What life is like for people using this service:

People were supported by safely recruited staff who had the skills and knowledge to provide safe and effective support. People were supported safely to manage their risks, whilst promoting their independence. Effective care planning was in place which guided staff to provide support that met people’s needs and in line with their preferences.

People consented to their care and were supported in their best interests. Staff were kind and caring towards people and promoted choices in a way that people understood. People’s right to privacy was upheld.

People were supported to be involved in hobbies and interests that were important to them. People and their relatives were involved in the planning of their care, which meant people were supported in line with their preferences. Complaints systems were in place, which people and relatives knew how to use.

Systems were in place to monitor the service, which ensured that people’s risks were mitigated and lessons were learnt when things went wrong. There was an open culture within the service, where people and staff could approach the registered manager who acted on concerns raised to make improvements to people’s care. The provider continually looked for ways to improve the service people received.

The service met the characteristics of Good in all areas; more information is available in the full report below.

Rating at last inspection: Requires Improvement (report published 26 May 2017)

About the service:

Kidsgrove Care Solutions – 52 Arbour Street is a residential care home that accommodates up to four people living with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder. People use this service for short breaks. The service also provides personal care support in people's own homes. At the time of our inspection there were two people using the service for a short break and one person was receiving care in their own home.

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 'Registering the Right Support' CQC policy.

Why we inspected:

This was a planned inspection based on the rating of Requires Improvement at the last inspection. We found the service had improved to meet the characteristics of Good in all areas.

Follow up:

We will continue to monitor the service through the information we receive.

We inspected this service on 21 April 2017. This was an announced inspection, as we needed to ensure people were using the service at the time of our inspection. This was the service’s first inspection since they registered with us in 2015.

The service is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to three people who have a learning disability. People use this service for short respite breaks. The service also offers personal care support to people in their own homes. At the time of our inspection three people were using the service for a respite break and one person was receiving care in their own 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

We found that improvements were required to ensure that effective systems were in place to ensure people’s care records contained the information needed to ensure people received consistent care. Improvements were also needed to ensure that incidents relating to behaviours that challenged were monitored so any themes and trends could be identified. Immediately after our inspection, the home manager shared the systems they had devised to make these improvements. This showed they were responsive to our feedback. We will check the effectiveness of these new systems at our next inspection.

The requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards were not always followed as required. There were also some gaps in staff training. The home manager was aware of these gaps and was taking action to improve compliance in this area.

People were protected from the risk of abuse because staff knew how to recognise and report potential abuse. Safe staffing levels were maintained to promote people’s safety and to ensure people participated in activities of their choosing. Staff understood how to keep people safe and people’s medicines were managed safely.

People’s health and wellbeing needs were monitored and people were supported to access health and social care professionals as required. People could eat meals that met their individual preferences.

People were treated with care, kindness and respect and staff promoted people’s independence and right to privacy.

People were involved in the assessment and planning of their care and they were supported and enabled to make choices about their care. The choices people made were respected by the staff.

Staff supported people to access the community and participate in activities that met their individual preferences.

Staff sought and listened to people’s views about the care and action was taken to make improvements to care. People understood how to complain about their care and a suitable complaints procedure was in place.

People and staff told us that the home manager was supportive and approachable. The home manager regularly assessed and monitored the quality of the service’s environment and equipment care to ensure it was safe and well maintained.