Ashleigh

Ashleigh had been developed and designed in line with the values that underpin the Registering the Right Support, Building 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 lived as ordinary a life as any citizen.

This inspection took place on 5th September 2018. At the last comprehensive inspection in October 2015 the service was rated as Good overall. At this inspection we found the evidence continued to support the rating of good and there was no evidence or information from our inspection and on going monitoring that demonstrated serious risks or concerns. This inspection report is written in a shorter format because our overall rating of the service has not changed since our last inspection.

At this inspection we found the service remained Good.

People's care and support was highly individualised. They had lived together for a long time and had been supported by the same staff team providing them with consistency and continuity of care. They had positive relationships with staff, who understood them well, anticipating what would make them anxious or uncertain. Strategies were put in place to address any changes to their environment or daily life to help them cope with their responses and reactions to these. Risks were well managed promoting people's independence. Staff knew how to keep them safe and how to raise safeguarding concerns. There were enough staff to meet their needs. This was kept under review as people's needs changed.

People made choices about their day to day lives. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People were involved in the planning and review of their care and support. They chose the activities they wish to take part in. They said they liked to go swimming, horse riding and to the pub. They went on holidays and took trips to places of interest. They loved wildlife. Their garden had been set up with bird tables and feeders to encourage birds. They went to local arboretums and animal sanctuaries as well as attending a college course at a wildlife centre. People kept in touch with those important to them.

People were supported to stay healthy and well. They helped to plan their weekly menu. They prepared

their own drinks and lunches. They liked to go out to a local café and pub. People had access to a range of health care professionals. They had annual health checks. People's medicines were safely managed. People had access to easy to read information which used pictures and photographs to explain the text. Staff understood how they preferred to communicate encouraging them to express themselves in the way they found most comfortable.

People's views were sought to monitor the quality of the service provided. They had information about how to raise a complaint. People, their relatives and staff were invited to give feedback through quality assurance surveys. The registered manager and provider completed a range of quality assurance audits to monitor and assess people's experience of the service. Any actions identified for improvement were monitored to ensure they had been carried out. The registered manager worked closely with local organisations and agencies and national organisations to keep up to date with current best practice and guidance. They were working proactively with a training agency to develop guidance for staff working with people with an autistic spectrum condition who were going through the ageing process. A relative told the provider, "Service users have the best care of any that I have come across."

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

The five questions we ask about services and what we found