L'Arche Kent The Rainbow

The service has been developed and designed in line with the principles and values that underpin Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This ensures that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The principles reflect the need for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live meaningful lives that include control, choice, and independence. People using the service receive planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive for them.

The service was a domestic property and could not be distinguished from its neighbours. There were deliberately no identifying signs, intercom, cameras, industrial bins or anything else outside to indicate it was a care home. Staff were also discouraged from wearing anything that suggested they were care staff when coming and going with people.

The philosophy of L'Arche is that people with and without disabilities live together in a community, so some of the staff, called assistants also lived in the service and other staff worked different shifts. People were supported to stay healthy and staff worked with health professionals to meet people's health needs. People were involved in choosing and preparing their meals. When people were at risk of losing weight, staff followed professional guidance to prevent this.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. People were encouraged to plan their support with staff. Care plans recorded both people's needs and preferences. People were given information in a range of formats and were supported by staff to understand information using communication tools such as, Makaton.

There was a shared set of values which was shared by all staff, this focussed on people having a fulfilled life in a home which was theirs for life if they wished. The registered manager completed a range of audits to monitor the quality of the service. People and staff told us their views and ideas were listened to. People

were supported by enough staff who were recruited safely.

The service applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.

The outcomes for people using the service reflected the principles and values of Registering the Right Support by promoting choice and control, independence and inclusion. People's support focused on them having as many opportunities as possible for them to gain new skills and become more independent.