This inspection took place on 14 and 15 September 2016 and was announced because we wanted to ensure staff would be available at the office when we arrived. Shared Lives has an office base at the Civic Centre in Castleford. The service covered the whole of Wakefield.

The service recruited individuals, couples and families and supported them to provide homes and short term respite placements, within their own home, for adults with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, mental health difficulties and older people, some of whom are living with dementia.

At the time of the inspection the registered manager told us the service supported 121 people within 106 Shared Lives carers' homes. The day to day running of the service was carried out by three Share Lives social workers, one care coordinator and two administrators, who all reported to the registered manager. The service had vacancies for a further two social workers.

A registered manager was in post and she had been registered to manage a regulated activity with the CQC since February 2014. 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 people we spoke with told us they felt safe living with their Shared Lives carer(s). Carers had received training in safeguarding adults and told us they would report any concerns to their Shared Lives social worker or a person’s care manager within the local authority. We saw that the service had dealt with historic safeguarding concerns appropriately and notified external agencies as necessary.

Carers told us they felt well supported by the service and they always received a response to any concerns or queries they may have. Overall morale was positive.

Processes were in place to safely recruit staff and to carry out checks to ensure they were suitably skilled and experienced. Shared Lives carers went through a vigorous assessment process, including vetting checks of their backgrounds, such as health, finances and experience. All carers were required to be approved by a formal assessment panel before being matched with a person to support.

People receiving support with their medicines were assisted safely and properly and we saw carers had received training in the safe handling of medicines. Carers told us they had received a range of training, both as part of their induction and on an ongoing basis. Office staff also confirmed they had access to a range of training. The administrator showed us a training matrix which had been developed to make it easier for the office staff to access and track that carers' training was up to date.

Office staff were aware of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and understood their responsibilities with regards to MCA principles. The registered manager confirmed that 13 people who used the service were potentially being deprived of their liberty and applications had been made to the local authority to authorise this. This demonstrated the registered manager ensured proper and legal processes were followed with regards to the MCA.

People were supported to maintain their health and well-being. Carers worked with external health professionals to ensure needs were met. People were also supported to attend hospital appointments and social activities. People participated in a wide variety of activities which enhanced their lives.

People had access to a variety of food and drinks. The people we spoke with said they were happy, well cared for and felt part of the family. We observed relaxed relationships between people and their carer. They said their privacy and dignity were respected and they had their own personalised rooms which they could go to at any time.

People's health and social care needs were assessed