8 March 2019
During a routine inspection
People’s experience of using this service:
People told us they were very happy with the support they received and they felt safe. They told us staff discussed with them how to stay safe and they learned how to be independent.
Relatives told us people were supported by a team of staff who were kind and supportive.
People`s support needs were well documented and staff had guidance in place to be able to effectively support people. People achieved positive outcomes due to the structured support they received.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service support this practice.
The care service was developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These values include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. People with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen.
People were encouraged to take positive risks and live fulfilling lives. The registered manager empowered staff to act as advocates for people so that people`s choices and wishes were with other professionals involved in their care.
Staff received training to understand how to support people with learning disability and autism to be included in society and be active part of their community. Staff told us they felt supported and valued by the organisation they worked for.
The registered manager and deputy manager developed, promoted and implemented innovative ways of involving people in developing high-quality, outstanding practice that could be sustained over time. There were consistently high levels of constructive engagement with staff and people who used the service through team meetings, review meetings and supervisions. People were involved in vetting the staff supporting them either in interviews or when staff were allocated shadow shifts in their own home.
The service worked in partnership with other organisations supporting people with similar needs and they were promoting `Autism Hour` whereby they were holding talks in local schools and in the community, displaying posters to educate the general public about the importance of including people with a learning disability and autism in the community.
The registered manager and the provider conducted regular audits and surveys to monitor the quality of the service provided. Where improvements were needed these were entered on an action plan and closely monitored by the registered manager until they were ready to sign these off as completed.
Rating at last inspection: Good (report published 22 June 2016).
Why we inspected: This was a planned inspection based on the rating at the last inspection. The service remained rated Good overall.
Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk