This was an announced inspection which took place on 30 and 31 August 2017 and 5 September 2017. This was the first comprehensive rated inspection of the service following their registration with the Care Quality Commission in January 2016.

Heaton Vale Care Home is part of City Care Partnership, an independent provider of specialist services for adults with learning disabilities. Heaton Vale is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to provide care and support services for up to 10 adults aged 18 and over who are living with learning disabilities and Autistic Spectrum Condition.

In collaboration with an independent landlord and Manchester City Council, the provider has developed the concept of successful living spaces within the Heaton Norris community in the heart of Stockport.

Bespoke accommodation, person centred care and support is provided to people in 10 self-contained apartments with separate on-site support staff accommodation with easy access to transport links to Stockport and Manchester City Centre. At the time of our inspection, seven people were being supported.

The provider continually aims to make sure that people with severe disabilities and complex support needs are an integral part of the community of Heaton Norris. The service offers people a wide choice of activities, opportunities and work environments to support the safe transition to a more independent model of living.

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.

On arrival at Heaton Vale the environment was calm, relaxed and welcoming. The registered manager, staff team and people using the service were very keen to share their knowledge and experience of working and living at the service. All of the people we spoke with told us they felt Heaton Vale was a safe place to live and they were supported to have as much freedom of choice and control in their lives as possible.

The service worked collaboratively and with mutual respect for other professionals so that people's social, emotional and physical needs were met. This helped them to lead an exceptionally high standard quality of life. People’s care and support was planned proactively with them and identified areas of potential risk had been continually, assessed, monitored and evaluated to help reduce or eliminate any risks to people.

There was a culture of openness and transparency at the service. Staff were extremely positive ¿about the management and leadership which inspired them to deliver a high quality service.

The ¿registered manager and the provider demonstrated exceptional leadership. They encouraged ¿ideas from staff to benefit the people in their care and maintain a strong, stable staff team with a ¿shared goal. ¿

Staff received a comprehensive induction to the service. High quality training was tailored specifically for staff to ensure the needs of the people they supported were appropriately responded to and met.

People were supported by very kind, caring and compassionate staff who routinely went above and beyond what was expected of them to ¿provide people with excellent, high quality care.

Staffing levels ensured people were provided with the person centred support they needed and to have as much freedom as possible. Staff told us the agreed time was always available ¿to support people and this was paramount to ensuring people’s wellbeing and development.

The registered manager and support workers were exceptionally knowledgeable and acutely aware of their responsibilities to protect people from abuse and/or harm.

The provider carried out robust recruitment checks prior to people starting work at the service..

Staff demonstrated t