This comprehensive inspection took place on 17 May 2017. It was the first inspection of the service since it was registered in February 2016.

The service currently provides supported living to nine people with a learning disability, autism and /or physical disability who live in six houses and one flat within the community. The service is run from an office based in Sutton, Kingston upon Hull.

There was a registered manager at this service. 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.

Recruitment procedures were robust and there were sufficient staff providing support according to assessed needs to support people. Staff knew how to safeguard people from the risk of abuse and harm; they had received training and had procedures to guide them. There were procedures in place to manage risk which helped to ensure people were safe whilst not being too restrictive.

People’s health and nutritional needs were met. People were supported to attend appointments and access community health care professionals for advice and treatment when required. Medicines were managed safely and staff ensured people received their medicines where necessary. Menus were planned by people who also did their own shopping on occasions.

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. Staff approach was observed as kind, caring and friendly whilst remaining professional. Staff treated people with dignity and respect. There were positive comments made by people who used the service and visiting health and social care professionals about the support provided at this service.

Staff supported people to be involved in their care and to make choices about how they spent their time. Wherever possible, staff encouraged people’s independence and supported them to access the local community.

We saw from records that staff had received training, supervision and appraisal for their development. Staff told us the registered manager was supportive of them. They felt listened to, able to make suggestions and were confident in supporting people who used the service.

There was a quality monitoring system in place which consisted of audits, checks, the management of complaints and obtaining people’s views about the service. The checks were not always recorded but the operations manager assured us they would ensure these would be recorded in future.