Quality Standard 1 – Working with people to define and co-produce personal well-being outcomes that people wish to achieve
What did the Citizen Survey tell us?
We asked people whether they had received the right information and advice when they needed it.
73% of adults who completed the standard version and 72% who completed the easy-read version of the questionnaire agreed that they had, with a further 23% agreeing some of the time. We noted that some respondents referred to contact they’d had with agencies and organisations other than Social Care so it is difficult to gauge a response which specifically refers to Conwy’s Social Care provision.
Communication can be poor when carers are late.
Happy to be able to get the right information and advice as I needed it.
I must say, if you do get the right person they are very good.
68% of Carers who responded to the questionnaire agreed that they had received information and advice when they needed it, and 25% some of the time. Additional comments reveal both frustration and appreciation around the level of help received.
Almost all services don’t make it plain how to contact them and phone numbers would have been a help.
I feel it’s a bit of a minefield and that you’re losing control of your wishes.
We acknowledge that communication is an area which can always be improved and our teams do their best to provide direct contact details to people who receive care and support from us. Our teams are experienced in providing information, advice and assistance and working with citizens to establish what matters to them and what outcomes they would like to achieve. Our website is a useful source of information for anyone wishing to get in touch with us, whether they are known to us or not.
We asked people whether they had been treated with dignity and respect whilst receiving care and support from us. 95% of adults who completed the standard version and 91% of adults who completed the easy-read version agreed.
Advice was always given in a caring manner.
Without exception all of your team have been most helpful and respectful. We think of all of them more as friends than officials. It is most comforting to know that people care.
Yes, here I am always treated with dignity and respect. That was not always the case in the previous home or hospital. I am glad to be here.
94% of Carers agreed that they were treated with dignity and respect and 84% of children.
We asked people with a care and support plan whether they knew who to contact in Social Care. 82% of adults who completed the standard version and 85% of adults who completed the easy-read version did know who to contact, but some of the additional comments suggest that we could be better at providing better communication channels for existing service users.
It’s so unfair that they change social workers and occupational therapists so often and never advise us.
Have plenty of leaflets but not helpful with names and addresses.
71% of Carers know who to contact in Social Care, with a further 19% some of the time. From the supporting comments, experiences are mixed.
My Carers Officer is very supportive.
Not always. I have had varied phone numbers but due to your manning/workload status you are rarely there. Not a fault, unfortunately a fact of life.
70% of children agree that they know who to contact, but this is usually via their parents, foster parents or school.
We asked if people had felt involved in any decisions made about their care and support. 78% of adults who completed the standard version of the questionnaire and 73% of adults who completed the easy-read version agreed that they had been involved. 77% of Carers also agree but some supporting comments reveal a level of frustration with what can be achieved within their care and support package
It seems to me that people with dementia find it easier to accept care from a familiar face – but a constant change of faces.
Why can’t we have weekend respite from time to time?
Our team of Community Support Workers are specialised to work with people living with dementia to ensure that they are provided with the highest standard of care and support. Applications for respite are considered by a regular panel and decisions are made according to the regional respite policy, taking into account individual circumstances.
69% of children agree that their views have been listened to and there was a mix of positive and negative feedback in the additional comments.
Social workers don’t listen.
I am listened to if I need help or support.
The survey asks if people are satisfied with the care and support they have received. 86% of adults who completed the standard version of the questionnaire stated that they were satisfied and 84% of adults who completed the easy-read version agreed.
It is because of the care and support I have received here that my mental health has improved so much.
Most of the time – but need to know which person will support me – often different people each day.
73% of Carers stated that they were happy with care and support received. This seems to be a group who rely upon a variety of sources for advice and support, and targeted and appropriate interventions can make all the difference to their quality of life.
What was offered was as supportive as they could be but the limiting of time was a pressure.
Care workers who came in were too young/inexperienced for the ‘companionship’ role they were brought in to provide.
76% of children indicated that they were happy with the care and support given and it’s clear from the additional comments that being at the centre of the process, as an individual, is important to them.
Treated like a number on a tick-list, not a person.
The waiting list is too long, and even when they do give the services it’s very limited, say only an hour a week.
Working in accordance with the Social Care and Well-being (Wales) Act means that we put the citizen at the centre of the assessment process and ensure that they are able to express their views and wishes at every stage of their care and support. We work hard to provide the best possible service with the resources we have, and signpost people to other relevant organisations or services which may be able to offer further support.
How else are we delivering on this Quality Standard?
Engagement within Older People’s Services
Quality Monitoring in Reablement Services
Our Older People Team specialise in reablement services which support people on a short-term basis to regain their independence. Once our input comes to an end, we ask for feedback from everyone who has received support on how involved they felt in setting personal outcomes, how they feel their outcomes were then met and their general experience with our team.
Here’s a flavour of the feedback received since October 2018: 98% of people who received a reablement service agreed that they were involved in agreeing and planning their support.
- 98% felt that their expectations of the service were met.
- 97% stated that Conwy Social Care agreed their outcomes with them at the start of the service.
- 96% felt that they had met their identified outcomes at the end of the support period.
- 67% felt that their cultural/religious wishes had been taken into account and provided for during the intervention, however, this was not applicable to 32% of people who received a service.
- 96% felt that the support given was flexible, e.g. visiting times, length of visits etc.
- 93% agreed that the support received was consistent, i.e. that the same team of staff visited throughout the intervention period.
- 97% felt that the support they received enabled them to do as much as possible for themselves. 100% agreed that our staff were pleasant, kind and courteous.
- 100% agreed that our staff were pleasant, kind and courteous.
They did a fab job.
Fantastic support.
Very kind and caring.
Working more efficiently with our Health partners
In the last year we have reviewed the referral process for patients transferring from Ysbyty Glan Clwyd to Conwy Social Care. Previously, all referrals from Glan Clwyd went straight to a Social Worker, which could result in a short delay for the individual. We decided to look at these cases and discovered that a good proportion of these individuals did not need Social Work involvement at all.
As a result, the Health Occupational Therapist (OT) at Glan Clwyd takes the lead on the individual’s plan for discharge from hospital. The OT will undertake the assessment and identify any needs, for example, if reablement is required.
This process is now more streamlined, timelier for the individual and more efficient. The individual also has an assessment which focuses on establishing outcomes which the individual wants to achieve in the long term.
Engagement with Looked After Children and Young People Leaving Care
The Loud Voices Forum
To ensure that Children and Young People in our care have a voice we have facilitated two regular consultation forums in Conwy. The Loud Voices Forum is open to all looked after children between the ages of 5 and 15 years old. The forum is supported and coordinated by the Youth Participation Officer and Independent Reviewing Officers and the meetings are held at a local youth club on a regular basis. The aim of the forum is to learn from our children and young people about what is happening for them and what we, as professionals, can learn from them.
The group has discussed and given their views on creating a one-page profile for workers – an ‘All About Me’ information guide. The children were involved with which questions should be included, and the information they wanted the Social Workers to provide.
Shaping Futures
Shaping Futures is a group representing young people aged 16 to 25 years old who are in care and also preparing to leave care. They undertake work on issues and ideas that come from young people themselves in terms of their own ideas and the young people that they represent. Common themes include care plans, reviews, exit interviews and regular external consultations. The aim is to provide a voice for all children and young people in Conwy receiving a service from Social Care and to represent their needs and views. In the last year the group have been working hard in attending various consultations and workshops. Here are some examples:Consultation with Conwy Youth Service;
- Session arranged called Know your Rights, Know your Benefits;
- Meeting with Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) in September 2018;
- Consultation workshops with Voices from Care;
- Views given on the Hidden Ambitions Report to the Children’s Commissioner for Wales.
What’s Next?
In the coming year we will be looking at various ways we can engage with children and young people. This work will include looking at the use of social media and working actively with young care leavers to ensure they have access to the right information.
Child Protection Conferences
When we hold Child Protection Conferences we encourage children to attend if they are old enough, and if they want to be there. Before the meeting takes place, our Child Protection Coordinator will offer to meet with the child to elicit their views and ensure that their voice is heard and their wishes taken into account. This is an area which we hope to strengthen further with the introduction of Independent Safeguarding and Reviewing roles and we will be reporting on progress in this area in next year’s report.
Looked After Children Celebration Day
During the summer we held a day full of celebration and entertainment for children and young people who are looked after. We consulted with them beforehand about what type of activities they would like to see on the day ensuring that all ages were catered for. The older children particularly enjoyed the ‘Boom Box’ activities which allowed them to showcase their ‘rapping’ skills! We also held craft sessions to encourage all children to get involved and to take home the things that they made. In the afternoon, the children received certificates for something they have achieved.