The Learning Support Centre (LSC) provides a range of support to students with disabilities who access study in a higher education setting. The support provided by LSC includes personal care; this aspect of the service is regulated by the Care Quality Commission. At the time of our inspection there were three people using the service who had direct links to DeMonfort University, either through employment or study.

This was the first inspection of the service since it was registered on 25 July 2016.

The LSC had 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.

There was an open and include approach to people who used the service, with information being available in a range of formats. People were provided with information about the service, which included what they could expect from the service, including the visions and values of LSC.

Safety and welfare was fully understood by staff who had received training on their role in protecting people from risk. Safety and welfare was further promoted through comprehensive assessments and on-going review of potential risks to people. Where risks had been identified measures had been put into place to reduce the likelihood of risk and were recorded within people’s records and understood and implemented by staff.

Staff upon their recruitment had their application and references validated and were checked as to their suitability to work with people, which enabled the provider to make an informed decision as to their employment. Staff underwent a period of induction and training, which included them being introduced to people whose care and support they would provide.

People’s needs were effectively communicated and recorded and understood by staff, to ensure people’s needs were met. Staff were aware of people’s rights to make decisions and were able to tell us how they encouraged people to express their opinions on their care and support. People received support with the preparation, cooking and eating of meals where needed to ensure people’s nutritional needs were met.

People’s records, including their care plans showed that they had been involved in the development and provided staff with sufficient information about the person and the support they needed. The information was used to develop positive and professional relationships when delivering personal care and support, reflective of people’s wishes and preferences.

The care and support people received was individualised and person centred, taking into account their specific needs which enabled staff to provide a responsive service, which enabled people to achieve their aspirations and goals. People using the service referred to the positive impact the service had on their lives, both within the work place and with their higher education. Information on how to raise a concern or complaint along with contact details for external agencies was made available to people when they commenced using the service.

The open and inclusive approach adopted by the registered manager and management team meant people using the service and staff were confident to liaise with them about the service provided. This was reflected in people’s comments and the information we obtained by speaking to staff.

Systems were in place to review the quality of the service being provided, through on going consultation with people using the service and staff. Audits were undertaken as to the quality of the service and were used to further develop the service. Staff were members of external organisations that focused on best practice and the sharing of information to improvement.