This inspection took place on 20 February 2018 and was unannounced. Swindon Family Breaks Service provides a short break service to people with learning disabilities. The service is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 14 people. There were 5 people living at the service at the time of our inspection. At our last inspection in December 2016 there were no regulatory breaches. However, we rated the service as "Requires Improvement".

Not everyone using Swindon Family Breaks Service receives regulated activity; the 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 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.

There was a registered manager in post. 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.

People told us they felt safe at the home and they liked the way staff supported them. People’s relatives told us they were happy with the way people were looked after and they felt the service was safe and met peoples` needs. People were protected from the risk of abuse. Staff had received safeguarding training and understood their responsibilities to report any concerns.

Accidents and incidents were managed safely. Any identified trends were discussed with staff and steps were taken to reduce avoidable harm. People's medicines were managed safely by staff who had been trained and assessed as competent in administering medicines. People received their medicines as prescribed.

People were protected from the risk of infection. Staff had attended food hygiene and infection control training and wore personal protective clothing when required. There were effective and up-to-date systems in place to maintain the safety of the premises and the equipment.

People and staff told us there were enough staff to meet people’s needs and support them with the activities they chose to do. Robust recruitment systems were in place which ensured staff were of good character and suitable for their roles.

Contingency plans and evacuation procedures were in place to manage emergencies, and staff were aware of them.

People were supported by staff who were appropriately trained and received regular supervision. Staff had a clear understanding of the application of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

People's needs were assessed before they began using the service. People were encouraged to eat a healthy, balanced diet and they were provided with access to healthcare professionals when needed.

Personalised care plans were in place for people using the service. Staff knew the people they were supporting and their preferences were recognized to ensure personalised support was delivered. Staff had a good understanding of how to promote people's privacy, independence and dignity.

Most of people and their relatives were happy about the way they spent time at the service.

Complaints procedures were available and displayed throughout the home in a pictorial format. People and relatives knew who to speak to if they had a complaint.

People, their relatives and staff described the new management team as approachable and committed to ensuring people's needs were met. Staff felt supported by the registered manager. They told us that recent changes in the management structure had impacted positively on their morale

This inspection took place on 19 December 2016 and was announced. Swindon Family Breaks Service provides a short break service to people with learning disabilities. The service is registered to provide accommodation and personal care for up to 14 people.

There was a registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. 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.

People did not receive appropriate care to make sure they were safe at night. Records concerning risks to people's health and safety did not always provide accurate information on how to manage these risks. Some of the information contradicted other information specified in people’s care plans. Steps to manage risks were not always taken.

People felt safe living at the service and staff knew how to protect people from the risk of abuse. The provider's whistleblowing policy protected staff to make disclosures about poor staff conduct or practice, and staff confirmed the registered manager would take a responsive action if they reported such problems.

People’s prescribed medicines were safely managed by staff. Relevant systems and protocols in place ensured people received their medicines as prescribed. Staff’s competence was reviewed regularly to ensure medicines were administered safely at all times.

Recruitment and selection procedures were in place. Checks had been undertaken to ensure staff were suitable for the role. Staff had received induction when starting employment.

Records showed staff received the training they needed to keep people safe. The manager had taken action to ensure that training was kept up-to-date and future training was planned.

We found the Mental Capacity Act (2005) (MCA) was followed correctly to protect people who were not able to make their own decisions about the care they received.

People were provided with sufficient amounts of food and drink, with all recommendations from health care professionals taken into account. People had access to healthcare professionals should this be necessary. Appropriate health services were contacted when necessary to help people maintain their health.

People were encouraged to be independent and their privacy and dignity were respected. Each person had a personalised care plan in place containing information about their likes and dislikes as well as their care and support needs. The care plans were updated in line with changing needs and people and their relatives were involved in making decisions regarding people’s care.

The service was responsive to people’s needs. People, their relatives or representatives were involved in care planning and reviews. The care plans we reviewed were person-centred and contained unique information about people and how to meet their needs. People were given key information about the service. There were activities people could participate in if they chose to do so. The provider had a complaints procedure and system in operation.

The systems in place to monitor the quality of the service were not fully effective and did not always identify where care being delivered was not safe. There was a positive and transparent culture in the home and people who used the service and staff felt able to raise any issues with the registered manager. There was a range of means people could provide feedback about the service and their comments were acted upon.