The Ridings is a small scale care home located in a residential setting near community facilities. The service provides personal care and support for up to five young adults who have a learning disability and/or autistic spectrum disorder. At the time of this inspection there were four people who used the service.

At the last inspection, the service was rated Good.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

The Ridings met all relevant fundamental standards and consistently delivered a service that was safe and good. The providers primary aim at The Ridings was to provide a family home environment, support people to increase their independence, maximise their potential and promote inclusion. The service continued to provide good care and support to people which was continually reviewed to ensure the best possible outcomes. Relatives and professionals were extremely complimentary about the service and what it provided.

There was a proactive approach to respecting people’s human rights and diversity and people were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives. Staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

Management and staff had a positive attitude towards managing risk and keeping people safe. Potential risks of harm to the individual or others in their daily lives were assessed and identified. Detailed management strategies provided guidance for staff on what actions to take to minimise the risk and provide appropriate and individualised support. When people behaved in a way that may challenge others, staff managed the situation in a positive way in accordance with personalised positive behaviour support plans which protected people’s dignity and rights. They had a good understanding of how to protect people and were confident in the steps to take if they were concerned people were at risk of harm.

People received care and support from staff that had been carefully selected, supported and well trained. There were always enough competent staff on duty to ensure people were supported, able to participate in activities of their choice, access the community daily and respond to unforeseen events. Staff knew the people they cared for well and were kind, caring and compassionate in their approach.

Medicines were provided safely and when required. Staff carried out regular audits to ensure processes were reviewed and monitored for effectiveness.

The registered manager was very knowledgeable, inspired confidence in the staff team, and led by example. There were effective systems in place to monitor the safety and quality of the service and drive improvement.

Further information is in the detailed findings below

This inspection was unannounced and carried out on 11 March 2015.

The Ridings is a residential care home that provides personal care and support for up to five young adults who have a learning disability and/or autistic spectrum disorder. At the time of our inspection there were three people who used the service.

A registered manager was in post at the service. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. As like registered providers they 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 service was last inspected on 8 October 2013 and at that time requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations were met.

People were protected from bullying, harassment, avoidable harm and potential abuse. This was done consistently so that people were safe whether they were in the service itself or out in the community. Management and staff had a positive attitude towards managing risk and keeping people safe. Potential risks of harm to the individual or others in their daily lives were assessed and identified. Detailed management strategies provided guidance for staff on what actions to take to minimise the risk and provide appropriate and individualised support to people that enabled them to participate in activities of their choice and access the community safely.

The provider had a thorough recruitment and selection process in place to check that staff were suitable to work with people who used the service. People were supported by sufficient numbers of staff. Staffing levels were flexible and supported people to follow their interests and take part in social activities and, where appropriate, education.

Medication was stored safely and administered correctly. The provider had robust systems in place to ensure medication was managed safely and appropriately.

Staff had developed good relationships with people living at the service and respected their diverse needs. They were caring and respectful and had the required knowledge and skills they needed to meet people’s needs appropriately and safely. Staff knew each person’s individual care and support needs well. People’s privacy and dignity was respected and upheld and they were supported to express their views and choices by whatever means they were able to. Staff clearly understood each person’s way of communicating their needs and anxieties.

Management and staff understood the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards which meant they were working within the law to support people who may lack capacity to make their own decisions in some areas of their care, treatment and support.

People had a choice of balanced, healthy and nutritious meals and were able to eat their meal where they wanted. Nutritional assessments were in place which identified what food and drink people needed to keep them well and what they liked to eat.

People received personalised care specific to their individual needs; their independence was encouraged and their hobbies and leisure interests were supported. They received continuing specialist help with an existing medical condition and had prompt access to healthcare professionals when they became unwell. Each person had a health action plan which detailed how they were being supported to manage and maintain their health.

The provider had arrangements in place to routinely listen and learn from people’s experiences, concerns and complaints. There was a strong emphasis on promoting good practice in the service and there was a well-developed understanding of equality, diversity and human rights and management and staff put these into practice. The registered manager was very knowledgeable and inspired confidence in the staff team, and led by example.

Quality assurance systems were robust and helped to ensure the service delivered was of a high quality and safe, and continued to improve.

We saw that care was effective as people’s needs were comprehensively assessed and care was provided according to need and risks to the individual’s health and welfare.

We found that the service was safe as staff had attended training in infection control procedures and the premises were regularly checked for suitability and safety.

People told us they liked living at the service. One person showed us their room and was clearly proud of their personal space and of their learning achievements which were supported by the service. We saw that people were given the chance to develop and learn according to their wishes and abilities. People were cared for by staff trained to provide support appropriate to people’s complex behavioural needs.

We were not able to speak to all the people using the service because some had complex needs, which meant they were not able to tell us about their experiences or they did not want to speak with us. To help us understand the experiences of people living in the home we gathered evidence by talking in general with one person and by observing care and interactions between staff and the people living there. The person we spoke with told us that they were very happy living at The Ridings and that all the staff were very kind and helpful.

We saw that The Ridings provided a relaxed and homely environment for people. Staff were friendly and respectful in their approach and interacted with people using the service in a confident and considerate manner. During the course of our visit we saw that people were supported to express their views and choices by whatever means they were able to and staff clearly understood each person’s way of communicating their needs. Staff looked after people's healthcare needs in a proactive way.

The staff team were well trained and supported to carry out their role. The provider had effective systems in place to monitor the quality and safety of service that people receive.

People living at The Ridings have differing communication abilities. Some people were able to share some views with us. We also spoke with relatives involved with people living at The Ridings and who knew them.

People told us that the care and support provided to them or their relatives at The Ridings was very good. A person using the service told us that staff provided support such as with personal care or with going to the doctor or making decisions about buying things. They said that staff were helping them to look for a job.

All the people we spoke with told us that people’s right to make choices was respected at The Ridings and that they felt that they, or their relative, was safe there. They told us that people using the service were well cared for. One relative told us the person using the service was “very well looked after.” Another relative told us that the care provided at The Ridings is “very good” and that the person using the service “is certainly very happy there.”

People felt that staff kept them involved and supported people to maintain family ties and relationships. A relative said that staff “put themselves out” to support opportunities for them to meet with the person using the service so that relationships could be maintained.

People told us they were satisfied with the quality of the service provided at The Ridings and that they would feel able to raise any concerns that might arise with the manager and staff. One relative told us “I am very satisfied with the quality at The Ridings, the staff and (the owner) are very approachable and ask for my views and ideas. They listen to what you say. I cannot find any fault with the service.” Another relative said, “I am happy with the quality of the service, it is very good. You can chat to them and I would feel able to raise any issues. I did talk to them about something and they listened and changed it.”