Shared Lives - Sheffield recruits, trains and supports Shared Lives carers. We refer to Shared Lives carers as 'carers' throughout this report. A carer is an individual who provides personal care together with accommodation in their own home. This enables people to live as independently as possible. Carers are self-employed and no more than three people live with them at any one time. The scheme supports people aged over 18 who have a learning, physical or sensory disability. People may have mental health needs or be older and struggling to cope. At this inspection there were 12 people who used the service.

The scheme provides three main services: long term and short term placements, and day care. Emergency short term placement can be provided at short notice. These placements are usually because of an illness or family crisis.

Shared Lives 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.

At our last inspection we rated the service good. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and on-going monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

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At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

The service has 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 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and carers supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the schemes guided practice. People were involved and consulted about all aspects of their care and support, where they were able, including suggestions for activities.

Carers we spoke with had a clear understanding of safeguarding people and they would act appropriately to safeguard people from abuse.

The support plans we looked at included risk assessments, which identified any risks, associated with people’s care and had been devised to help minimise and monitor the risks without placing undue restrictions on people.

People were provided with a clean, comfortable environment to live in and could personalise their own space to their requirements.

There was a programme of training, supervision and appraisal to support carers and office staff to support people using the schemes.

Shared Lives arrangements were formed using a matching process. The process involves participants getting to know each other at their own pace, before making any long term commitment to sharing a home. Shared Lives arrangements only succeed where the Shared Lives carers were able to meet the identified needs of the person placed with them and the person gets on well with the approved carer and other people living in the house.

We observed good interactions between carers and people placed in the various schemes. People were encouraged to make decisions about meals and involved in menu planning.

Complaints procedures were in place and were available in easy read for those that needed an alternative version.

There were effective systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided. We saw copies of checks undertaken by managers at the service. The reports included any actions required and these were checked periodically to determine progress. The registered manager was supported in her r

This inspection took place on 01 February 2016 and was announced. This means we told the provider that we would be inspecting the service before we carried out the inspection. We did this because the person who managed the service was sometimes out of the office supporting staff or visiting people who use the service. We needed to be sure that the person who managed the service would be available.

The last inspection of the service took place in May 2013 and we found the service was compliant with the regulations inspected at that time.

Shared lives - Sheffield Adult Placement provides day care, befriending, short and long term care to vulnerable adults, including older people, people with learning disabilities, people with physical disabilities and people with mental health problems. People are supported to live independently to maintain friendships and relationships, to be safe and supported to live in the ‘approved carer's’ home as part of the immediate family. Shared Lives arrangements are formed using a matching process. The process involves participants getting to know each other at their own pace, before making any long term commitment to sharing a home. Shared Lives arrangements only succeed where the Shared Lives approved carer is able to meet the identified needs of the person placed with them and the person gets on well with the approved carer and other people living in the house. At the time of our inspection, there were eight people using the service.

It is a condition of registration with the Care Quality Commission that the service has a registered manager in place. 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 registered manager was not present on the day of our inspection but one of the provider’s operational managers was managing the service until the registered manager returned.

The service made sure people were protected from abuse and followed effective safeguarding procedures. We found records were complete and updated regularly. People who used the service and approved carers were ‘matched’ to ensure each placement was suitable.

We found approved carers were adequately trained and monitored. The service had an effective and efficient computer system in place to monitor training needs and monitor provider visits.

We found there was an open culture at the service, where approved carers and people who used the service felt able to speak with management and felt confident in doing so. People confirmed they had their dignity and respect maintained and felt able to raise any concerns.