This inspection took place on 10, 12 and 14 July 2018 and was announced because we wanted to ensure there would be someone at the service office when we called.

This was the first inspection of the service since it had re-registered after changing its location.

Shared Lives has an office base at South Tyneside town hall in South Tyneside. The service provides long term care, respite care and a befriending service. It recruits and supports families who provide homes and supportive placements, within a family setting, for adults with learning disabilities. The service covers South Tyneside. At the time of the inspection the registered manager told us they supported 57 people within Shared Lives carers' homes. There were 91 carers available to support people.

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.

A registered manager was 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.

People said they were safe living with their Shared Lives carers. Carers had received training with regard to safeguarding adults and said they would report any concerns to the service or people's care manager. The service had dealt with any safeguarding concerns appropriately.

Recruitment and vetting procedures were robust to keep people safe. Checks were carried out to ensure carers and staff were suitable. Shared Lives carers went through an extensive assessment process, looking at a range of areas including their backgrounds, health and experience. All carers were approved by a formal assessment panel before being matched with a person to support.

Arrangements were in place to provide support with urgent situations. Carers could contact staff any time during the week or could contact the office for support. Out-of-hours support was provided by the local authority's Emergency Duty Team. Carers said they were well supported and they always received a response to any concerns or queries.

Carers and staff received a range of training. People received appropriate support with their medicines and carers confirmed they had received training in the safe handling of medicines.

People were treated well. They told us that carers spoke kindly and listened to them and they felt happy and comfortable in their homes. People were supported to lead fulfilled lives and to be part of the community. They had access to a range of activities, holidays and leisure pursuits.

People were helped to make choices about their care and the views and decisions they had made about their care were listened to and acted upon. They 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 service supported this practice.

Information was made available in a format that helped people to understand if they did not read. This included a complaints procedure. People said they knew how to complain.

People were involved in the assessment, planning and review of their care and support. They had access to health care professionals to make sure they received appropriate care and treatment. People’s nutritional needs were met and they enjoyed a varied diet.

The registered manager provided strong leadership. All people maintained the manager was approachable and committed to providing an effective service. The checks that were completed focused on people's experience of care. Where areas for improvement we