This inspection took place on 14 June 2018. This was the first inspection of the service since it moved location and re-registered with the Care Quality Commission at this location in April 2017.

NAS Community Services (Croydon) is a supported living service. Supported living services are where people live in their own home and receive care and/or support in order to promote their independence. The accommodation was provided by another organisation and as NAS Community Services (Croydon) is not registered for accommodation with the CQC, the premises and related aspects were not inspected. At the time of our inspection the service was providing support to five people in two locations.

NAS Community Services (Croydon) 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.

The service had a manager in post who was engaged in the process of registering with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to be a registered manager. 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 care and support from staff trained to keep them safe. The service reported safeguarding concerns and actively participated in safeguarding investigations. The risk that people might experience avoidable harm were reduced by the plans in place to mitigate them. Staff at NAS Community Services (Croydon) had been vetted by the provider and deemed suitable to provide support. People received their medicines in line with the prescribers’ instructions.

People’s needs were assessed and met by supervised staff. Staff received training which gave them the skills and knowledge to meet people’s needs. People accessed healthcare services whenever they needed to and were supported to eat well. Staff treated people in line with the mental capacity act and deprivation of liberty safeguards.

Staff treated people in a respectful manner. People and staff were developing positive relationships. People’s communication needs were assessed and met and their privacy was promoted. Staff supported people to maintain the relationships that were important to them.

Staff delivered planned support designed to meet people’s assessed needs. People participated in activities within the home and in their community and staff promoted people’s independent living skills. The provider had a complaints policy in place which was accessible in easy read formats.

There was a new manager in post who led a largely new staff team. People and staff expressed confidence in the skills, knowledge and leadership of the manager. The provider gathered the views of people, relatives and staff and used the feedback to improve the service. Robust quality auditing processes were in place and the service worked in partnership with other organisations when delivering care and support.