We carried out this inspection on 17 August 2018. The inspection was announced. We gave notice because this is a small service and we needed to ensure the registered manager would be available to speak with us.

This was the first inspection of the service since it was registered in June 2017.

This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses in the community. It provides a service to older people, people living with dementia, adults who have a learning disability and adults who have a physical disability. The service is provided in Nantwich and the surrounding area.

There were 15 people receiving regulated activity at the time we carried out our inspection.

There was an experienced registered manager responsible for the day-to-day management 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 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

People told us this was a good service and said they would recommend it.

People’s needs were assessed and care was planned and provided to meet their needs. However, we did see that risk assessments were generic and non-specific about the people they were for. Staff were able to tell us about people’s needs were these were not always clearly documented in relation to the risks. We asked the registered manager to make improvements in this area.

The staff knew people well and treated them in a kind and caring way. People valued the service they received. There were enough staff to support people. People received support from a small team of staff who they knew. Safe systems were used when new staff were employed to check they were suitable to work in people’s homes.

The staff were well trained and skilled to care for people. They knew how to provide people’s care and to protect people from abuse and harm. 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. People consented to the care they received and their rights were respected. People’s needs were assessed and care was planned and provided to meet their needs.

The service was responsive to people’s needs and wishes. If people requested changes to their planned care these were agreed. People were asked for their views and the registered manager took action in response to their comments. People’s privacy, dignity and independence were promoted.

People knew the registered manager and how they could contact her. The registered manager set high standards and checked the service to ensure these were met.

People received the support they needed to take their medicines. The registered manager and care staff worked with local and specialist services to ensure people received the care they needed.

The registered provider had a procedure for receiving and responding to complaints about the service. They prided themselves on being response to any concerns raised before they became complaints.