We carried out a review of the data available to us about Caring Alternatives on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Caring Alternatives, you can give feedback on this service.
About the service
Caring Alternatives is registered as a homecare agency to provide personal care to people who have a learning disability and/or autistic spectrum disorder in their own homes. Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do, we also consider any wider social care provided.
At the time of the inspection there were six people receiving personal care in different ‘supported living’ settings with 24/7-hour support.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.
Right Support
The service was wholly person centred. It encouraged and promoted people’s rights to pursue those activities they wished to pursue. People were encouraged to be as independent as possible. The service consulted with people about the quality of the support they received, and people confirmed that they felt able to influence their support and were listened to. The service worked hand in hand with people and their families to provide a good quality of support.
Right Care
The dignity and human rights of people were fully promoted by the service. People were supported by a staff team who knew their needs and preferences well. Support was holistic and focussed on positive risk taking within people’s house or the wider community.
Right culture
The management team were experienced and demonstrated knowledge in successfully supporting people with learning disabilities and/or autism. They had developed an open and transparent culture where the preferences and protected characteristics of people were fully considered and acted upon. Staff felt supported by the management team.
People felt safe with the staff team and many positive relationships had developed. People told us that staff were knowledgeable about their personal needs and preferences. Care was consistently provided in a person centred manner with dignity, privacy and human rights.
The communication preferences of people were respected and while people did not have any complaints; they felt confident that the management team would act upon them.
The service was well managed with an open and transparent culture being fostered by an experienced management team who maintained a presence for people who used the service.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
This service was registered with us on 20 April 2021 and this is the first inspection.
The last rating for the service at a previous location was Good, published on 25 November 2017.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection to give the service its first rating.
You can read the report from our last comprehensive inspection, by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Caring Alternatives on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.