Barn Rise is a residential home for seven people with learning disabilities and challenging needs. The home is part of a larger national provider for people with learning disabilities. During the day of our inspection the home had no vacancies.

At the last inspection on 29 October 2015, the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

Staff demonstrated clear understanding of the actions they would take if they suspected or witnessed abuse and told us that they were confident that the registered manager would deal with any allegations of abuse immediately. Risks were managed and planned appropriately. Risks were assessed and management plans were in place to minimise the risk. Medicines were managed safely and sufficient staff were deployed to ensure people’s needs were met.

Staff told us that they had access to a wide range of training, which was provided electronically or face to face. Staff felt that the training helped them to gain better understanding of how to meet people’s needs and improved the way they worked with people. Regular support was also provided in form of regularly planned supervisions and appraisals. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible. The policies and systems in the service support this practice. People were provided with a healthy and well balanced diet and were encouraged to take part in the preparation of meals.

During the inspection we observed people were treated with kindness and compassion. It was evident that positive caring relationships had developed between people who used the service and care staff. Relatives spoke positively about staff and the care provided at the home.

People’s health and social care needs had been appropriately assessed. Care plans were person-centred, detailed and specific to each person and their needs. Care preferences were clearly documented. People were supported to raise concerns. The service did not receive any complaints since our last inspection.

Staff spoke positively about the registered manager and the support they received from her. Staff told us that the registered manager was approachable and would listen to suggestions made in how to improve the quality of care provided. Regular review and monitoring of care ensured that the quality of care was not compromised.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

This inspection took place on 29 & 30 October 2015 and was unannounced. At our last inspection in September 2014 the service met all the standards we looked at.

Barn Rise is a care home for adults with learning disabilities, including people with autism and behaviours that challenge the service. The maximum number of people they can accommodate is six. On the day of the inspection there were six men residing at the home.

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 were safe at the home and safe with the staff who supported them. Staff were patient, kind and respectful. There were sufficient staff deployed to meet the needs of people.

The registered manager and staff at the home had identified and highlighted potential risks to people’s safety and had thought about and recorded how these risks could be reduced.

Staff understood the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and told us they would presume a person could make their own decisions about their care and treatment in the first instance. Staff told us it was not right to make choices for people when they could make choices for themselves.

People had good access to healthcare professionals such as doctors, dentists, chiropodists and opticians and any changes to people’s needs were responded to appropriately and quickly.

People told us staff listened to them and respected their choices and decisions.

People using the service and staff were positive about the registered manager and management of the home. They confirmed that they were asked about the quality of the service and had made comments about this. The management took people’s views into account in order to improve service delivery. We saw some innovative systems of governance with the view of linking management information with the regulator in the future.

We carried out an inspection on 11 January 2014 and found the provider in breach of Regulation 15(1)(c) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010. We found the registered provider did not ensure that people who used the service and others had access to premises where a regulated activity was carried on were protected against the risks associated with unsafe and unsuitable premises, by means of adequate maintenance of the premises.

On 24 January 2014 we received confirmation from the registered provider that maintenance work and refurbishment of the premises would commence on 29 January 2014. On 2 May 2014 we received further confirmation from the registered provider that the majority of work had been completed.

The purpose of our inspection on 5 September 2014 was to assess compliance with Regulation 15(1)(c) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010. On 5 September 2014 we found that the majority of re-decoration and refurbishment of the premises had been completed to high specifications and we judged the environment fit for purpose, comfortable, homely and we observed people who used the service to be satisfied with their home.

Staff followed the Mental Capacity Act 2005 for people who lacked capacity to make a decision. For example, the provider had made applications under the Mental Capacity Act Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards for all people who use the service.