Spring Consult UK Ltd is a home care agency. It provides personal care to children and younger adults living at home. At the time of our inspection this agency was providing a home care service to three children and three younger adults who all lived in and were funded by the London Borough of Havering. This agency specialises in supporting children and younger adults with a range of condition’s including, complex health care and mobility needs and a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder.

Four out of the six children and adults who were currently using Spring Consult UK Ltd received an activity regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The CQC only inspects the service being received by people provided with ‘personal care’, which includes help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do so, we also take into account any wider social care provided.

The service had a registered manager in post who was also the owner. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are 'registered persons'. Registered persons have a legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated regulations about how the service is run.

This provider was newly registered with the CQC in March 2017. This comprehensive inspection is the first time this new home care agency will have been inspected and rated by us. At this home care agency’s inaugural inspection we have rated them ‘Good’ overall and for all five of our key questions we always ask, ‘Is the service safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?’ This is because we found the service was meeting the regulations and fundamental standards.

Younger adults and the parents of children using the service told us they were happy with the standard of home care and support they received from this agency. They also said staff who provided them or their child personal care always treated them and their family with the utmost kindness. Feedback we received from community social care professional’s supported this.

Younger adults and the parents of children using the service felt the staff who provided their or their child’s personal care and support were safe. There were robust procedures in place to protect children and safeguard adults from harm and abuse. Staff were familiar with how to recognise and report abuse. The provider assessed and managed risks to children and adults safety in a way that considered their individual needs. Staff recruitment procedures were designed to prevent children or adults from being cared for by staff or were not fit to look after children or vulnerable adults. Where staff were responsible for handling medicines on behalf of children or adults they ensured they were managed safely.

People and the parents of children using the service did not have any concerns about staff turning up late or missing a scheduled visit. This indicated there were sufficient numbers of staff available to support people. Staffing levels were continuously monitored by the registered manager to ensure children and adults experienced consistency and continuity in their care and that their needs could be met at all times.

Staff received appropriate training and support to ensure they had the right knowledge and skills to effectively meet the needs of the children and adults they supported. The registered manager and staff adhered to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 code of practice. Children and adults were supported to eat sufficient amounts of well balanced and nutritional food and drink, where staff were responsible for this. Children and adults received the support they needed to stay healthy and to access the relevant community health care professional’s as and when they required it.

People and the parents of children using the service told us the staff who regularly supported them or their child alway