This inspection took place on 30 October, 3 November and 8 November 2017. Telephone survey calls were made to a sample of people receiving support, their relatives and staff on 30 October. Two of the supported living houses were visited as part of the inspection. We gave short notice of the inspection to ensure the registered manager would be available to assist us. This also enabled the service to prepare people living with Autism appropriately for our visit in order to minimise the risk of causing people distress.

This was the first inspection of the service at its current location. It was carried out by one inspector and an ‘expert by experience’, who carried out the telephone survey calls and provided a report to the inspector on what they were told.

Jigsaw Creative Care provides care and support to 30 people living in 18 ‘supported living’ settings, so that they can live as independently as possible. People supported have a learning disability. Some of the people supported also have needs within the Autistic spectrum and some may at times need support to manage specific behaviours. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support.

Not everyone using Jigsaw Creative Care Limited receives the regulated activity. CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’; help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also take into account any wider social care provided.

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 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.

People and relatives felt people were safe and well cared for. The service had effective systems for staff to report safeguarding concerns. Staff understood and had used these. Where concerns had been raised, appropriate action had been taken to investigate and the service had cooperated with external agencies. Risk assessments had been completed where potential risk had been identified and suitable steps taken to limit risk with the minimum restriction on people’s freedom. Staff recruitment was robust and the required checks of the suitability and conduct of potential staff were completed prior to employment. Incidents were monitored and analysed to enable ongoing review of people’s support needs. The service had an effective system to manage people’s medicines safely.

People’s rights and freedom were promoted by staff and the service. 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. People’s transitions between services were well managed. The process was communicated effectively to people through the use of pictorial and other techniques. The service complied with the Accessible Information Standard. This is a framework put in place from August 2016 making it a legal requirement for all providers to ensure people with a disability or sensory loss can access and understand information. Relevant documents were presented in a format so as to be as accessible as possible to individuals and staff worked with people to explain them.

People and, where appropriate, relatives were involved in planning and reviewi