Ability 2 Achieve provides Care at Home services. It provides a service to people living with autism or a learning disability, people living with mental ill health and to both older and younger adults. At the time of the inspection there were fifteen people being supported by the service in Staffordshire, Chester and in the Blackpool area.

The service had been operating under a previous provider and was re-registered with the current provider in March 2017.

The care service has been 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.” Registering the Right Support CQC policy

This service provides care and support to people living in three supported living services as well as to people living in individual private homes. They give support so that people can live in their own home as independently as possible. People's care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

Not everyone using Ability 2 Achieve receives regulated activity; CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with 'personal care'; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

The care service has been 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.

This was an announced inspection that started on 20 August 2018 with a visit to the office base. This was the first inspection of the service since it was registered by the current provider in March 2017.

The service had a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

The service ensured that the people they supported were as safe as possible. Staff were trained to recognise abuse and suitable systems were in place to ensure that people were protected from harm.

The service had suitably recruited, trained and supervised staff who were deployed appropriately to meet people's care and support needs. The service had suitable policies and procedures related to disciplinary and grievance matters.

Staff were trained in the administration and management of medicines and these were recorded appropriately.

Infection control matters were managed appropriately with staff receiving training and having access to personal protective equipment.

The registered manager and the senior team had a good understanding of their responsibilities under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. No one supported by the service was being deprived of their liberty. People told us that they were asked for consent before interactions.

Any issues around nutrition and hydration were included in care plans. Staff supported some people to undertake food preparation as part of independence and skills building.

Staff supported people to access health care support and were trained to call on the support of health care professionals for emergencies. We saw that support workers helped people to attend appointments and, in some cases had helped people access services like chiropody or dentistry.

The service was based in an office park near Bamber Bridge. This was safe a