About the service: Clover Care is a small Care at Home service supporting people to live independently. The service was providing personal care and support to four people who shared a house at the time of inspection.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

People’s experience of using this service: The registered manager and nominated individual retained close oversight of the service. They ensured standards were maintained and people received a high quality of care from staff who knew them well.

The registered manager was supported by a team of dedicated staff who understood their roles and were well trained. People’s relatives spoke highly of the registered manager, as did staff.

Staff had evidently developed strong bonds with people and in most cases had worked with them for a number of years. Staff turnover was low and morale high.

Good community links remained in place. People attended a range of activities, for instance recreational, educational and vocational. The registered manager ensured people had opportunities to engage in their local community and beyond. They and the nominated individual played a proactive role in their community, increasing people’s independence and confidence.

Records were accurate, up to date and person-centred.

People’s medicines needs were clearly assessed and planned for. Medicines administration was safe and staff had the appropriate skills and knowledge.

People were kept safe and staff were suitably trained in safeguarding principles and practice.

People’s capacity was assumed and staff acted in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005. 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 supported this practice. Appropriate training was in place.

The registered manager had been in post for several years and demonstrated an excellent knowledge of the needs people. Relatives and external professionals spoke of their confidence in the registered manager and staff team.

The registered manager had acted on advice from external stakeholders to improve the service.

Staff at all levels continued to deliver the compassionate, individualised approach to care the service promoted. They received formal and informal support from the registered manager.

Plans were in place for how the service would be managed should it grow in size.

The care service was managed in line with the values that underpin 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.

Rating at last inspection: We last inspected the service in May 2016 and rated the service good.

Why we inspected: We inspected the service in line with our scheduled programme of inspections.

This was an announced inspection carried out 31st March 2016. The provider had been given two days’ notice of the visit. This was the first inspection of this service. After the inspection we spoke with people who used the service and staff on the telephone.

Clover Care is registered to provide personal care to adults who live in their own homes in the community. It provides care for people in Supported Living settings. Supported Living is a term commonly used to describe specialist housing arrangements where people live in their own homes and receive personal care from a separate service. Clover Care was providing personal care to four people with a learning disability who chosen to live together and rent their own rooms in a shared house.

There was a registered manager in post, who worked from the providers office. 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.

We found people received a service that was based on their personal needs and wishes. People's needs had been assessed before they started receiving care and people we spoke with told us they had been involved in developing and updating their care plans. Changes in people's needs were identified and the care provided to each person was amended when necessary to meet these needs. Risks people might experience with their care and environment had been identified and were managed well.

People told us they had a very good social life and enjoyed taking part in a variety of activities. People said they enjoyed the opportunities to participate in a range of activities both at their home and in the community. Many activities people engaged in promoted their independence. People were supported to keep in touch with their families and friends.

People’s medicines were managed safely. We saw that people were supported to be as independent as possible to take their own medicines. Where support was required, all processes for recording and managing medicines safely were followed.

We found the service employed enough staff to meet the needs of the people being supported. People who used the service were happy with the numbers of staff that supported them and knew them well.

People were supported by staff who have been checked as part of the recruitment process. We found that staff were trained and supported to undertake additional training as necessary. Staff knew how to recognise and respond to abuse correctly.

Staff told us they felt well supported and received an annual appraisal of their work performance. Staff spoke highly of the management and support they received. There was effective leadership from the registered manager to ensure that staff in all roles were well motivated and enthusiastic.

People were supported by staff to choose a health balanced diet that met their needs.

People were supported to have their mental and physical healthcare needs met and were encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The manager sought and took advice from relevant health professionals for each person when needed.

People and staff knew how to make a complaint and felt confident that it would be dealt with well. People were encouraged to give their views about the quality of the care provided to help drive up standards. The systems in place to monitor and ensure that the service was effective had not been formalised to show that they were effective.