Smallwood is a residential care home for up to eight people who have an autistic spectrum disorder. The home comprises of the Main House, which accommodates up to five people and the Cottage which can accommodate up to three people. At the time of the inspection there were five people living in the Main House and two people living in the Cottage. The home is set in a rural location in Blandford Forum.

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.

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 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.

People were protected from abuse because staff understood how to keep them safe. All staff informed us they were confident concerns would be followed up if they were raised. People appeared happy and relaxed in the company of the staff.

People received their medicines safely. Although there were staff vacancies within the staff team, the registered manager ensured there were enough suitable staff on each shift to meet people’s needs.

Risk assessments were carried out to enable people to retain their independence and access the community.

Staff were suitably skilled, and they received on-going training and support to ensure they had the skills and knowledge required to effectively support people.

People were involved in planning their menus and supported to eat and drink according to their likes and dislikes.

Where people lacked capacity to make specific decisions the correct procedures were usually followed in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Staff monitored people’s health and well-being and made sure they had access to other healthcare professionals according to their individual needs.

Staff had built trusting relationships with people. Staff interactions with people were positive and caring. Staff were very skilled at communicating with people.

People were involved in decisions about the care and support they receive as much as they were able to. People received care and support which ensured they were able to make choices about their day to day lives.

People were supported to plan and achieve their goals. There was an emphasis on enabling people to be as independent as they could be and to live a happy and fulfilling life.

Relatives were complimentary about the staff and management; they felt able to raise any concerns and were confident they would be responded to appropriately.

The service was well led by a registered manager who had the right skills and knowledge to undertake their role. Relatives, professionals and staff spoke very highly of the registered manager.

The registered manager and staff actively promoted a positive, inclusive and open culture; this approach had a positive impact on the quality of the service people received. Staff felt well supported by their managers and their morale within the team was positive.

There were effective systems in place to monitor and improve the quality of the service provided.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

This inspection took place on 2 December 2015.

Smallwood is registered to provide accommodation for up to eight people. It is a home for people who are on the autistic spectrum. At the time of our inspection six people were living there. The service consisted of two buildings. Four people lived in the main house and two people lived in the cottage. There was one vacant room in the main house. The cottage had a spare room however the registered manager told us they would not currently use it as it would mean the cottage would become too crowded.

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.

People had detailed personalised support plans which enabled staff to provide the right care and support to ensure people’s needs were met. People had an individualised activity programme which was based on their interests. Staff understood the importance of supporting people to maintain their preferred routines. They were respectful of their diverse needs. Staff knew the best way of communicating with individuals which varied according to the person.

Relatives and staff told us the care was person centred and people’s needs were reviewed regularly. There was an annual review of people’s needs, which relatives and healthcare professionals were invited to, as appropriate. This was an opportunity to ensure the support plans were working for people. There were additional reviews throughout the year depending on people’s needs.

People were cared for by staff who were kind and considerate. Staff were flexible to the needs of people and were able to support them safely. People were supported to live their lives fully. Peoples care records gave staff information to enable them to avoid situations that may trigger unwanted behaviour. Staff had a flexible approach to their work to ensure people’s choice was encouraged and respected.

Relatives, staff and healthcare professionals spoke highly about the registered manager. They told us the registered manager had made improvements to the service and had created a positive culture which encouraged continual improvement. There were robust systems in place to monitor the quality of the service and to ensure any actions were followed up.

There was a culture of learning and staff told us there were opportunities to attend various in house training opportunities as well as work towards qualifications in health and social care. Staff told us they felt supported. There was a system for staff to reflect following incidents, in debrief sessions. These encouraged the team to identify interventions which worked well and what did not work well, which created an opportunity for staff to improve how they supported people. Staff received regular supervision and an annual appraisal.

The registered manager was supportive of new staff and told us they introduced them gently into the work. They were respectful of staffs’ individual needs and were flexible in their approach to accommodate them.