Kitemark standards and questions | Provider Hub

The Ageing Well Kite Mark has been developed by ECC to demonstrate that providers have attained expected understanding and ongoing minimum standards within services, specific to ageing well with a disability.

This is measured through a mix of up-front technical questions and ongoing monitoring regarding training of staff and understanding of issues relating to adults within this cohort.

The Kite Mark will be used to differentiate between providers when seeking accommodation for adults that fall within the Ageing Well cohort and will be factored into the decision as to where adults will be placed.

What are the benefits to Providers of us having a kitemark?

The key benefits to having the Kite Mark will be in receiving referrals for adults within the Ageing Well cohort, alongside being able to evidence quality of support provided.

For providers that operate older person’s services such as residential homes or domiciliary care, this will mean inclusion on a preferred list of providers for placements of adults within this cohort.

For providers delivering supported living services, this will become a factor on the placement of adults within the cohort through our Supported Living Framework.

What do we have to do to attain and maintain it?

Providers can make an application to ECC at any time to be accredited under the Ageing Well Programme by completing and returning the Ageing Well Kitemark Questionnaire to nick.green@essex.gov.uk.

Ageing Well Kitemark Questionnaire 

Your response will be reviewed by ECC within 4 weeks of submission.

Service Standards for Older Adults with Disabilities

ECC supports a significant number of adults with disabilities who have needs that evidence that they are ageing, some of them prematurely when compared to the older population. For some of these individuals, their primary need under which they are eligible for social care support will continue to be associated with disability. For others, their primary need may change and they may be better suited to services supplied within the older person market.

Due to the significant number of older adults with disabilities, it is important to have a set of standards for the services who support these individuals. ECC will measure which services meet these standards, and the information will be used when considering appropriate placements for older adults with disabilities. Note that these standards apply to both Supported Living and Residential Care.

Purpose

This section sets out the standards required of providers who are accredited under our Ageing Well initiative to deliver services to adults with disabilities.

There are two different provider markets that will be operating within these services, being those that are primarily focussed on disabilities but are looking to support older adults and those that are primarily older person focussed but are looking to support older adults with disabilities. As such these standards are split into two sections to reflect the additional requirements we have.

Set Questions

Providers are required to answer and evidence several set questions to ascertain a level of understanding around the Ageing Well cohort and how ageing impacts adults with disabilities.

These questions only need to be completed once, and at the outset of the provider’s application to be approved to work with the Ageing Well cohort in Essex. There may be occasions in the future where ECC require the provider to re-complete the responses to these questions or to answer additional questions, but this will be communicated as and when required.

KPIs

Providers are required to self-report on their attainment of the measures set out within this document. There are multiple measures that have been set out and these have been split into sections, with standards then listed out within each of these categories.

KPIs will be checked on a regular basis and as outlined within the following pages. There is no set format for the reporting of KPIs but the information requested must be provided to ECC within the dates that are specified from time to time.

Failure to attain the standards that are set out within this document will result in the provider failing to achieve the Kite Mark for Ageing Well – but does not preclude any providers from re-applying.

Category	Content	Measurement	How	Frequency
Section 1: Training
Standard 1	Staff will have completed the Oliver McGowan mandatory training in LD and Autism to a minimum of Tier 2.	80% have completed the Oliver McGowan Mandatory training at any given time.	Annual Return with evidence of staff that have undertaken the training.	Annual
Standard 2	Understands the context of Ageing well with a Learning Disability. Recognises early warning signs of frailty and is aware of common health conditions associated with ageing.	Provider can demonstrate that they have in place, strategies for using soft signs tools/observational tools to identify when someone is showing signs of ageing., irrespective of chronological age.	Answer set questions	Initial requirement
Standard 3	Can illustrate the value and usage of Health tools.	80% of people where relevant have: ·         an Annual check and resultant Health Action Plan ·         Baseline assessment ·         Hospital passport ·         Wellbeing/ill being check ·         Sig7/restore2/Is my Resident well	Spot check – request a randomised sample of documents from adults within the cohort for review.	Annual
Standard 3	Can illustrate the value and usage of Health tools.		Answer set questions.	Initial requirement
Standard 4	Can illustrate the value and usage of well-being tools	80% of people will have: ·         Life story ‘book’ or equivalent ·         Memory box ·         Future Plan for ageing well, reviewed annually ·         Communication Passport updated annually.	Spot check – request a randomised sample of documents from adults within the cohort for review.	Annual
Standard 4	Can illustrate the value and usage of well-being tools		Answer set questions.	Initial requirement
Standard 5	Key staff will have completed the Ageing Well Train the Trainer course, to be able to train other staff on Ageing Well.	Provider self-reporting on number of staff across their total staff group, to have attended internal/ECC Ageing Well training within the past 12 months and 80% of staff working with this client group have been dementia trained by the organisation.	Provider sharing training records for both Train the Trainer and Ageing Well. ECC cross referencing to their own attendance records for Train the Trainer.	Annual
Standard 6	Key staff and supervisors have undergone the Dementia “Train the Trainer” course to be able to cascade the knowledge to other staff on appropriate practices	Provider self-reporting on number of staff across their total staff group, to have attended internal/external Train the Trainer within the past 12 month and 80% of staff working with this client group have been dementia trained by the organisation.	Provider to share Training records for both Train the Trainer and Dementia.	Annual

Category	Content	Measurement	How	Frequency
Section 1: Training
Standard 1	Staff will have completed the Oliver McGowan mandatory training in LD and Autism to a minimum of Tier 2.	80% have completed the Oliver McGowan Mandatory training at any given time.	Annual Return with evidence of staff that have undertaken the training.	Annual
Standard 2	Understands the context of Ageing well with a Learning Disability. Recognises early warning signs of frailty and is aware of common health conditions associated with ageing.	Provider can demonstrate that they have in place, strategies for using soft signs tools/observational tools to identify when someone is showing signs of ageing., irrespective of chronological age.	Answer set questions	Initial requirement
Standard 3	Can illustrate the value and usage of Health tools.	80% of people where relevant have: ·         an Annual check and resultant Health Action Plan ·         Baseline assessment ·         Hospital passport ·         Wellbeing/ill being check ·         Sig7/restore2/Is my Resident well	Spot check – request a randomised sample of documents from adults within the cohort for review.	Annual
Standard 3	Can illustrate the value and usage of Health tools.		Answer set questions.	Initial requirement
Standard 4	Can illustrate the value and usage of well-being tools	80% of people will have: ·         Life story ‘book’ or equivalent ·         Memory box ·         Future Plan for ageing well, reviewed annually ·         Communication Passport updated annually.	Spot check – request a randomised sample of documents from adults within the cohort for review.	Annual
Standard 4	Can illustrate the value and usage of well-being tools		Answer set questions.	Initial requirement
Standard 5	Key staff will have completed the Ageing Well Train the Trainer course, to be able to train other staff on Ageing Well.	Provider self-reporting on number of staff across their total staff group, to have attended internal/ECC Ageing Well training within the past 12 months and 80% of staff working with this client group have been dementia trained by the organisation.	Provider sharing training records for both Train the Trainer and Ageing Well. ECC cross referencing to their own attendance records for Train the Trainer.	Annual
Standard 6	Key staff and supervisors have undergone the Dementia “Train the Trainer” course to be able to cascade the knowledge to other staff on appropriate practices	Provider self-reporting on number of staff across their total staff group, to have attended internal/external Train the Trainer within the past 12 month and 80% of staff working with this client group have been dementia trained by the organisation.	Provider to share Training records for both Train the Trainer and Dementia.	Annual

Category	Content	Measurement	How	Frequency
Section 1: Training
Standard 1	Staff will have completed the Oliver McGowan mandatory training in LD and Autism to a minimum of Tier 2.	80% have completed the Oliver McGowan Mandatory training at any given time.	Annual Return with evidence of staff that have undertaken the training.	Annual
Standard 2	Understands the context of Ageing well with a Learning Disability. Recognises early warning signs of frailty and is aware of common health conditions associated with ageing.	Provider can demonstrate that they have in place, strategies for using soft signs tools/observational tools to identify when someone is showing signs of ageing., irrespective of chronological age.	Answer set questions	Initial requirement
Standard 3	Can illustrate the value and usage of Health tools.	80% of people where relevant have: ·         an Annual check and resultant Health Action Plan ·         Baseline assessment ·         Hospital passport ·         Wellbeing/ill being check ·         Sig7/restore2/Is my Resident well	Spot check – request a randomised sample of documents from adults within the cohort for review.	Annual
Standard 3	Can illustrate the value and usage of Health tools.		Answer set questions.	Initial requirement
Standard 4	Can illustrate the value and usage of well-being tools	80% of people will have: ·         Life story ‘book’ or equivalent ·         Memory box ·         Future Plan for ageing well, reviewed annually ·         Communication Passport updated annually.	Spot check – request a randomised sample of documents from adults within the cohort for review.	Annual
Standard 4	Can illustrate the value and usage of well-being tools		Answer set questions.	Initial requirement
Standard 5	Key staff will have completed the Ageing Well Train the Trainer course, to be able to train other staff on Ageing Well.	Provider self-reporting on number of staff across their total staff group, to have attended internal/ECC Ageing Well training within the past 12 months and 80% of staff working with this client group have been dementia trained by the organisation.	Provider sharing training records for both Train the Trainer and Ageing Well. ECC cross referencing to their own attendance records for Train the Trainer.	Annual
Standard 6	Key staff and supervisors have undergone the Dementia “Train the Trainer” course to be able to cascade the knowledge to other staff on appropriate practices	Provider self-reporting on number of staff across their total staff group, to have attended internal/external Train the Trainer within the past 12 month and 80% of staff working with this client group have been dementia trained by the organisation.	Provider to share Training records for both Train the Trainer and Dementia.	Annual

Category	Content	Measurement	How	Frequency
Section 1: Training
Standard 1	Staff will have completed the Oliver McGowan mandatory training in LD and Autism to a minimum of Tier 2.	80% have completed the Oliver McGowan Mandatory training at any given time.	Annual Return with evidence of staff that have undertaken the training.	Annual
Standard 2	Understands the context of Ageing well with a Learning Disability. Recognises early warning signs of frailty and is aware of common health conditions associated with ageing.	Provider can demonstrate that they have in place, strategies for using soft signs tools/observational tools to identify when someone is showing signs of ageing., irrespective of chronological age.	Answer set questions	Initial requirement
Standard 3	Can illustrate the value and usage of Health tools.	80% of people where relevant have: ·         an Annual check and resultant Health Action Plan ·         Baseline assessment ·         Hospital passport ·         Wellbeing/ill being check ·         Sig7/restore2/Is my Resident well	Spot check – request a randomised sample of documents from adults within the cohort for review.	Annual
Standard 3	Can illustrate the value and usage of Health tools.		Answer set questions.	Initial requirement
Standard 4	Can illustrate the value and usage of well-being tools	80% of people will have: ·         Life story ‘book’ or equivalent ·         Memory box ·         Future Plan for ageing well, reviewed annually ·         Communication Passport updated annually.	Spot check – request a randomised sample of documents from adults within the cohort for review.	Annual
Standard 4	Can illustrate the value and usage of well-being tools		Answer set questions.	Initial requirement
Standard 5	Key staff will have completed the Ageing Well Train the Trainer course, to be able to train other staff on Ageing Well.	Provider self-reporting on number of staff across their total staff group, to have attended internal/ECC Ageing Well training within the past 12 months and 80% of staff working with this client group have been dementia trained by the organisation.	Provider sharing training records for both Train the Trainer and Ageing Well. ECC cross referencing to their own attendance records for Train the Trainer.	Annual
Standard 6	Key staff and supervisors have undergone the Dementia “Train the Trainer” course to be able to cascade the knowledge to other staff on appropriate practices	Provider self-reporting on number of staff across their total staff group, to have attended internal/external Train the Trainer within the past 12 month and 80% of staff working with this client group have been dementia trained by the organisation.	Provider to share Training records for both Train the Trainer and Dementia.	Annual

Category	Content	Measurement	How	Frequency
Section 1: Training
Standard 1	Staff will have completed the Oliver McGowan mandatory training in LD and Autism to a minimum of Tier 2.	80% have completed the Oliver McGowan Mandatory training at any given time.	Annual Return with evidence of staff that have undertaken the training.	Annual
Standard 2	Understands the context of Ageing well with a Learning Disability. Recognises early warning signs of frailty and is aware of common health conditions associated with ageing.	Provider can demonstrate that they have in place, strategies for using soft signs tools/observational tools to identify when someone is showing signs of ageing., irrespective of chronological age.	Answer set questions	Initial requirement
Standard 3	Can illustrate the value and usage of Health tools.	80% of people where relevant have: ·         an Annual check and resultant Health Action Plan ·         Baseline assessment ·         Hospital passport ·         Wellbeing/ill being check ·         Sig7/restore2/Is my Resident well	Spot check – request a randomised sample of documents from adults within the cohort for review.	Annual
Standard 3	Can illustrate the value and usage of Health tools.		Answer set questions.	Initial requirement
Standard 4	Can illustrate the value and usage of well-being tools	80% of people will have: ·         Life story ‘book’ or equivalent ·         Memory box ·         Future Plan for ageing well, reviewed annually ·         Communication Passport updated annually.	Spot check – request a randomised sample of documents from adults within the cohort for review.	Annual
Standard 4	Can illustrate the value and usage of well-being tools		Answer set questions.	Initial requirement
Standard 5	Key staff will have completed the Ageing Well Train the Trainer course, to be able to train other staff on Ageing Well.	Provider self-reporting on number of staff across their total staff group, to have attended internal/ECC Ageing Well training within the past 12 months and 80% of staff working with this client group have been dementia trained by the organisation.	Provider sharing training records for both Train the Trainer and Ageing Well. ECC cross referencing to their own attendance records for Train the Trainer.	Annual
Standard 6	Key staff and supervisors have undergone the Dementia “Train the Trainer” course to be able to cascade the knowledge to other staff on appropriate practices	Provider self-reporting on number of staff across their total staff group, to have attended internal/external Train the Trainer within the past 12 month and 80% of staff working with this client group have been dementia trained by the organisation.	Provider to share Training records for both Train the Trainer and Dementia.	Annual

Useful links

NICE guidance - Care and support of people growing older with learning disabilities

What Is A Learning Disability?  - Mencap

What is a learning disability? From Person with Learning Disability - perspective

Reasonable adjustments for people with a learning disability - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Sensory Action Alliance

Sensory awareness training

What is a learning disability? - Mencap

Communication: speaking to people with a learning disability - Mencap

Adult Health Check - Mencap Chelmsford

DNACPR-Checklist-final-easy-read.pdf (learningdisabilityengland.org.uk)

Learning Disability - Health Inequalities Research | Mencap

NICE - health inequalities

What is autism

About Down's Syndrome - Downs Syndrome Association (downs-syndrome.org.uk)

Communication Passports | Inclusive Communication Essex (essexice.co.uk)

What Is Turner Syndrome? - Turner Syndrome Foundation

Williams Syndrome Explained - Williams Syndrome Foundation (williams-syndrome.org.uk)

What is Angelman Syndrome – Angelman Syndrome Foundation

About Rett Syndrome - International Rett Syndrome Foundation

Ageing with a disability- unveiling challenges - University of Oxford

PWSA UK | Support for those living with Prader-Willi Syndrome

Hospital passport

Communication support for deaf people

Different types of accessible information and communication support and who may need them

Hospital Passport 2021 A4

Ageing Well with a disability, Oxford Press - Blog written by Dr Melina Malli Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing.

First Study - Ageing with a Disability - Mike Oliver, scholar with a disability - This report details the findings from the first major study on ageing with a disability in the U.K.

It does not refer to people who experience disability as part of the ageing process, but to those who are disabled in child or adulthood and who are now ageing. Based on responses from over 200 older disabled people, the report examines people’s personal experiences of ageing and the impact this has on their lives.

Summary | The State of Ageing 2023-24 | Centre for Ageing Better This summary discusses the data on our older population, highlights stark inequalities and the urgent need for action.

Simon who has Usher Syndrome learning to play golf with help from Sense

Last updated: 13/02/2025

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Standard 1	Knowing how to get resource and support from LD specialist health staff.	Provider can speak with confidence about the range of specialist support available for people with LD as they age.	Answer set questions.	Initial requirement
Standard 2	Appropriate (Technology Enabled Care) TEC and apps are in place to support independence	Provider can evidence a range/use of TEC in place and how this assists with continuing independence.	Answer set questions	Initial requirement