63-66 Kinsey Road provides residential care and support for younger adults with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorder or mental health needs. The service consists of four separate flats over three stories. The service is registered to provide personal care for up to four people and at the time of our inspection the service was supporting four people living in their own individual flats. At the last inspection, the service was rated Good. At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

People who used the service were safe. Staff demonstrated that they were aware of the action to take should they suspect that someone was being abused. Staff knew the risks associated with people’s specific conditions and the actions required when people were at risk of harming themselves or others. There were enough staff to meet people’s care and support needs promptly. People received their medicines when they needed them.

People were supported by staff who had the skills and knowledge to meet their needs. People were supported to have the maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.

People chose what they wanted to eat. Staff provided advice and guidance to help people choose healthy meal options. People in the home were supported to make use of the services of a variety of mental and physical health professionals.

People told us that staff were caring. People were supported by regular staff who spoke fondly about the people they supported. People had key workers who understood people’s preferred communication styles and assisted them when necessary to express their views. Staff promoted people’s independence and respected their privacy.

Staff supported people to engage in activities they enjoyed. People’s care and support was planned in partnership with them so their care plans reflected their views and wishes. People were supported to set and achieve goals which enhanced their wellbeing. People told us that staff were approachable and would take action if they were not happy or had a complaint.

People told us that the home was well run. The registered manager was aware of their responsibilities to the commission however they had not always notified us of specific events they were required to. Staff enjoyed working at the service and felt valued team members. People had the opportunity to influence and develop the service they received. The provider and registered manager made checks to help ensure that the standard of care was maintained.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

This was an unannounced inspection, which took place on 20 November 2014. We last inspected this service on 4 November 2013 there were no breaches of legal requirements at that inspection.

Kinsey Road provides residential care and support for four younger adults with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorder or mental health needs. The service consists of four separate flats over three stories. Each person lived in their own individual flat.

There was a registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. 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 spoken with told us that they were safe. Staff spoken with knew how to reduce the risk of harm to people from abuse and unsafe practice, and had received appropriate training to help them to keep people safe. The risk of harm to people receiving a service was assessed and managed appropriately; this ensured that people received care and support in a safe way. Where people required support with taking their medication, there were procedures in place to ensure this was done safely and people told us they received their medication as prescribed by their doctor.

People, relative and staff spoken with said there were sufficient numbers of staff available to meet people’s needs. People and a relative spoken with felt the staff were trained and knew people’s needs well. We saw that all relevant checks required by law were undertaken for staff that worked at the home. We found that staff received the training development and support needed to ensure they did their job well.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) sets out what must be done to make sure that the human rights of people who may lack mental capacity to make decisions are protected, including when balancing autonomy and protection in relation to consent or refusal of care. The MCA Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) requires providers to submit applications to a ‘Supervisory Body’ for authority to deprive someone of their liberty. All staff spoken with understood the MCA and DoLS and how to protect the rights of people in line with the legislation. The provider was in the process of making the appropriate application in line with the DoLS where necessary.

All the people we spoke with said they had control over what they ate and drank, with support from staff to help them to maintain a healthy and nutritious diet. People and their relative spoken with said staff supported them with their health care needs; this ensured people’s health was maintained.

People and a relative spoken with told us that they thought the staff were caring and all said they had good relationships with the staff. People and their relative said that staff were respectful and maintained people’s privacy, independence and dignity. People told us and we saw that people’s individuality was supported and maintained.

Everyone spoken with told us that people’s needs were being met. A relative and a care professional told us that staff maintained contact with them, to ensure they were able to meet the changing needs of people. People and a relative told us there were no restrictions on visiting, so people’s friends and relatives were free to visit.

People and their relatives were confident that their concerns and complaints would be listened to and acted upon. Although no one had raise any concerns or complaints about the service, to date.

Everyone spoken with felt that the quality of the service was good and that the service was well managed. All said the managers and staff were open and receptive to ideas about how they can improve people’s care. The management of the service was stable, with internal quality assurance systems to monitor the service.

During this inspection we spoke with everyone living at the home, the manager, a care coordinator and a support worker.

One person told us, "I go out if I want to. I choose where I go and I tell them where I want to go.” We found that people’s views and experiences were taken into account in the way the service was provided and delivered in relation to their care.

We saw and people told us that they were encouraged to live independent lives. We found that care and treatment was planned and delivered in a way that was intended to ensure people's safety and welfare.

People that we spoke with had no concerns about living at the home. We found that people who use the service were protected from the risk of abuse, because the provider had taken reasonable steps to identify the possibility of abuse and prevent abuse from happening.

People that we spoke with said they were treated well by the staff that supported them. We found that people were cared for by staff that were supported to deliver care and treatment safely and to an appropriate standard.

People that we spoke with had no complaint about the service they received. On person told us, “No complaints.” We found that the provider had an effective system to regularly assess and monitor the quality of service that people receive.