This comprehensive inspection took place on 31 January 2018. We gave the provider 2 days' notice of the inspection as the service was small and provided care and support to people living in their own homes and we needed to make sure the registered manager would be available to assist with the inspection.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides support to mainly older adults. At the time of this inspection there were three people receiving care and support from the service.

Not everyone using Careing For U Ltd receives a 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.

There was a registered manager in post, who was also the owner. 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.

Following the last inspection on the 1 March 2017, we rated the key questions, ‘Is the service safe?’ and ‘Is the service well-led?’ ‘Requires Improvement’ and the service overall was rated ‘Requires improvement’. We also found a breach of the regulation in relation to good governance and asked the provider to complete an action plan to tell us what improvements they would make at the service. They told us they would make the necessary improvements by 4 April 2017.

During this inspection we found that the provider had made improvements to the quality assurance systems at the service. The provider had introduced audits on different aspects of the service, such as people’s care records and staff files. This helped them to monitor the service and to make adjustments where necessary. Improvements had also been made to the recruitment procedures. Literacy tests had been introduced and the provider verified references where this was needed to check they were genuine.

Feedback from people’s relatives was positive. They described care workers as caring, reliable and friendly.

The provider had systems to safeguard people from abuse. Care workers completed safeguarding training and knew how to report any concerns.

Care workers confirmed they were well trained and supported by the registered manager. Support was provided through one to one and group meetings. Training was provided on various topics and refresher training had been arranged that was relevant to care worker’s roles and responsibilities.

People's needs had been assessed in line with good practice guidance and they had been able to express their views and preferences. People did not require assistance with health appointments but any changes were acted on by the registered manager.

Care workers carried out minimal tasks relating to meal provision. However, they recorded the meals and drinks given to people so that their nutritional needs could be monitored.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The systems in the service supported this practice.

There were sufficient numbers of care workers employed to meet people’s needs.

The provider had arrangements to help protect people from the risk of the spread of infection as the care workers wore protective equipment, such as gloves and aprons, when providing care.

Relatives told us they knew how to make a complaint and there were systems in place to manage and respond to complaints.

People did not need support with managing their medicines. However, care workers were trained to provide this service as and when required.

We undertook an announced inspection of Careing For U UK Ltd on 1 March 2017. We told the provider two working days before our visit that we would be coming because the location provided a domiciliary care service for people in their own homes and we needed to be certain that someone would be available.

Careing For U UK Ltd provides personal care support to people in their own home. The service could offer support to people living with a range of needs such as learning and/or physical disabilities and dementia. The service offered support to people over the age of 18 years old. At the time of our inspection three people were receiving personal care in their home. The care had been funded by the local authority through direct payments.

This was Careing For U UK Ltd’s first inspection since registering in 2015.

The registered manager had recently left their post and the acting manager (who was the registered provider) had their interview with the Care Quality Commission the day after the inspection. 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.

Since this inspection took place the registered provider has now become the registered manager of the service.

There were some systems in place to monitor and assess the quality of the service. However, these needed to expand to cover more aspects of the service and identify what was working well and where improvements needed to be made.

We found a breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 in relation to auditing.

You can see what action we told the provider to take at the back of the full version of the report.

We made a recommendation for the provider to seek national guidance on appropriate recruitment processes as they had not always checked and verified the references they had obtained.

People using the service and their relatives gave us complimentary comments about the service they received. People said they were involved in planning their care which was delivered by care workers in ways that respected their privacy and dignity.

The provider had systems to keep people safe and people felt safe with the service they received. Care workers and the acting manager knew how to protect them from potential abuse.

There were enough care workers recruited to care for and support people.

Care workers had received training to ensure they were providing appropriate and effective care for people using the service. Also care workers had spot checks carried out on their work and met with the acting manager for support and guidance.

The provider had procedures and training in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005. People’s ability to make daily decisions was considered and assessed by the acting manager.

At the time of this inspection, the service was not prompting or administering medicines to people using the service.

People were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts. Their health needs were recorded in their care files.

Assessments of the person’s needs were carried out before the person started to receive a service. Each person had a care plan in place which described their support needs. Risks were assessed so that care workers knew how to safely support the person. Care workers completed a record of the support they provided during each visit.

The provider had a complaints process in place and people knew what to do if they wished to raise any concerns.