National Care Standards: Adult Placement Services

1-6 Before using the service (standards 1 to 6)

1 Informing and deciding
2 First meetings
3 Your legal rights
4 Your environment
5 Management and staffing arrangements
6 Support arrangements

Before using the service

Adult placement services are a form of care in the community which is still developing in Scotland. By arranging for you to stay with another person or family, adult placement provides a unique setting for individual support and development, and a basis for contact with the community. You lead your life in the adult placement carer's home as part of the household.

At the beginning of 2000 there were about 80 family-based placement services in Scotland. Of these, 30 provided care for adults, two-thirds of which provided only short breaks and the other third provided short- and long-term placements. The review The same as you? showed adult placements to be an example of good practice, cost effective and worthy of development. The number and range of services is increasing.

Adult placement services depend on how willing people are to open their doors to others. They are services that have to be carefully developed.
As new ways of providing best practice for adult placements emerge, standards will also change and develop.

As you think about using an adult placement, whether it is for a short break or longer period, choices should be available to help you make the right decision.

Informing and deciding

You must have proper information to help you reach a decision. You can expect it to be up-to-date and reliable, in a format and language that you can easily understand and keep.

First meetings

Being able to visit the home which may become your adult placement and spend some time in it, talking to the adult placement carer and his or her family, is essential to making a positive choice about using the service. You may sometimes want your family, friends or representatives to be able to visit as part of helping you to decide. You can expect that the adult placement service will respect your need to have enough time to make a decision.

Your legal rights

You must be confident that the service is managed properly and that your adult placement carer is receiving the support and training she or he needs to provide good-quality care, in line with relevant legislation and guidelines.

Your environment

You can expect that the placement will meet the standards and that it will accommodate you and any equipment you need in a way which supports your right to privacy, dignity and independence.

Management and staffing arrangements

The standards in this section reflect the importance of knowing that the people who work for the adult placement service have all the necessary experience, skills and training to meet your needs. If they are to provide you with the best possible service, they must be familiar with all the current good practice guidance. They must be able to put the guidance into practice.

The adult placement carer must receive support and training from the adult placement worker.

Support arrangements

You will want to know that the placement can meet your particular needs as well as giving you the opportunity to maintain or develop your interests. Personal plans take account of this, and describe the way you will receive the individual support and care that you need. You can expect that the adult placement service provider will discuss your needs with you before offering you a place.

You can also expect that your personal plan will change as your needs for support change. You can expect to be able to discuss your needs with the adult placement worker and adult placement carer before moving in.

Informing and deciding

Standard 1

You have all the information you need about the adult placement service and the role of your adult placement carer to help you decide about using the service.

1 You have an introductory pack which clearly explains about the service. Everything is written in plain English or in a language and format that is suitable for you. It should include:

• the aims of the adult placement service;
• how to use the service;
• the role of the adult placement carer;
• what is available in the adult placement service;
• how quality is monitored for the adult placement service;
• the process of recruiting people to take part in the adult placement service;
• contact names and phone numbers;
• the complaints procedure;
• policies and procedures for managing risk and recording and reporting accidents and incidents;
• the most recent Care Commission inspection report about the service; and
• arrangements that need to be made if the service closes or if the adult placement carer is unable to continue to provide the placement.

First meetings

Standard 2

You have the opportunity to visit and to meet the adult placement carer and her or his family in their home before you choose the adult placement.

1 You can visit the placement at least once to help you reach a decision in your own time about using the service.

2 If you want, your carer, family members, friends or representative (for example, an independent advocate) may be involved in these visits.

Your legal rights

Standard 3

You are clear about your rights in using the service.

1 You can be confident that the adult placement service is run in line with all applicable legal requirements.

2 You receive an adult placement agreement which clearly defines the service that will be provided. The agreement states:

• your rights and responsibilities;
• your right to confidentiality, how information will be handled and how your confidentiality will be protected;
• where you will stay and who you will stay with;
• what your adult placement carer is expected to provide for you;
• placement charges, the services that are included in the charges and those which you are expected to pay for from your own money; and
• your right to know if the service will be suitable for you.

3 You have a copy of this written agreement in a language and format you can understand.

4 You can ask for, and be given, copies of the service's policies and procedures.

5 You can ask for, and be given, confirmation that the service meets with all the applicable legislation and guidance relating to fire, health and safety procedures, and risk management.

6 You can be confident that your adult placement carer has a written, signed agreement which defines the roles, responsibilities and requirements of both the service and herself or himself.

7 You can be confident that your adult placement carer has public liability insurance and appropriate car insurance.

Your environment

Standard 4

You stay in a clean, comfortable and homely environment, which is secure and accessible.

1 You have your own room which is in good repair and reflects your own choices and tastes. The room is suitable for sitting in as well as sleeping in.

2 You can be confident that the adult placement worker makes sure that you stay in a clean, comfortable and homely environment, which is secure and accessible.

3 You receive information about what to do if there is a fire or other emergency in your adult placement carer's home.

Management and staffing arrangements

Standard 5

You experience good quality support and care in the adult placement service. This is provided by management and staff whose professional training and expertise enables them to meet your needs. The service operates in line with all applicable legal requirements and best-practice guidelines.

1 You can be confident that your adult placement carer is well supported by the service.

2 You can be confident that adult placement service staff use methods that reflect up-to-date knowledge and best practice guidance, and that the management are continuously striving to improve practice.

3 You know that adult placement service staff and adult placement carers are all recruited and selected through a process which includes:

• taking up references;
• criminal records checks; and
• cross-reference to the registers of the Scottish Social Services Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council ( NMC) or other professional organisations, where appropriate.

4 You know that your adult placement carer has been assessed by the service and then approved.

5 You know that your adult placement carer has had a formal introduction to the service and is actively encouraged to take part in training.

6 You know that your adult placement carer is supported at all times by a skilled and experienced professional worker in the adult placement service who has the time to support him or her.

7 You know that your adult placement carer has:

• access to a support group in which she or he can share experience and get support;
• clear written information about the fees she or he will receive and the payment procedures involved;
• a handbook about the service that gives her or him guidance about what to do in different situations. The handbook will be regularly reviewed.

8 You know that your adult placement service has a written agreement with the purchaser of the service, setting out the terms and conditions of the service. This is the basis of your adult placement agreement.

9 You know that the service has a staff development strategy and an effective yearly training plan for all its staff.

10 You can be confident that when your adult placement carer is receiving training, the adult placement service still takes care of your needs.

11 You are confident that your adult placement carer will not use restraint at all unless it is permitted by law and even then, restraint will not be used until other interventions have failed. If you are ever restrained, this will be recorded and you can expect to be supported after any episode of restraint.

12 You can be sure that, whether or not you are organising your own medication, the adult placement carer is trained to check this. They will, with your agreement, get advice from your GP if there are any concerns about your condition or the medication.

13 You can be confident that the adult placement service has policies and procedures on financial transactions and can check that your adult placement carer carries out these policies and procedures. This will be in a way that can be checked by the Care Commission.

14 You are confident that the adult placement service knows your food choices and preferences, including ethnic, cultural and faith ones and checks with your adult placement carer to make sure that:

• any special dietary needs (for example, if you have diabetes or poor kidney function) are recorded in your personal plan;
• your meals reflect your preferences and needs and are varied and planned, taking account of your comments;
• your meals are nutritionally balanced for your dietary needs, taking account, if necessary, of expert dietetic or medical advice. They always contain fresh fruit and vegetables;
• you can have snacks and hot and cold drinks as well as your meals;
• your meals are well prepared and well presented. All food handling follows good food hygiene practices;
• if you need any help at mealtimes (for example, a liquidised diet, adapted cutlery or crockery), your adult placement carer will arrange this for you; and
• your adult placement carer will look out for anything that may affect your ability to eat or drink, such as your dental health. If there are concerns, she or he will support you (if you want) to get advice and help.

15 You can be confident that the adult placement service makes sure
that the adult placement carers know and abide by its policies and procedures.

Support arrangements

Standard 6

You can be confident before starting the placement that the service will meet your support and care needs and personal preferences. The adult placement worker will develop with you a personal plan that details your needs and preferences and sets out how they will be met, in a way that you find acceptable.

1 Your personal plan will include:

• what you prefer to be called;
• personal preferences as to food and drink, and any special dietary needs;
• social, cultural and spiritual preferences;
• leisure interests;
• any special furniture, equipment and adaptations you may need;
• who should be involved in reviewing your care;
• any special communication needs you may have;
• what communication arrangements need to be put in place if your first language is not English;
• your individual health needs and how these should be met (where appropriate, they take account of your ethnic and cultural background);
• when, and in what circumstances, your family, carer, friends and representatives will be contacted;
• your arrangements for taking any medication, including any need to contact professionals;
• an independent person to contact if you want to make a complaint or raise a concern; and
• any measures of restraint which staff may have to use for your own safety or for the safety of others.

2 You will receive a copy of your personal plan to keep. The adult placement carer also receives a copy.

3 Your personal plan will be reviewed with you. In long-term placements, the plan will be reviewed at least once a year, or sooner if you want, or if your needs change.

4 Your family, carer, friends and representatives can be involved in developing your personal plans and in your reviews, unless you tell
the adult placement worker that you do not want them to be.