Tigh Lenach is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as single package under one contractual agreement.

Tigh Lenach does not provide nursing care. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection. The service supports up to six young adults with learning disabilities and/ or autism, all of whom had complex needs. There were five people using the service at the time of our inspection. All people were unable to communicate verbally.

This was our first inspection of the service since they registered with us in September 2016.

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.

There was a registered manager in post at the time of our inspection. 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 provider had good systems in place to support people in relation to behaviours which challenged the service. The provider encouraged people to take positive risks to help them live meaningful lives. Staff received specialist training in relation to positive behaviour support and understood people’s needs well in relation to this. There was a plan was in place to further improve training in relation to this area. People had ‘positive behaviour support guidance’ in place for staff to follow in helping them manage behaviours which challenged which were personalised for each person. People and staff were involved in recruitment. After passing the interview stage candidates spent half a day at the service working with people and staff while the management team assessed how well suited they were to supporting the individuals at the service.

People were protected from the risk of abuse as the provider had suitable systems in place to safeguard people. The premises were well maintained and spacious and met people’s needs in relation to their disabilities well. People’s medicines were safely managed. The service was clean and suitable infection control processes were in place.

Staff were suitable to work with people as the provider carried out recruitment checks. There were sufficient staff deployed to work with people and staff had sufficient time to develop good relationships with them.

Staff received training to help them understand their roles and responsibilities and were also supported with supervision and appraisal. Staff told us the management team were supportive, accessible and approachable.

People received food of their choice and were supported in relation to eating and drinking where necessary. People also received support with their day to day healthcare needs. People received coordinated care when moving between services such as hospital admissions and when newly admitted to the care home. People were encouraged to exercise and some people had personal trainers to help maintain good health.

The provider had followed the Mental Capacity Act 2005 in assessing people’s capacity to consent to their care. The provider applied for authorisations to deprive people of their liberty (DoLS) as part of keeping them safe and people all required constant supervision and staff support when leaving the service.

Staff were caring and understood people’s needs well. Staff also knew the best ways to communicate with people. People were treated with dignity and respect. People were encouraged to develop their independent living skills.

People were supported to do activities the