We inspected this service on 08 June 2017. The inspection was announced. The provider was given two working days’ notice because the location provides a domiciliary care service and we needed to be sure that someone would be available at the locations office to see us.

Phoenix Support Ltd is registered as a community based domiciliary care agency (DCA) which delivers personal care to people living in their own homes. This was the provider’s first comprehensive ratings inspection, following a change of address. The domiciliary care agency is run from an office in Maidstone town centre. The provider Phoenix Support Ltd provides a supported living service support primarily for people who have a learning disability. At the time of our inspection the provider was supporting approximately ten people living in supported living services or within their own flats.

At the time of our inspection, there was a registered manager in place who was supported by a number of senior managers. 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 feedback we received from people, their relatives and health care professionals was excellent. Those people that used the service and their relatives expressed great satisfaction of the service being provided and spoke very highly of the registered manager, senior management team and the staff. Everyone within the organisation was motivated and passionate about providing people with a person-centred service. Staff treated people as individuals and ensured people had as much choice and control over their lives as possible.

The registered manager, management team and staff understood their responsibility to protect people’s health and well-being and placed emphasis on the safety on people’s safety. People using the service had received training and guidance to enhance their understanding about what keeping safe meant, and about the action they should take if they did not feel safe. Staff, the management team and the registered manager had received appropriate training about protecting people from abuse. People were supported to belong to local government groups which promoted people’s safety. Risks to people’s safety had been assessed and measures put into place to manage any hazards identified.

Staff had a full understanding of people’s care and support needs and had the skills and knowledge to meet those needs. People received consistent support from the same staff who knew them well. People were supported to be fully involved in the recruitment of their own staff team. People had clear communication plans and guidance in place to ensure staff were able to communicate effectively with them. Detailed guidance was provided to staff within people’s homes about how to provide all areas of the care and support people needed. People’s nutrition and hydration had been carefully considered and staff followed instructions in people’s care plans. Staff ensured people remained as healthy as possible with the support from health care professionals.

People were treated with kindness and respect. People’s needs had been assessed to identify the care they required. People’s individual care and support plans were person centred and gave staff the information and guidance they required to give people the right support. Detailed guidance was available for staff to follow to support people who displayed any behaviour which caused a risk to themselves or others. People were fully involved in the care and support they received and decisions relating to their lives. People were supported to develop and maintain relationships with people that mattered to them.

There were enough staff with the right skills and knowledge to meet people’s