This inspection took place on the 25, 28 and 29 June 2016. Fairfield Farm College residential accommodation is managed by a charitable trust, the Fairfield Farm Trust. At the time of our inspection there were four houses which are in the vicinity of the college. One house was being refurbished and three houses were occupied. The provision can cater for up to 28 people at any one time.

Two of the houses offer residential accommodation whilst the person attends college and is term time. A more recent introduction has been the STEPS programme which support young people to transition to living and working in the community. This house is open all year round and offers flexible day and residential packages to meet people’s needs. This may include people with a learning disability who are employed and are working towards independence, those that may require respite, people who attend the college and are looking towards supported living in the community or other packages to suit.

The service had a registered manager who was responsible for the day to day operation of the service. 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run. The registered manager was present on each day of the inspection.

Stocks of medicines were correct against the medicine records. With the exception of one cream, medicines were stored safely and as required. Staff received training in the administration of medicines. We found some issues with the management of infection control and equipment which the provider rectified during the inspection.

Throughout the inspection we observed that people were treated with dignity and respect. People told us they liked the staff. All of the staff had a caring and considerate approach to the people they supported.

People received support to enable them to develop and learn new skills towards their independence and people achieved positive outcomes. Care records were person centred and people were involved in setting the goals they wanted to achieve. People received appropriate support with their medicines and where required health services were accessed.

People’s rights were recognised, respected and promoted. Staff were knowledgeable about the rights of people to make their own choices. There were a range of activities people took part in, either through the college or at their accommodation.

Staff had received training in how to recognise and report abuse and all staff were clear about how to report any concerns they had. Staff were confident that the registered manager would respond appropriately. People we spoke with knew how to make a complaint if they were not satisfied with the service they received.

There were systems in place to ensure that staff received appropriate support, guidance and training through supervision and an annual appraisal. Staff received training which was considered mandatory by the provider and in addition, more specific training based upon people’s needs.

There were audits in place for various aspects of the service delivery, however, the audits and quality checks did not identify some of the concerns we found.

We have made a recommendation about the auditing systems in place.

During our inspection we spent time in the office reviewing records and talking with staff. During lunch time we spoke with three students who lived on the College campus during term time. Everyone we spoke with confirmed they were very happy with the service they receive at Fairfield Farm College. Comments included: “staff are very kind and caring.” Another person explained “all of the staff who work with me know me very well.”

Shortly after our inspection we spoke on the telephone with six relatives. Four relatives described the care their son/daughter received as “faultless. “

Staff were able to tell us with confidence about treating people they supported with consideration and respect.

We found the management of people's medicines was well organised and staff were trained effectively to carry this out safely.

We found the organisation had effective recruitment practices to assure staff employed were able to work with people safely and effectively. Several relatives commented on the staff support as being “consistent, as staff turnover is almost non-existent.” All of the relatives we spoke with said the staff were experienced, kind and there was always a friendly, calm atmosphere when they visited.

We saw there were systems in place to monitor and assess the quality of its service; which showed examples of improvements they had made to service delivery in response to comments people who used the service.

During our inspection we observed staff treating people with affection, kindness and patience. Staff demonstrated how well they knew people’s needs and ensured people were treated with privacy and dignity.

We spoke to two healthcare professionals, both told us the staff were very good at communicating with them, and reported any problems promptly.

As part of this inspection, shortly after our visit we contacted three relatives of people who reside at two of the four houses on the college site, and four staff who work with them. Each relative told us they had been “fully involved in a thorough assessment process and had been made aware of the services available to them.” They all agreed that the staff, registered manager and the principle were approachable and kept them informed regarding their relative’s care and treatment.

Everyone we spoke with was complimentary of the staff and were very satisfied with the care and support provided. Comments included: "The staff are very kind and caring, respectful and attentive." “The staff are knowledgeable and receive training tailored to the individual’s needs.”

People who use the service told us they had plenty of opportunities to express their views regarding their care or treatment. Such a “we have weekly student council meetings, house meetings (which we run ourselves) and regular reviews with our families and care managers.”