This inspection took place on 28 August 2018 and was announced. Enable Ability is a registered charity that provides a range of 11 services to both children and adults with a disability in Portsmouth and the surrounding area, including for example, play schemes, Saturday clubs, groups for teenagers and advocacy. One of the many services they offer are befriending services to both children and adults with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and sensory impairments. The service is registered for personal care, which means care provided to a person in the place where the person lives. Although the primary purpose of the befriending services is not the provision of personal care and most activities take place outside of people’s homes, some children or adults may on occasions during their session require either the practical provision of, or the supervision of their personal care whilst at home. At the time of this inspection, the befriending services were supporting 30 adults and 38 children, of whom 20 adults and 16 children received on occasions personal care at home if this was required during their session.

There was a registered manager in post as required. 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.

At our last inspection we found one breach of the regulations in relation to requirements for workers. Following the last inspection, we asked the provider to complete an action plan to show what they would do and by when to improve the key question of safe to at least good. At this inspection we found the required action had been taken to meet this regulation. The provider operated robust recruitment processes.

Processes were in place to protect people from the risk of abuse and risks to people had been assessed. Staff spoken with had a clear understanding of their responsibility to raise any concerns or issues. Processes were in place to ensure trained staff provided people’s medicines where required. The provider had acted to ensure the medicine administration records for the one person they currently support with medicines are returned to the office for storage once complete. Processes were in place to protect people from the risk of acquiring an infection.

People’s care needs had been assessed prior to the commencement of the service and staff were provided with relevant information both within their training and staff handbooks. Staff underwent training that was specifically tailored to the needs of the person or people they befriended. Staff were not generally involved in the provision of or preparation of food for people at home, however where they did provide this care, this was stated in the person’s care plan. Staff supported people when out as required with eating their meals.

Staff worked well across the provider’s services to ensure people experienced a seamless and joined up service. The service was not commissioned to meet people’s day to day health and well-being needs. However, staff worked closely with a range of agencies to ensure people received effective care and ensured any relevant information was shared. 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.

Sessional workers had created meaningful relationships with both children and adults who trusted them and enjoyed spending time with them. Staff used a variety of techniques and communication methods to enable people to express their views about their care. Staff ensured people’s privacy and dignity were upheld.

The service was very responsive to people’s individual needs and the provision of people’

This inspection took place on the 15 November 2016 and was announced. This last inspection took place in October 2013 and was found to be compliant in the areas we inspected.

Enable Ability is a domiciliary care agency who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide the Regulated Activity ‘Personal Care’. Enable ability provide support to both children aged 0 to 18 years and younger adults with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and sensory impairments. At the time of this inspection, the service was supporting 10 children who may require personal care whilst being supported through the befriending scheme. None of the adults they supported required any personal care.

The recruitment process was not robust. We found that four out of the five staff recruitment files we looked at, did not have full employment histories recorded.

Staff had received appropriate training essential training in order for them to carry out the care and support required.

There was a registered manager in post. 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 and children’s coordinator ensured that staff had a full understanding of the children they were to be supporting, prior to them starting work with them. They knew the child’s care needs and ensured the staff had the appropriate skills and knowledge to be able to support them.

Parents of the children who were supported by Enable Ability felt their children were safe with the care and support they received. Staff knew how to recognise signs of abuse and what action to take if they needed to report it.

Children received a service which was based on their personal needs and their family’s wishes. Changes in their care needs were identified and amended as required. The service was flexible to changes if they were requested. Parents said their children had positive relationships with the support workers and felt their children were treated with respect and dignity and the staff were mindful of the child and families privacy.

The feedback we received from family’s members was positive. They felt their children were safe with the care and support provided by the staff from Enable Ability. The registered manager and staff were aware of their responsibility to provide the care and support to the child. There were systems in place to ensure the risks to the children’s safety and wellbeing were identified and addressed.

Staff told us they felt supported and that they received formal supervision twice a year, but were able to speak with the registered manager or children’s coordinator at any time if they felt they needed support. They said they felt fully supported by the registered manager and had received a full induction with training and supervision.

The registered manager demonstrated the importance of effective quality assurance systems. Annual surveys were sent out to families and used to continuous improve. This feedback would then be used and actions taken.

During this inspection we found one breach of the Health and Social Care Act (HSCA) 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014

The agency provided a range of services to both adults and children. They provide support for approximately 30 people on an individual basis as well as a number of group activities. The services included an adult service for people with learning and physical disabilities. There was also the Partnership for Active Leisure Scheme (PALS) where group activities were organised for people. There were also Saturday clubs, sports clubs and play schemes.

We telephoned six relatives of people who used the agency and they were all happy with the service that Enable Ability provided. People stated that the care workers provided by the agency worked well with them and knew what was expected of them. They said that care staff were reliable and carried out the role that they were asked to do.

Relatives said their family members were well supported by staff to receive the care they needed. They told us that they had an information pack in their home and this had details about the care and support required. Everyone we spoke with knew how to make a complaint if they needed to and were confident that any concerns or complaints would be dealt with effectively.

One person told us staff were excellent and said, "they are brilliant and provide a valuable service". However one relative told us “the only issue I have with Enable Ability is that on occasions the regular staff that support my relative was not available and it was difficult to get the right staff to give consistent support”.

We spoke with the registered manager and two care co-ordinators. They said that the agency supported people to carry out their roles effectively and confirmed that training was readily available. We spoke with six members of staff who confirmed that they were well supported by the agency and that management were very supportive and approachable.

We also spoke with a person from the local authority who commissioned services with Enable Ability. They told us that the agency worked well with them and provided a reliable service which met their expectations.

We found that people were involved in their care and were supported to make choices. People and/or their representatives were able to express their views and felt confident these were listened and responded to.

Relatives told us that staff knew how to support people and meet their needs, were caring and flexible. Relatives told us that communication is good. One relative told us “we would be lost without them; they give {the person} a life”. We also spoke with two social workers that had contact with the service. One social worker told us “they provide a brilliant service”. The other told us “the care provided is good”.

Whilst the service does not administer medication we found there were effective procedures in place for the management of medicines should the need arise for people.

People we spoke with were aware of how to complain and were confident that any complaints would be dealt with appropriately.

We found that records held in the office were not always clear, accurate and some information was not recorded. This meant that people who use the service may not always be protected from the risks of unsafe or inappropriate care and treatment because not all records kept were accurate.

We telephoned relatives of people who use the agency and they were all happy with the service that Enable Ability provides.

People stated that the care workers provided by the agency worked well with them and knew what was expected of them. They said that care staff were punctual and carried out the role that they were asked to do. They said that staff are friendly and cheerful and always treat their relatives with dignity and respect.

One person told us staff are excellent and said, “they are brilliant and proivde a valuable service”

None of the people we spoke with had made any complaints but they said that they were aware of how to complain and were confident that any complaints would be dealt with appropriately.