At our last inspection in January 2016 we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and ongoing monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

Leafdown Close is a Residential Care Home. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

Leafdown Close accommodates one person in a domestic home environment. At the time of the inspection there was one person using the service.

Registering the Right Support has values which include choice, promotion of independence and inclusion. This is to ensure people with learning disabilities and autism using the service can live as ordinary a life as any citizen. The home was meeting the principles of this policy.

The person living at the service was safeguarded from abuse and risks were assessed and planned for with the person. The provider gave the person support and there were arrangements in place to provide cover if needed. There were sufficient staff to support people. The person could administer their own medicines and we saw this was done safely. The person lived in a clean environment and the provider ensured they were protected from the risk of cross infection. The provider reviewed incidents and learned when things went wrong.

The person had their needs assessed and plans in place to meet them, this was reviewed on a regular basis and if things changed. The provider had received training and could access support from other organisations when needed. The provider ensured the person received consistent support in an environment that met their needs. The person could choose their meals and had their health needs met.

The person had choice and control of their lives and the provider was aware of how to support them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service were supportive of this practice.

The person had a very caring relationship with the provider and was supported to live an independent life where they could make choices. The person’s communication needs were understood and the provider treated the person with respect and protected their dignity.

The person was at the centre of the service and the provider understood their needs and preferences. The person felt able to speak about anything they felt was wrong.

The provider submitted notifications as required and understood their responsibilities. The rating from the last inspection was on display. Quality checks were in place which were used to drive improvement.

Leafdown Close is registered to provide residential care for one person. It supports people who have a learning disability. We inspected the home on 21 and 26 January 2016. The inspection was announced as this was a small service and we wanted to make sure people were available. There was one person living in the home at the time of our inspection.

The service had a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with us 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 told us they felt safe and the manager understood how to report and manage any concerns related to people’s safety and welfare. Risks were identified and people were involved with decisions. There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs and ensure their safety. Medicines were managed safely in a way that promoted people’s independence.

Consent to care was sought in line with legislation and guidance and at the time of the inspection no DoLS applications were required.

People maintained a balanced diet and were encouraged to prepare meals. The kitchen was open for people to use when they wanted to. People also received support from health care professionals as and when required. The provider ensured people obtained advice from other health professionals to maintain and improve their health.

We saw that positive caring relationships had been developed and people were treated with dignity and respect. People were encouraged to express their views and make their own decisions. They were enabled to be independent and when they needed support this was done in a way that was acceptable to them.

People were involved with the development of care records and received support that was individual to them. These took into account their interests and preferences. We saw that people were listened to and their care records were individualised and reflected their needs. The manager ensured that community links were maintained.

The manager knew about their responsibilities and ensured they met these requirements.

We contacted the provider on the 2 June 2014 to ensure they would be at home for our inspection on 3 June 2014. We talked with the provider and we reviewed information they showed us. We were unable to meet and spend time with the person who lived at home as they had gone out on the day of our visit. We spoke with them on the telephone on the evening of 3 June 2014. The person was able to express their views about the service.

We considered our inspection findings to answer the questions we always ask:

Is the service safe?

From our observations and from the information we saw in care plans, policies, procedures and records the provider's safety monitoring systems were robust. The provider showed that they had a clear understanding of their role in providing care and safeguarding the person they supported. They demonstrated that they knew the person very well and understood their support needs.

The provider understood about the risk management and detailed plans had been written for all the areas of care and support. The provider demonstrated that they understood how to show people respect, gain consent and maintain people's dignity at all times.

The provider told us that there were no deprivations of liberty safeguards in place. The provider demonstrated that they were aware of the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberties and knew who to contact if circumstances changed. We saw that temporary carers in an emergency situation would have access to all the information they required to maintain safe levels of care and support.

Systems were in place to make sure that the provider learned from events such as accidents and incidents, complaints and concerns. This meant that the person was benefiting from a service that was taking on board lessons learnt.

Is the service effective?

The person's health and care needs had been assessed and care plans were in place. There was evidence the person was involved in care plans and reviews. The person's health care needs were regularly assessed and detailed in the care plans. Specialist health and social care professionals regularly gave support to the person's care. All care, activity and risk assessment plans were reviewed regularly and were up to date.

We saw that the person was supported to continue to develop their learning, independence and health care.

Is the service caring?

The provider told us the person had a full and active life. We saw details of these activities recorded in the care plan. The person had a wide range of interests and took part in a range of leisure and social activities.

The provider demonstrated to us that they were committed to providing the best level of care for the person who used the service. They were aware of potential risks, the person's rights and their responsibilities.

Is the service responsive?

We found that the care plan was person centred and contained detailed information about the person's needs and preferences.

There was regular support from health professionals when needed.

We were told by the provider how the person would be supported if a hospital admission was required. The person had a hospital passport with information about themselves and their care needs to take with them if they required a stay in hospital.

Is the service well-led?

The provider had supported this person for many years. They demonstrated to us that they knew the person very well. They undertook regularly reading of information to maintain and up to date level of knowledge. We saw evidence that the provider was experienced and skilled in the provision of care. The provider demonstrated to us that they worked hard to ensure the care provided to the person was the best it could be.

The person who lived and received support from Mrs Bullman had lived with her for several years. The person had a full and active life and was able to take part in a variety of activities and went on holiday several times a year. The person told us: "I am happy here".

We saw that there were arrangements in place to gain the person's consent to the care and support they required. The person told us they were involved in choices about their care and support needs and their choices were respected.

There were appropriate arrangements in place to ensure that they received the care and support they needed and which promoted their health and wellbeing and kept them safe.

There were appropriate arrangements in place to ensure the person's health, safety and welfare was protected when more than one provider was involved in their care and treatment.

We found that the home was well maintained, warm, comfortable, homely and secure.

All support needs were provided by the provider, we were told: "We get on very well".

We found that there was an appropriate complaints system available to meet the person's needs.

The person who lived and received support from Mrs Bullman had lived with her for several years. The person had a full and active life and was able to take part in a variety of activities and went on holiday several times a year. The person told us, "I like living here. We go out and do lots of nice things".

The person was involved in choices about their care and support needs and their choices were respected. There were appropriate arrangements in place to ensure that people received the care and support they needed and which promoted their health and wellbeing and minimised the risk of harm to them.

The person told us they were involved in choices about their care and support needs and their choices were respected. There were appropriate arrangements in place to ensure that they received the care and support they needed and which promoted their health and wellbeing.

All support needs were provided by the provider, we were told, "We get on very well".