This inspection took place on 4 August 2017 and was announced. The provider was given notice because we needed to be sure that someone would be available at the office location to answer our questions and access records

Due to the complex communication needs of people who used the service, we were unable to speak with them via the telephone. We contacted relatives on 7 August 2017 to ask their views of the service provided.

Scarborough & District Mencap registered with CQC in January 2011 for the regulated activity of personal care. The office is based in Scarborough. They are an independent charity that provide support to children and adults with learning disabilities. There were four services provided at the location. A day service for younger adults called Discoverers, a day service for older adults called Day care, a service that offered 2:1 or 2:1 support to people in the community or at the day centre called Flexi-support and a service for children who require 1:2 or 2:1 support called Flexi-care. Each service had a manager who was responsible for the day to day management which was overseen by the registered manager. At the time of this inspection, there were 20 people who were receiving support with personal care.

The four services were based at a day centre in Scarborough and provided people with the opportunity to participate in a range of activities and outings into the community. Evening activities such as a disco and a drama club were available which encouraged people to meet with friends and enjoy an active social life.

At the last inspection in June 2015, we rated the service as Good overall but identified that improvements were required in the well-led domain. We found that quality assurance systems that were in place needed to include a wider range of checks to ensure people were protected. At this inspection, we could see that further quality assurance systems had been implemented by the development manager for some areas of the service but this had not been cascaded throughout the service.

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 registered manager, who was also the CEO, was present throughout this inspection.

Recruitment procedures had been followed to ensure staff were safe to work and did not pose a potential risk to people who used the service. Interviews were recorded and records showed that the provider ensured new staff were suitable for the role before an offer of employment was made.

Medicines were managed and stored safely. When people required their medicines to be administered by staff, appropriate documentation and risk assessments were in place. Records showed that medicines had been administered as prescribed.

Safeguarding concerns had been managed appropriately. A safeguarding policy was in place to protect people from the risk of harm. All staff we spoke with were aware of the procedure to follow if they suspected abuse was taking place.

Risk assessments had been developed and were in place for people who needed them. They had been regularly updated to reflect people’s current needs .The service promoted positive risk taking and risk assessments recorded how this was to be managed safely. People were not restricted and their independence was promoted.

Relatives told us they trusted staff and felt people were safe in their care. New staff were given the opportunity to work alongside senior staff to build relationships with people.

Staff demonstrated good knowledge and understanding of the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Staff were aware of the procedure to follow if they suspected a person lacked capacity to make decisions an

This inspection took place on 29 June 2015. We gave the provider notice before our visit that we would be coming. There were no breaches of regulation at the last inspection we carried out on 14 January 2014.

Scarborough and District Mencap is based at Brookleigh in Scarborough. This is a centre which provides day services to people with a learning disability. The agency provides personal care and support for adults and children living in their own homes all of whom (at present) live with parents or carers. The service also runs a number of clubs and day care facilities for people with a learning disability at the same site as their offices at Brookleigh.

There was a registered manager in post. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC 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 were cared for safely by staff who had been trained in safeguarding of adults and children. Risk assessments were in place to ensure people were safe, but which did not unduly restrict their freedom to engage in interesting and stimulating activities.

Staff were safely recruited, with checks in place to ensure they were safe to work with vulnerable people.

There were sufficient staff to ensure people were cared for safely, and staffing levels were responsive to changes in people’s care needs.

Medicines were handled safely, though the policy needed to be updated in line with best practice. Staff had up to date training in the safe handling of medicines and the control of infection.

Staff had induction and all mandatory training to fulfil their roles effectively. They also had training in areas specific to the needs of people they cared for, such as autism awareness and diabetic care.

Staff were matched to individual people, depending on personality and people’s preferences. People had consistency in their care through the development of a team of carers who the individual could get to know and feel comfortable with.

People received health care support when they needed it. They were supported to access healthy foods and encouraged to prepare and cook meals with support.

People were protected with regard to the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and Deprivation of Liberty safeguards. Staff had received training and guidance in how to support people so that their choices and decision making were maximised.

People and their parents and carers told us that they enjoyed the support they had from Scarborough and District Mencap. People were consulted over changes to care planning, and their views were listened to and acted on. Parents and people who received the service were represented on the Executive Committee so that their views could be heard. People had regular reviews of their care, informed by health care and other specialists where necessary. They were cared for by kind and friendly staff who treated them with regard to their dignity and privacy.

People had access to a wide range of tailored support to meet their needs and to interest and stimulate them. Care planning was personalised so that people were placed in the heart of their care.

The registered manager had a range of methods to receive feedback on the care people received through meetings, questionnaires and telephone calls. Staff understood the scope and limits of their roles and when to refer to management. The registered manager reflected the culture and values of the service which were around personalised care, respect, self -determination and supporting people to live a fulfilling and happy life. However, quality assurance audits and checks were under development and there were areas where this could be improved to ensure people were safely cared for.

People told us they had regular meetings to plan how the service should be run and what activities people would like to take part in.

We spoke with several relatives who told us that the manager and staff keep them informed as to what is happening at the centre. One person whose relative received support at home told us “The staff always turn up and they get on really well with X they treat them with respect and encourage them to be independent”. Another person said “The service covers all my relatives needs personally there is nothing I would change”.

We saw that people had a care plan that outlined the care and support they required. The plans were reviewed regularly and involved other agencies, one relative told us “They always attend the multi-disciplinary review of X’s care plan and give positive feedback as to their involvement with Scarborough and District MENCAP”.

People told us that they felt safe when receiving care and if they had any concerns they would report them to the office. Staff told us that if they had any concerns about the people they were supporting then would tell the manager.

We saw staff records and these indicated that people had been thoroughly checked prior to their recruitment. This ensured they were suitable to work with people who may be vulnerable.

There was a complaints procedure in place for people to use if they were not happy with the service. There had been one complaint in the last twelve months, this had been dealt with appropriately. The manager also records any minor issues raised with them to ensure they can keep improving the service.

We spoke with six people who used the service, three members of staff and a family member to help us in reaching a judgement about the care provided. People who used the service told us that staff were good.

We saw that people were encouraged to make day to day decisions for themselves. They were supported to make appropriate decisions when they were not able to do this for themselves. People's individual lifestyles were promoted. A relative said that the staff supported people in a positive way and enabled them to be a part of the local community.

We saw that everyone had a care plan and that staff worked with the same people. This allowed staff to get to know the person they were supporting. Staff helped people with their medication and made a record of when they did this.

Staff were supported to do their job. They had supervision every three months to ensure they had opportunity to identify their training needs. It was also a chance to discuss how they were getting on with the people they were supporting. Staff also had the opportunity to complete training pertinent to their role.

There was a clear complaints policy and we saw evidence that where people had complained the manager had responded appropriately and in a timely manner.

We did not speak with people using the service during this inspection. The local authority investigated concerns under safeguarding procedures and spoke with people as part of this. They spoke with us about their findings and said people were pleased with the level of care they received.