We inspected Swindon Shared Lives Scheme on 29 August 2018 and it was announced.

Shared lives schemes support adults with learning disabilities, mental health problems or other needs that makes it harder for them to live on their own. The schemes match someone who needs care with an approved carer. The carer shares their family and community life, and gives care and support to the person with care needs.

The Shared Lives Scheme is responsible for approving, training and monitoring 'shared lives carers' who provide personal care and support to people (on placements), living with them in their family home. At the time of our inspection 64 people were receiving the regulated activity of personal care.

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.

The service was extremely responsive to people's individual needs and preferences and staff worked flexibly and often went the extra mile to ensure people lived as full a life as possible. People's care plans were centred on their wishes and needs and continuously kept under review.

The registered manager and staff went to exceptional lengths to deliver person centred care that recognised people as unique individuals. The nature of the service meant shared lives carers and their families built strong caring relationships with the people they supported. People lived as part of shared lives carers families and were involved in day to day events and family activities.

People were safe. The service had safe, robust recruitment processes. Staff understood their responsibilities in relation to protecting people from the risk of harm. Where risks to people had been identified, risk assessments were in place and action had been taken to manage the risks. Staff were aware of people’s needs and followed guidance to keep them safe. People received their medicines as prescribed.

The shared lives carers received training to ensure their skills and knowledge reflected the needs of the people they cared for. The shared lives officers received the same training to enable them to supervise and support them. Where people needed support with their meals they told us they were happy that they had a choice or joined the family meal.

Staff spoke positively about the support they received from the registered manager. Staff had access to effective supervision. Shared lives carers were also positive about the support they received.

The registered manager, staff and shared lives carers understood the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 and applied its principles in their work. The MCA protects the rights of people who may not be able to make particular decisions themselves.

Staff and the registered manager shared the visions and values of the service and these were embedded within service delivery. The service had systems to assess the quality of the service provided. Learning from audits took place which promoted people's safety and quality of life.