This inspection took place on 10 November 2016. The inspection was announced. We gave the provider 48 hours’ notice of our inspection. This was to make sure we could meet with the manager of the service and care workers on the day of our office visit.

Allen’s Court is registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes within a supported living location. The service specialises in the care of people with dementia, learning disabilities or autism spectrum disorder, mental health conditions, physical disabilities, sensory impairments, and people who misuse drugs and alcohol. Support hours provided by the agency depended on people’s assessed needs. The service is based in Coventry.

At the time of our inspection there were ten people using the service and the service employed eight care workers.

This is the service’s first ratings inspection since registration with the Care Quality Commission on 20 September 2016.

The service had a registered manager. A requirement of the provider’s registration is that they have a registered manager. 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.

There were enough care workers to meet people’s needs effectively. People received their care and support from care workers who they knew, and at the times agreed. The provider conducted pre-employment checks prior to staff starting work, to ensure their suitability to support people in their homes.

People and relatives told us they felt safe using the service and care workers understood how to protect people from abuse. Risks to people’s safety were identified and care workers understood how these should be managed.

Care workers completed training considered essential to meet people’s needs safely and effectively. Care workers completed an induction when they joined the service and had their practice checked by a member of the management team.

The registered manager understood their responsibility to comply with the relevant requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). However, where people had been assessed as not having capacity to make certain decisions, information about how decisions were to be made in people’s best interests were not always clearly documented. Care workers gained people’s consent before they provided personal care and respected people’s decisions.

People’s privacy and dignity was respected by care workers. Where possible, care workers encouraged people to be independent. People told us care workers had a caring attitude and had the right skills and experience to provide the care and support required.

People saw social and health professionals when needed and systems were in place to manage people’s medicines safely. Staff had received training to do this. Support was given to people who required help with eating and drinking.

People and relatives were involved in planning and reviewing their care. Care records gave care workers the information needed to ensure care and support was provided in the way people preferred. Care workers followed this information.

People and relatives told us they knew how to raise any concerns and felt these would be listened and responded to effectively.

Everyone we spoke with said the management team were approachable. Care workers felt valued because the management team were available to provide support and were receptive to their ideas and suggestions. Care workers and the management team shared common values about the aims and objectives of the service.

There were systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of the service provided and to understand the experiences of people who used the service. The provider used