This inspection took place on 13 March 2018 and was unannounced.

At our last inspection we rated the service as 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.

People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The care 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.

South Avenue is a residential care home for up to eight people diagnosed with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorders, and physical disabilities. It is situated close to the centre of Chaddesden in Derby. The home has eight bedrooms, all with en-suite facilities, over two floors with stairs for access. Downstairs there is a large lounge/dining room, a conservatory, and a quiet lounge. The ground floor of the home and the adjoining garden are wheelchair accessible.

At the time of this inspection there were seven people using the service.

The service had a registered manager. This 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 home had a safe and welcoming atmosphere. Staff were visible and continually interacting with the people they supported. People told us they felt safe at the home and there were enough staff to meet their needs. Staff knew how to minimise risks to people and ensure they had their medicines when they needed them.

Staff were well-trained, skilled and knowledgeable about how to provide effective care and support. People were involved in choosing, planning and preparing their own meals and records showed people’s nutritional needs were identified and met. Meals were varied and wholesome.

The kitchen was open for people to access in the company of staff.

People’s healthcare needs were well-managed at the home. Staff had developed innovative ways of supporting people to reduce their anxiety when having healthcare appointments and procedures. The premises were homely and comfortable with user-friendly signage to make it easier for people to find their way around the home and identify particular rooms.

People said the staff cared about them and encouraged them to be independent. Staff communicated with people in the way people wanted including signing, using pictures, and verbally. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems at the home supported this practice

Activities were central to people’s quality of life at the home and staff ensured people had the opportunity to take part in one-to-one and group activities both in the home and the wider community. These included work and educational opportunities and social and leisure activities based on people’s preferences.

The home was well-led by the new registered manager who had made improvements since being in post. Staff said there was a culture of openness at the service and the managers were supportive. People and relatives were involved in how the home was run and their views listened to and respected. The results of

This inspection took place on the 30 November 2015 and was unannounced.

South Avenue is a residential care home for up to eight people diagnosed with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorders, and physical disabilities. It is situated close to the centre of Chellaston in Derby. The home has eight bedrooms, all with en-suite facilities, over two floors with stairs for access. Downstairs there is a large lounge/dining room, a conservatory, and a quiet lounge. The ground floor of the home and the adjoining garden are wheelchair accessible.

At the time of this inspection there were six people using the service.

The service had a registered manager. This 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 home had a happy, family atmosphere and people using the service and the staff got on well together. The focus was on providing person-centred support and this was evident through our conversations with people using the service and staff, and in the records we looked at.

People were encouraged to be independent and we saw them helping each other, assisting with meals, and finding their way around the home unaided. Several times a day people congregated in the kitchen to make drinks. Those who could make their own did so, and others contributed in other ways with staff support. This was a shared activity and we saw that people enjoyed this.

People were safe and comfortable in the home and one person was able to tell us they felt safe living there. All the people who used the service appeared relaxed and happy. Staff were attentive to people and supported them in a kind and non-obtrusive way. They understood how all the people using the service communicated and how they might express any concerns they might have.

People were encouraged to eat healthily and get involved in meal choice and preparation. Their likes and dislikes were set out in their support records as were their methods of choosing the foods and drinks they wanted, for example, verbally or by using body language. We observed lunch being served and saw that people enjoyed their meal and had the support they needed to eat independently.

Staff were vigilant about people’s health care needs and took action if they thought someone might be in pain. This was evidenced during our inspection when staff took one person for an emergency dental appointment due to suspected dental pain. Staff ensured people had access to health professionals with a specialist knowledge of the health care needs of people diagnosed with learning disabilities. This helped to ensure they got expert help with any health issues they might have.

Staff were caring towards the people they supported this and the people using the service were also caring to each other. We saw one person encourage another person to eat their breakfast in a caring and patient manner. Staff included the people using the service in their own family lives. One staff member called round for one of the people using the service so they could walk the staff member’s dog together. Other staff brought their children in to visit the people using the service. These actions contributed to the caring atmosphere in the home.

People were encouraged to express their views and become actively involved in making decisions. Staff supported people to do this by using pictures, symbols, and touch. These methods helped to ensure that all the people using the service had a say in life at the home.

Records showed that people received personalised care that met their needs. For example, a support plan for one person contained information for staff on what might cause the person to be distressed, how the person came across when they were distressed and what staff should do to support the person. This helped ensure the person was supported appropriately at all times.

People had access to a range of activities including listening to music, shopping, trips out in the home’s vehicles (one of which was wheelchair accessible), computers, and voluntary work. If people were unable to let staff know verbally which activities they would like staff observed them to see what they enjoyed. For example one person had indicated they liked the sensation of the wind and the rain on their face so staff took them out when the weather was right. Another person was visibly happy when music was played so staff accompanied them to the cinema or theatre when musicals were on.

The home welcomed feedback from people using the service, relatives, and health and social care professionals. The quality assurance programme, which included a survey and an open day, had led to changes at the home. For example, the key worker system and communications with relatives had improved in response to people’s suggestions. The registered manager was approachable and supportive of the people using the service and the staff.