19 August 2011
During a routine inspection
People told us they were very happy with the service they received. They said they received an initial assessment and were therefore able to explain what support they required in order to achieve their goals. People had support plans which they were fully involved in developing. This gave information about their individual needs and how they would like to be supported. People's progress was regularly discussed and support plans were updated as a result. People had copies of their support plans in their own homes.
People told us their rights to privacy and dignity were fully respected. People were encouraged to give their views about the service they received. They could do this informally or by completing a quality assurance survey. People were given a copy of the agency's complaint procedure when they began using the service. They were encouraged to raise a concern if they were not happy with any area of their support.
People told us they liked the staff. They said they were all very pleasant, friendly and patient. People were supported by a small team of staff so that continuity was assured. The time allocated to support each individual was flexible so that people were not rushed. Staff discussed reducing the service with the person, once their goals had been achieved.
We received information about the service from social care professionals and this showed that the staff team were professional, experienced and knowledgeable. We saw evidence that staff completed on going training and had regular supervision to ensure that their knowledge and skills were kept up to date.