Smithers, an overnight and day short breaks service for children and young people aged between two and 19 with profound physical and/or learning disabilities, has received a glowing report and received a ‘good’ rating by Ofsted at a recent inspection.
Run by Diverse Abilities, Dorset’s disability charity, the short break service provides families a safe and fun place for their child to go, giving parents some breathing space and time for life’s other tasks or to spend time with their other children.
The Ofsted inspectors reported that ‘a strength of the service is the care and support it provides to young people with complex needs’ and that the ‘staff provide personalised and effective support to those visit’.
In addition the inspectors stated that the ‘young people enjoy good relationships with the staff and are happy and relaxed in the environment’ and ‘the service provides a wide range of activities both in the home and in the local and wider community’.
Ofsted reported that parents of children that attend Smithers ‘consider their child safe while staying at the home’ and that ‘good working relationships are in place between carers and parents’.
Amiee Barnett, Smithers’ manager, said: “We are overjoyed that we received a ‘good’ rating by Ofsted. This demonstrates the fantastic job we do and that we provide a high quality service to the children and young people we support. The Smithers team are very dedicated, competent and place the needs of the young people at the centre of their care. Parents, families, people we support and staff connected to the service should be very proud of this achievement.”
For further information regarding Smithers or Diverse Abilities Plus, please visit www.diverseabilities.org.uk or call 01202 718266.
