Kazdin is a residential care home for up to three people. It specialises in the care of people who have a learning disability and associated conditions such as autism. Each person has their own self-contained living accommodation within the home.

Some of the people who lived in the home had limited communication and used other methods of communication, for example pictures and hand written questions. We therefore used these and observations to communicate with people.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Why the service is rated good:

People remained safe at the service. There were enough staff to meet people's needs and support them with activities and trips out. Risk assessments were completed to enable people to retain their independence and receive care with minimum risk to themselves or others. This is particularly important for people who may challenge others. People received their medicines safely.

People continued to receive care from staff who had the skills and knowledge required to effectively support them. Staff were well trained and competent. 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 healthcare needs were monitored by the staff and people had access to healthcare professionals according to their individual needs.

The staff were very caring and people had built strong relationships with the staff. We observed staff being patient and kind. There was a calm atmosphere in the service. People's privacy was respected. People where possible, or their representatives, were involved in decisions about the care and support people received.

The service remained responsive to people's individual needs and provided personalised care and support. People were able to make choices about their day to day lives. Complaints were fully investigated and responded to. One person told us "They met with the registered manager” to discuss any issues they had. People were assisted to take part in a wide range of activities and trips out according to their individual interests.

The service continued to be well led. Staff told us the registered manager was approachable. The registered manager and provider sought people's views to make sure people were at the heart of any changes within the home. The registered manager and provider had monitoring systems which enabled them to identify good practices and areas of improvement.

Further information is in the detailed findings below

The inspection took place on 2 January 2015 and was unannounced. Kazdin provides care and accommodation for three people with learning disabilities who each have their own self-contained living accommodation within the home. 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.

During the inspection people and staff were relaxed and there was a calm and pleasant atmosphere. Comments included; “[…] (the registered manager) is very helpful - will take time to speak to me”. Some of the people who lived in the home had limited communication and used other methods of communication, for example sign language. People said they liked living in the home and were confident that any concern or complaint raised would be handled appropriately.

People’s medicines were managed safely. Medicines were managed, stored, given to people as prescribed and disposed of safely. Staff were appropriately trained and confirmed they understood the importance of safe administration and management of medicines. One person, who kept and took their own medicines, understood what their medicines were for. People were supported to maintain good health through regular access to health and social care professionals, such as GPs, social workers and speech and language therapists. People were also supported by Modus's positive behavioural support team.

When people were asked about the care and support they received, they responded positively. One person gave the ‘thumbs up’ sign indicating they were happy with the staff support. Care records were comprehensive and personalised to meet each person’s needs. Staff understood people’s individual needs and responded quickly when needed. People were involved as much as possible with their care records to say how they liked to be supported. People’s preferences were sought and respected.

People living in the home can be at high risk due to their individual needs. Each person’s risks were managed well and people were monitored to ensure they were safe. People lived full and active lives and were supported to access the community. Activities reflected people’s interests and individual hobbies. People said they enjoyed the choice of meals, snacks and drinks. People had been included in planning menus and their feedback had been listened to and acted on.

Staff knew how to make sure people, who did not have the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves, had their legal rights protected and worked with others in their best interest. People’s safety and liberty were promoted.

Staff had undertaken training on safeguarding adults from abuse and showed they had a good knowledge on how to report any concerns and described what action they would take to protect people against harm. Staff told us they felt confident any incidents or allegations would be fully investigated.

Staff described the registered manager as being very supportive and approachable. Staff talked positively about their roles. Comments included; “Always found her (the registered manager) very helpful”; “[…] is a good manager”.

There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs. Staff had completed appropriate training and had the right skills and knowledge to meet people’s needs. New staff received a comprehensive induction programme. One staff member said: “I have only worked here for a short time but have been given plenty of training already”.

There were effective quality assurance systems in place. Any significant events were recorded and analysed. Evaluation of incidents was used to help make improvements and ensure positive progress was made in the delivery of care and support provided by the staff. Feedback to assess the quality of the service provided was sought from people living in the home, relatives, professionals and staff.

We met two of the three people who used the service, spoke to two relatives by telephone and four members of staff on duty. We checked the records at the home and spoke to staff about the care given, looked at the care records of two people living in Kazdin. We also observed some interaction between the staff and people living in the home.

Kazdin House was designed to provide independent living space for up to three people. Each person had their own living area including a kitchen or kitchenette, bathroom and lounge.

We observed the staff treating people with consideration and respect. For example, they asked people if they wished to meet and talk with us. We observed that the staff responded to each of these people with patience and kindness at all times.

We saw and heard staff speak to people in a way that demonstrated a good understanding of people's choices and preferences. They demonstrated a good understanding of what kinds of things might constitute abuse, and knew where they should go to report any suspicions they may have.

One person when asked said about the home, “I am very very happy”.

One relative spoken with said, “The home is tailored to X needs and I am happy with the placement”.

We met all three people who used services, one relative and spoke to the five staff members on duty and checked the provider's records. We spoke to staff about the care given, looked at the care records of all three people; we met them, looked at other records and observed staff working with them.

Each person has their own living area separated from each other and each area has their own facilities, including kitchens, or kitchenettes, bathroom and lounge areas.

We saw that staff treated people with consideration and respect. For example, two people were feeling unwell on the day of our visit. We observed that the staff responded to each of these people with patience and kindness at all times.

We saw and heard staff speak to people in a way that demonstrated a good understanding of people's choices and preferences. They demonstrated a good understanding of what kinds of things might constitute abuse, and knew where they should go to report any suspicions they may have.

One person living in the home when asked if staff were kind, said, “Yes, the staff are kind to me”.

One relative spoken with said, “Very happy with the way things are going”.