We inspected this service on 13 February 2017. This inspection was announced. This meant the provider and staff knew we would be visiting the service’s office before we arrived. There were 136 people, both children and adults in receipt of personal care support at the time of this inspection visit. This was the first inspection since the provider’s registration of this office location on the 14 March 2016.

The service had 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 received their calls as agreed and in general from a regular staff team. Staff understood what constituted abuse or poor practice and systems and processes were in place to protect people from the risk of harm. The provider checked that staff were suitable to support people before they started work. Medicines were managed safely and people were supported to take their medicine when needed. Equipment was in place to meet people’s diverse needs which enabled them to maintain choice and independence.

Staff were provided with training to develop their skills and enable them to support the people they worked with. The management team provided supervision to monitor the staff’s conduct and support their professional development. Staff confirmed that the adults they supported were able to make their own decisions and we saw they had consented to their care. Where children were supported we saw their parents had consented to their care. The delivery of care was tailored to meet people’s individual needs and preferences.

People’s needs were assessed and care plans were developed with them to direct staff on how to support them in their preferred way. When needed people were supported to maintain their dietary requirements and preferences and to access healthcare services.

Quality monitoring checks were completed by the registered manager and provider and when needed action was taken to make improvements. The provider sought the opinions of people and their representatives to bring about changes. The provider understood their responsibilities around registration with us. Staff were supported in their job and had opportunities to give their views. People knew how to complain and we saw when complaints were made these were addressed.