This inspection took place on 11 and 12 September and was announced.

Alina Homecare Specialist Care Kent is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses in the community and provides care and support to people living in 'supported living' settings, so that they 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.

The service specialises in providing support to people with learning disabilities and 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.

Not everyone using Alina Homecare Specialist Care Kent 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. At the time of the inspection, the service was supporting eight people with their personal care needs. People who use the service live in Maidstone, Ashford, Medway and the surrounding areas.

The service had a 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 registered manager was supported in their role by an operations director and an office administrator.

People said they felt safe using the service. Staff had been trained on how to report abuse and knew how to report concerns and managers knew how to report them. Risks to people and the environment were assessed and staff took steps to reduce any risks identified. There were enough staff working at the service. New staff were recruited safely. People received their medicines safely by staff who were trained and who had their competency checked. People were protected by the prevention and control of infection. The supported living service we visited was well presented and clean. Steps were taken to ensure lessons were learned when things went wrong.

People were assessed before a service began and their support was delivered in line with current legislation. Newly recruited staff were trained in line with the Care Certificate. Established staff received training which was tailored according to the needs of those using the service. People were involved in making decisions about what food they ate, and were supported by staff to maintain a balanced diet. Staff supported people to access timely healthcare support. Staff followed guidance from professionals involved in people’s care. Staff were knowledgeable about the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Best interest meetings were held when needed.

People were treated with kindness and respect. Staff knew people’s needs and said they had the time to get to know people and how they wanted to be supported. People said they were confident to express their wishes. Staff knew how to refer people to external advocates if the person needed additional support. People were encouraged to live independent lives, and had their privacy and dignity promoted. People’s confidential information was kept private.

People were in control of how their support was provided and it was provided in a personali