This announced comprehensive inspection took place on 10 and 24 January 2018. This was the first rated inspection of this service.

The service provides care and support to people living in four ‘supported living’ settings, so that they can live in their own home as independently as possible. 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. Some people using the service lived in their own flats in one of two low rise blocks, others lived in ordinary houses within one street in Luton or within flats in a converted building that was previously a care home. Each setting had office space and facilities for staff to sleep in overnight.

Not everyone using this service received a 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 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.

The service had safeguards in place to protect people from the risk of harm. People’s support plans and risk assessments were detailed, person-centred and reflective of their changing needs. Medicines were managed and administered safely and people were supported to manage their own medicines if they wished to and where this was assessed as safe. The provider had safe recruitment processes in place to ensure people were supported by suitable staff and there were enough staff with the right skills and knowledge to meet people’s needs.

Staff received training which was relevant to their role and received regular supervision and support. Interactions between people and staff were positive and friendly and staff were knowledgeable about the people they supported. Staff had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and associated regulations.

People had enough to eat and drink. People did their own meal planning, shopping and cooking with support from staff. They were supported by caring staff, who understood their needs, promoted their rights, encouraged their independence and respected their privacy and dignity.

People had opportunities to contribute to their care and support and were included in reviews and meetings. People had plans and aspirations for the future and were supported to work towards these. People also had active social lives and participated in many community activities.

The service had robust quality assurance systems in place and held regular audits to identify any areas that required improvement. There was a complaints policy which detailed how people could make a complaint if they wished.