This inspection took place on 15 March 2018 and was announced. We gave the provider 24 hours’ notice because this is small service and we wanted to be sure people would be available when we visited.

This was the first inspection of the service since it registered with the Care Quality Commission in June 2016.

Kingdom House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

The care home is able to accommodate up to three people and specialises in the care of people who have a learning disability. At the time of the inspection there were two people living at the home

The care service has been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the 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.

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.

The management team worked alongside care staff which enabled them to constantly seek people’s views and monitor the quality of the service offered. Staff and relatives described the management of the home as very open and approachable.

There were adequate numbers of well trained and experienced staff to ensure people received the care and support they required. The service was flexible to meet people’s changing needs and wishes.

People were cared for by staff who were kind and caring. One relative told us, “The staff are all lovely and friendly I just can’t fault them.” Throughout the inspection we observed staff interacted with people in a friendly and caring way. Staff talked about people with genuine affection and obviously knew the people they cared for extremely well. One member of staff said, “It’s bit like family really.”

People received their care and support safely because staff followed risk assessments to enable people to take part in day to day life and activities with minimum risk to themselves and others. Risks of abuse to people were minimised because staff knew how to recognise and report concerns and the management team took all concerns seriously.

The staff worked in partnership with other professionals to assess and plan people’s care. There was a small and consistent staff team who knew people well and how they liked to be supported. Relatives told us they were kept up to date and involved in all decisions about their relative’s care.

People were cared for by staff who felt well supported and received the training needed to effectively meet people’s needs and maintain their safety. Staff were positive and well-motivated which helped to create a happy atmosphere for people to live in.

People were supported to maintain good health and well-being. People had access to healthcare professionals to meet their individual needs. One relative told us, “With medical needs they [staff] are spot on.” Staff knew how to support people who were unable to make decisions for themselves and acted in accordance with the law.