to promote the physical well-being and social needs of children and young people. This includes ensuring healthy eating. Children and young people are able to choose from a range of relevant physical activities, including, where appropriate, competitive team games. Activities include accessing the arts, drama and music as well as the promotion of general life skills for future living, such as shopping and cooking. All staff understand that these activities and residential experiences are opportunities to improve skills as appropriate, and also to promote confidence, cooperation, enthusiasm, new interests and self-esteem. All staff clearly understand that for many children and young people, effective approaches to improve personal skills are the important means to re-engaging them with learning. The service ensures that children and young people are supported to study a curriculum which can improve their future life chances. There are very good links with Careers Scotland to ensure that each young person can access up-to-date vocational information from an early stage through personal contact with the careers officer, using library resources or computer software. Working with the careers officer, teachers and care staff encourage young people to consider carefully future options and prepare them with information and work preparation skills. There are very good links with through-care and after-care staff and relevant pathway planning. Work experience is available and is strongly supported as necessary. The service has very good links with local colleges which add value to its own curriculum.

Q 5.8 Care, welfare and development

Evaluation of this QI

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the general ethos of the school and ensure that discrete programmes meet the social, health, emotional and behavioural needs of children and young people. This includes effective links with agencies such as careers officers, employers and colleges to promote success beyond school

Has the service taken full account of NCSs 3 and 5?
How well do all staff understand the importance of promoting the four capacities as the core of promoting personal and social development and re-engaging disaffected learners?
To what extent has the service ensured that all provision –subjects in classrooms and activities in the evenings and weekend – is delivered in a way which promotes personal and social development?
To what extent does the service’s approach to health and well-being match the particular needs of all children and young people?
Does the service have a rationale which describes its approach to health and well-being?
How comprehensive is the health and well-being programme?
What training has there been to ensure staff are clear about what constitutes an effective programme for health and well-being?
Is the programme delivered collaboratively so that staff learn from each other?
How well do external agencies contribute to the overall programme?
How wide-ranging, relevant and effective are the activities provided by the service across 24 hours in meeting the personal, physical and social needs of children and young people?
To what extent are children and young people re-engaging with learning as a result of effective approaches to health and well-being?
What curriculum choices are available for children and young people? Who guides them and their parents and carers through these choices?
How effective are links with the careers service?
What links are there between teaching staff and through-care and after-care workers?
How integrated are plans for ‘moving on’?
How successful is the service in providing appropriate work experience opportunities?
How well do the links with colleges tie in with the schools’ programme for preparation for work and life beyond school?

Undertake strategies as described for NCS 3 and 5.
Observe and speak to staff informally and during supervision to ascertain their understanding of their role in promoting the four capacities.
Observe classroom practice and practice in the residences and beyond to judge the extent to which all staff understand how to promote the four capacities.
Read the service’s policy and programmes for health and well-being to ensure it is sufficiently comprehensive, takes account of recent research, and meets the needs of the children and young people.
Ask children and young people if they believe the health and well-being approaches are supporting them effectively.
Check the training programme to ensure approaches to promoting personal and social well-being are fully considered and speak with staff about its usefulness.
Observe staff working with individual children or young people and with groups across different settings.
Check the quality of collaborative working by observation and through speaking to staff.
Observe and speak with external agencies.
Examine the range of activities on offer during evenings, weekends and school holidays.
Ask children and young people and observe them to see how well they are re-engaging with learning.
Check the curriculum framework to ensure there is some degree of choice.
Ask children and young people what choice they have had and how they were supported in making this choice.
Speak with the careers officer to see how effectively they are able to work with staff.
Speak with through-care and after-care workers and check pathway plans to ensure links with them and other staff.
Check work experience opportunities and ask young people how successful they have been
Attend a college link course to ensure its usefulness and how effective school and college staff work together.

Young people have every opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge they need to live independently when they move on from the service. They are fully involved in planning for their future, with their views and wishes listened to. Young people are supported to develop the skills they need to manage as independently as possible while taking their individual situation and needs into account. Care and education staff work well together to ensure skills learned in one situation are reinforced in the other. Young people are helped to maximise their educational and vocational potential and are given the information they require regarding employment and further educational opportunities. Information and advice about how to access benefits, housing and other services is given to them by staff who are knowledgeable in these areas. Young people are also provided with support about keeping healthy and safe when they leave the service. They will move on in a planned way with the necessary supports in place. If a young person has to move on in an unplanned way the service will ensure that the necessary information regarding the young person’s educational, health and emotional needs are passed on timeously to the relevant people. Where possible, the service continues to support the young person often through the receiving services.

NCS 16 Leaving school

Evaluation

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the options for all young people when they leave school

Are young people involved in meaningful discussion about their future plans?
Is through-care preparation seen as being holistic and ongoing and not as a short-term, programmed, one-off piece of work?
Does the service identify and develop a young person’s support network in through-care preparation, especially for young people who are living outwith their home area?
Are IEPs and care plans understood by both care and education staff and do they contain an emphasis on further education and careers prospects?
How well do staff work with young people to set and achieve targets which enable them to maximise their full potential at exit from the service?
Are plans well-developed and followed through?
How well does the service ensure that preparation for adulthood is clearly identified as a targeted part of the role of all carers, agencies and education staff involved with the young people?
Are appropriate professional links established with all relevant agencies including advocacy services, careers services, training agencies, colleges and through-care and after-care services?
Is there relevant training in best practice regarding through-care which includes ongoing with relevant research?

Ask young people, including young people who have moved on, about which things were the most useful to them.
Read minutes of reviews and check that through care planning is integral to process.
Observe practice (informal contacts etc).
Sample IEPs and care plans to ensure through-care planning and promoting independence is integral.
Check action taken from integrated plans.
Look at care plans for evidence of well established, effective relationships with young people’s support systems in their home areas.
Look at care plans for evidence of active listening to young people’s views including acknowledgment of possible anxieties, fears and doubts.
Check that there is up-to-date information readily available for young people on all aspects of moving on.
Look at training plan/records.
Check that staff are familiar with the Quality indicators for best practice "How Good is your through-care and after-care service".

Self-evaluation is central to the culture of the school. All staff reflect on their practice and are committed to change and improvement. The service has a wide range of approaches to quality assurance which includes reviewing its aims and functions and objectives, regular review and updating of policies, systematic recording and analysis of accidents, absconding and incidents, and the considered use of quality indicators and national care standards to evaluate and improve practice. The service has a calendar indicating the timing of quality assurance activities. Pairs and groups of staff use specific indicators and standards to identify strengths and areas for development. Observation of practice across care and education, by staff and senior and external managers, results in useful professional dialogue in which good practice is praised and poorer practice is challenged and supported to improve. Information about individual children and young people is well-managed by individual staff and senior managers so that progress is tracked and monitored by all, including external managers. Senior managers play a key role in monitoring the quality of integrated plans and in evaluating the quality of reports written for reviews. The service seeks the views of children and young people, families, placing authorities and other relevant bodies, including children’s rights officers and Who Cares? Scotland staff, and use these views to improve provision. The service improvement plan takes full account of the information gathered through self-evaluation and links this to priorities for development. The service has a comprehensive, annual Standards and Quality report which provides an evaluative description of the service, based on robust self-evaluation. The report provides information on the overall outcomes of the service as well as an account of the overall attainment and achievement of young people.

Q 5.9 Improvements through self-evaluation

Evaluation of this QI

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the understanding of all staff about the importance of self-evaluation in ensuring continuous improvement

How reflective are staff when they talk about children, young people or the service?
How willing are staff to engage in professional dialogue and learn about new or different approaches?
Is the service committed to reviewing its functions and objectives in line with changing needs and demands?
Does the service have a rolling programme to review and update policies?
Does the service have a calendar of comprehensive quality assurance strategies such as:
– observation of practice across care, health and education (by peers, managers and others)
– monitoring integrated plans
– monitoring the quality of risk assessments
– monitoring incidents, accidents and absconding
– monitoring safe holding
– monitoring approaches to intimate care
– monitoring reports to parents, carers and others
– attendance at key meetings
– regular supervision
– generic and specific training programme
– questionnaires to stakeholders, including external advocates?
How well can the service demonstrate that the QA strategies have improved aspects of the service?
Do staff talk positively about the QA strategies?
Are they able to identify improvements in their practice?
How effectively do staff monitor the progress of children and young people across care, health and education?
How effectively do senior managers monitor the tracking system?
Do external managers receive a report on the standards and quality of the school?
How do they respond to this?
How effectively do external managers examine complaints and records of incidents etc?
How well are QIs and NCSs used to evaluate provision and practice across care, education and health?
How thorough is the audit of provision prior to the development of the improvement plan?
How involved are all the staff in preparing and implementing the improvement plan?
How thoroughly does the service respond to recommendations from external inspections?

Talk with staff about their view of the quality of the service.
Talk with staff about any changes or changes they believe are needed in the service and check their understanding of underpinning philosophy.
Check that the functions and objectives are kept up-to-date and take account of recent evaluations of the service.
Check that policies are dated and have intended dates for review.
Examine the QA calendar and speak with relevant staff to ensure the programme is implemented effectively.
Speak to staff, attend relevant sessions and examine documentation to judge the effectiveness of the QA strategies.
Check that the training programme responds to identified professional development.
Examine questionnaire results and check that action has been taken when needed.
Check what impact the QA strategies have had in respect of attainment, achievement and improved health and attitudes.
Check what impact the QA strategies have had on improved exit outcomes for children and young people.
Sample the progress of some young people through examining the tracking system and then observing them.
Read the Standards and Quality report which goes to placing authorities and external managers and ensure it accurately reflects the quality of the service.
Speak to the external managers about their role in evaluation of the service.
Speak to staff to check their confidence in using QIs and NCSs to evaluate quality.
Examine documentation which indicates use of QIs and NCSs.
Speak to staff about the priorities in the improvement plan and judge their degree of ownership.
Examine the recommendations from recent inspections and ensure they have been met.

Key Area

Quality Indicators

Related National Care Standards

9. Leadership
QI 9.1
QI 9.2
QI 9.3
QI 9.4

Vision, values and aims
Leadership and direction
Developing people and partnerships
Leadership of change and improvement

NCS 7 Management and staffing

The service has a suitable range of policies and procedures in relation to care which cover all legal requirements, so that the quality of care is in line with the law and best-practice guidelines. These include polices and guidance for staff on staffing and training, 'whistle-blowing', managing risk and effective record-keeping, including systems for recording accidents, incidents, absconding, and complaints. Young people are safeguarded through effective, transparent recording which is regularly analysed by managers to ensure that appropriate action has been taken. This includes financial transactions undertaken by staff. There is evidence that the policies are implemented effectively. The service can demonstrate the full range of safe recruitment practices. The service has enough staff on duty at all times to meet the support, education and care needs of young people. All staff are supervised on a regular basis to provide them with support and guidance. They receive regular feedback on their practice and issues are constructively addressed. The service’s training plan ensures that all staff are suitably qualified in line with Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) regulations. Staff are encouraged to take forward appropriate additional professional development. This includes training in relation to additional support needs and cultural differences. Young people know who the senior managers are, including the external manager, and are clear about the respective roles and responsibilities of these people. All staff are committed to improving the service through their good understanding of the need to continually develop the quality of the underlying processes of self-evaluation. This includes the external manager who has a key responsibility in monitoring the overall quality of provision, including ensuring the head of service is suitable for the role, monitoring complaints and taking account of young people’s views of the service. All staff know that the action taken as a result of effective self-evaluation can impact positively on the quality of care and education for young people.

NCS 7 Management and staffing

Evaluation

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the overall quality of management and staffing

Are all legally required policies which ensure the care and welfare of young people in place and regularly reviewed and updated?
How effectively are they implemented?
How efficient is the recording system? Is it easy to understand by people external to the service?
Are actions taken as a result of analysis of recordings clear and effective and do they result in improvements to the service and safety of young people?
Are they ‘signed off’ by a senior manager?
Is the practice in relation to recording financial transactions such as pocket money, open and able to be audited?
In relation to recruitment, does the service have a recruitment policy and procedures which ensure approaches such as:
– Disclosure Scotland checks
– checks with previous employers
– taking up references
– cross-reference to the registers of the SSSC, or other professional organisations
– involving young people in meeting and interviewing new staff?
Is the service staffed in line with the staffing schedule agreed with the Care Commission?
Does the service ensure its staffing levels meet the changing needs of young people?
Does the service clarify staffing levels with placing authorities?
Does the service have a programme of supervision which is carried out regularly?
What are staff’s views about the quality and effectiveness of supervision in helping them to improve their practice and to take greater responsibility?
How comprehensive and appropriate to the needs of the service is the training plan?
Does it take account of changing needs, including additional support and different cultural needs of young people?
Does the service promote a culture of continuous development?
Does it promote access to further qualifications beyond those required by SSSC?
Do the roles and remits of all managers, including the external managers, reflect the needs of the service?
Are they understood by staff, families, agencies, placing authorities and young people?
How well does the service take account of self-evaluation?

Check that all legally required policies are in place, that they are dated and that they have been recently reviewed.
Track action taken for several incidents in order to check effective implementation of policy into practice.
In induction training and in supervision, check that staff understand these important policies and know what procedures to follow.
Trail a sample of records of accidents, incidents and complaints to check accurate recording, good analysis, and that appropriate action is taken, including that they have been ‘signed off’.
Check that the training plan includes opportunities for staff to improve recording techniques.
Examine financial records in relation to young people’s finance.
Examine the recruitment policy and procedures to ensure it is line with SSSC, SEED and Care Commission guidance and that it safeguards the service and young people.
Speak with recent recruits to check that recruitment is a positive but thorough process.
Speak with young people about the process as they know it.
Examine a sample of staff files to ascertain that practice is consistent with safe recruitment policy.
Check that the staffing schedule is up-to-date and agreed with the Care Commission.
Observe practice across care and education and speak with staff to judge staffing levels, particularly in relation to young people with highly complex needs and paying attention to night-time staffing.
Examine care plans to ensure that planned work with young people is not compromised by insufficient staff.
In discussion with young people, listen for comments about activities being curtailed due to insufficient staff.
Monitor the frequency of supervision.
Through speaking with staff or occasionally through questionnaires, check that staff believe supervision is helpful in improving practice and leads to further professional development opportunities.
Check the training plan and speak with relevant staff about the suitability of its content.
In supervision, ensure staff believe the training provided meets their needs and the changing needs of young people.
Check the extent of improving qualifications of staff.
Ask staff how well their qualifications and training improve their approaches and practice with young people.
Examine job descriptions of senior managers to ensure they embrace modern thinking, especially aspects of leadership and self-evaluation.
Check that the management structure and roles and remits of managers meet the priorities of the service.
Speak with staff and young people about their view of managers’ roles, including that of the external manager.
Ensure that placing authorities have a clear view of the management structure of the service and how it influences the nature of provision.
Use the QI 5.9 and the relevant questions and strategies to evaluate the quality of self-evaluation.

The head of service develops and shares his/her vision for high quality provision of care and education with all stakeholders, including placing authorities and the governing body. Self-evaluation is embedded in the culture of the organisation and almost all change is planned and proactive. The head of service ensures all staff are clear about national priorities and guidance, including National Care Standards (NCSs). The head ensures that the organisation is committed to fairness and actively promotes equality of opportunity in recognition of the particular needs of vulnerable children and young people and their barriers to learning. The head ensures that the child is at the centre of the service improvement plan which uses the statement of functions and objectives as the framework. Priorities, agreed by all staff, are focused on ensuring maximum impact on pupils’ learning across 24 hours and in leading to the best key outcomes for each child and young person. Leaders across care and education, at every level, demonstrate up-to-date skills and knowledge, and are accessible, consultative and responsive. All care, health and education staff have high expectations, paying particular attention to high quality safe care and protection. Leaders at all levels support their staff whilst also mentoring them through supervision and challenging them through modelling good practice. Through effective corporate leadership, all staff are committed to self-evaluation, continuous improvement and professional development. Policies and procedures support the service’s vision and values and are evidenced through very effective outcomes for vulnerable children and young people.

Leadership

Evaluation

9.1 Vision, values and aims
9.2 Leadership and direction
9.3 Developing people and partnerships
9.4 Leadership of change and improvement

Questions to ask

Strategies to use

Evidence gathered and action to be taken to improve the overall quality of leadership

How effectively does the head of service revisit and discuss the aims and functions of the service with all staff?
Do the aims promote effective collaborative working across 24 hours and are they in line with ACE?
To what extent is the head respected for his/her leadership skills, including providing direction for the service across both care and education?
Does the leader demonstrate personal qualities of honesty, integrity, good interpersonal skills and a commitment to promoting the four capacities of vulnerable children and young people?
Does the leader inspire and motivate staff and have high expectations of vulnerable children and young people and all staff?
Do leaders across care and education at all levels demonstrate active commitment to the vision and values of the organisation?
Does the head liaise actively with placing authorities and the governing body to ensure the service meets the needs of its stakeholders?
Are the care, health and education needs of children and young people given equitable consideration within the improvement plan?
Do senior managers ensure staff across care, health and education are given access to both joint and specific training?
How well do senior managers deploy finances equitably across care and education to meet the targets of the improvement plan?
What opportunities exist for development through ‘acting up’ or ‘coaching’ policy?
How well has the service developed the notion of positive ‘culture carriers’ across care and education?
Has the service been accredited in recognition of aspects of its quality of care and education e.g. through IIP status?
How well does supervision and review support staff and also challenge them?
Is reflective practice a concept understood by all?
Is reflective practice a concept understood by all?
Are all staff involved in developing and reviewing the improvement plan?
How informative is the service’s quality report which it shares with placing authorities, the governing body and parents?
How well has the head managed recent changes?

Check that the functions and objectives and aims of the service match the needs of current learners and are in line with ACE.
Check through questionnaire responses and meeting relevant stakeholders that the leader and overall leadership is valued by staff, children and young people, parents and placing authorities.
Observe the quality of leadership and judge the extent to which staff and children and young people are motivated.
Observe and speak to staff to see the extent to which they have similar values and aims for the service.
Attend relevant meetings and examine minutes of a range of meetings to evaluate the quality and benefit gained from staff meetings.
Check that senior managers are visible and observe practice that they relate to children and young people.
Though discussion with governors/external managers and through questionnaires of/visits by placing authorities, be able to demonstrate that the needs of children and young people are being met.
Check that senior managers visit and network with other similar services and mainstream provision to identify better practice.
Through supervision and review and a range of staff meetings, check that all staff are clear about the direction for and values of the school and that they are motivated by the head.
Check improvements against priorities in the improvement plan and ensure they consider the care, health and education needs of children and young people.
Through supervision ensure staff are managing changes.
Check that the quality assurance calendar is seen as a key activity in the service and that all staff are committed to it.
Examine the service’s commitment to improvement through effective use of QIs and NCSs.
How well does the service network with other similar services and with mainstream provision?
Examine records of staff training, CPD and appraisal and look for trends.