Homewards Limited - 20 Leonard Road is a care home providing personal care and support for people with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder. The home is registered for three people. At the time of the inspection they were providing personal care and support to one person with learning disabilities and autism with complex needs. The home is located in the borough of Waltham Forest and is set in a residential property with two floors. The home is situated close to shops and amenities.

At our last inspection the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

People received personalised care from staff who understood their needs. We observed positive interaction between staff and the person using the service and staff respected the person’s choices and preferences. Staff understood the importance of maintaining the person’s privacy and treating them with dignity and respect.

Safe recruitment procedures were being followed to ensure people were supported by staff who were suitably vetted before starting work. Staff received regular support and supervision and relevant training to carry out their jobs effectively.

People were safe from the risk of abuse because staff knew the signs to look for and what action to take should they suspect any abuse, including reporting any concerns to the relevant authorities.

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

There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty to meet people’s needs. Staff felt supported in their role and received training relevant to their job.

The service operated within the legal framework of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

People’s nutritional needs were met and staff knew their likes and dislikes and preferences for care. People’s care plans were person-centred and included information on their life stories and individual needs and preferences.

People’s cultural, religious and spiritual needs were acknowledged and supported when required. The provider updated staff on people’s changing needs and recorded them in their care plans. Staff were responsive to those needs.

The provider maintained effective systems and processes, and carried out regular monitoring checks and audits to identify gaps and areas of improvement to ensure the quality and safety of the service delivery.

Risk assessments identified risks and how these should be mitigated. Medicines were managed safely. We made a recommendation regarding the management of controlled drugs.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

Homewards Limited - 20 Leonard Road is a care home providing personal care and support for people with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder. The home is registered for three people. At the time of the inspection they were providing personal care and support to one person with learning disabilities and autism with complex needs. The home is located in the borough of Waltham Forest and is set in a residential property with two floors. The home is situated close to shops and amenities.

At our last inspection the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

People received personalised care from staff who understood their needs. We observed positive interaction between staff and the person using the service and staff respected the person’s choices and preferences. Staff understood the importance of maintaining the person’s privacy and treating them with dignity and respect.

Safe recruitment procedures were being followed to ensure people were supported by staff who were suitably vetted before starting work. Staff received regular support and supervision and relevant training to carry out their jobs effectively.

People were safe from the risk of abuse because staff knew the signs to look for and what action to take should they suspect any abuse, including reporting any concerns to the relevant authorities.

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

There were sufficient numbers of staff on duty to meet people’s needs. Staff felt supported in their role and received training relevant to their job.

The service operated within the legal framework of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

People’s nutritional needs were met and staff knew their likes and dislikes and preferences for care. People’s care plans were person-centred and included information on their life stories and individual needs and preferences.

People’s cultural, religious and spiritual needs were acknowledged and supported when required. The provider updated staff on people’s changing needs and recorded them in their care plans. Staff were responsive to those needs.

The provider maintained effective systems and processes, and carried out regular monitoring checks and audits to identify gaps and areas of improvement to ensure the quality and safety of the service delivery.

Risk assessments identified risks and how these should be mitigated. Medicines were managed safely. We made a recommendation regarding the management of controlled drugs.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

People told us that they liked the home through their gestures and facial expressions. Relatives told us that the home provided excellent care and that they were kept informed about the welfare and health of their loved one. There was good communication with relatives who were able to give their views about the home and their suggestions were acted on.

There were clear care plans and risk assessments that took account of specialist advice and guidance from health professionals. People were treated with dignity and respect and were cared for safely. Relatives said that they could visit any time and that they had no concerns about the welfare of the people who used the service.

People who used the service were supported by trained staff who felt supported by the provider.

The provider had an effective system in place to monitor that the care provided met standards set by the local authority.

On the day of our visit two people had gone to an activity centre whilst one person was at home. Though the person could not verbalise, we found that they were clean and comfortable and displayed positive body language. We tried to speak to the other people who used the service over the phone but could not get coherent answers. We spoke to two relatives who told us that they were happy with the service. One relative said, "they look after X very well. We have had no complaints since X moved there."

We reviewed care plans and found them to be individual, up to date and reflecting the individual's current health status. There were adequate personal and medical records of people's care kept. We found that people were cared for in a clean and safe environment. There were adequate systems in place to maintain the property and staff were aware of the procedure to follow in an emergency.

We found that there were enough skilled and experienced staff to look after people who used the service. Staff told us that they were supported and received appropriate training. Staff said they were happy with the current staffing levels. There was enough equipment to meet people's needs and staff had been taught how to use the equipment. Staff were aware of how to clean equipment and where to report if equipment became faulty.

People at the home indicated that they are quite satisfied with their care there. They were observed to be having their needs well met.