This inspection took place on 12 and 16 July 2018, and was announced. Shared Lives is a service which supports carers to provide a home for people who are unable to or choose not to live on their own. They live as part of the carer’s family. Carers are not directly employed by the scheme but are paid a fee which is dependent on the amount and type of support they provide to people. Generally, the people who use the service have learning and/or associated disabilities. The Care Quality Commission (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 is provided by the local authority.

At the time of the inspection the service supported in excess of seventy people many of whom received the regulated activity of personal care, whilst other people received social and leisure support. 41 carers delivered the service to people.

This was the first inspection completed for the service that registered with CQC in May 2017, following a change in office location. The service had previously been inspected in 2016 and rated good.

The service had an appointed manager who registered with the CQC in January 2018. 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 was responsible for two services and shared their time between both. This included the shared lives scheme and a respite service that was separately registered with the CQC.

The service was safe. Shared lives officers (SLOs) and carers were appropriately trained in safeguarding and protecting people from abuse, and were able to accurately describe what action they would take, if they suspected any form of abuse. They had knowledge of and followed health and safety procedures. Risk assessments had been developed that provided guidance to people, carers and SLOs on how to mitigate risk. The risk assessments enabled people to live within the shared lives scheme as part of the community. The risk assessments supported people’s integration regardless of their social or physical needs. A robust recruitment procedure ensured staff and carers were safe and suitable to work with and/or provide people with support and care. Carers were trained in medicine management and supported people as required. Audits were completed to ensure that carers were supporting people safely.

People were involved in making decisions about their care and support. They chose where to live, with whom and planned their care and support, with the help of SLOs. People’s capacity to make decisions was recorded, if appropriate and necessary. Carers were supported to ensure that they met their obligation to allow people to make choice and decisions about their life. SLOs ensured carers provided people with care that met their individual needs, preferences and choices. People’s rights were protected by carers and SLOs who understood the Mental Capacity Act (2005). This legislation provides a legal framework that sets out how to act to support people who do not have capacity to make specific decisions.

People were respected and became part of the carer’s family. Their privacy and dignity was encouraged and promoted. People’s diversity was fully understood and people’s carers and support plans reflected their particular needs. People were matched with carers who could offer them a home where any special needs could be absorbed into family life.

The service was well-led by a registered manager who was knowledgeable about the service and the needs of people. Although they managed two services, staff felt they were available. Staff reported fee