This was an unannounced inspection on 9 November 2018 carried out by one inspector. Fairview House provides respite care over night on a Thursday and for weekend breaks. The service has accommodation for up to six people; forty people currently use the service throughout the year for respite services.

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.

At our last inspection in May 2016 we rated this service as Good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Fairview House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. 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.

The service remained safe. People were protected from the risks of abuse because the staff understood where harm may be caused and knew what action to take. Risks to people’s health and wellbeing were assessed and plans were in place to monitor people and to assist them in a safe manner. People’s medicines were managed safely and staff had received training to help ensure people had their medicines when these were needed. The staff had been suitably recruited to ensure they could work with people. People felt there was enough staff to provide their support and the provider reviewed how the service was managed to ensure there were sufficient staff, any lessons could be learnt and improvements were made.

People continued to receive effective care. Staff were supported and trained to ensure that they had the skills to support people effectively. People receiving respite care had access to emergency health care facilities and the staff knew about any care and treatment that was being provided in their home. When people required assistance to eat and drink, the provider ensured that this was planned to meet their preferences and assessed need.

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 support this practice. People made decisions about their care and staff helped them to understand the information they needed to make informed decisions. Staff sought people’s consent before they provided care. People were helped to make decisions which were in their best interests and there were no restrictions placed upon them.

The service remained caring. People liked the staff who supported them and had developed good relationships. Information was available to ensure people could make informed choices and understood information that was important to them. Staff understood how people communicated and they promoted different ways of communicating, including through sign language. People received respite care and continued to have relationships with people who were important to them.

The service remained responsive. People’s care was reviewed at each period of respite care to ensure it reflected any changing support needs. People received support from sta

Fairview House provides respite care for children and young people who use the services of Fairplay Support Services. It can accommodate up to six young people or children who do not need assistance with their mobility. The service is designed to provide a weekend ‘sleepover’ with friends for young people and children up to 18 years of age. There were 17 children and young people who used the service on the day of our inspection. This was their first inspection.

The service is a weekend service and shares the registered manager and staff of Fairview Support Services.

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.

People were safe and the provider had effective systems in place to safeguard people. Their medicines were stored, recorded appropriately. They were supported to plan menus and to shop and cook their meals over the weekend. People chose how to spend their weekend. This included outing to films, shows and or sporting events of their choice.

There were sufficient, skilled staff to support people at all times and there were thorough recruitment processes in place. Staff were trained and used their training effectively to support people. There was an effective quality assurance system in place. The provider had a complaints policy in place and people knew how to use it.

Most of the people cared for were children or young people, however the staff understood and where appropriate complied with the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the associated Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

Staff were caring and respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff were encouraged to contribute to the development of the service and understood the provider’s visions and values. These were to develop the service to meet the changing needs of those who used it.