The Views

The Views is a six bedded bungalow, with all area's wheelchair accessible for people. This included a large garden which people enjoyed in the warmer weather. People had their own large, personalised bedrooms and shared two bathrooms, with specialised bathing and shower facilities.

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 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.

Staff went the extra mile to ensure that people had their own voice and were as involved as possible in their care and support. They were passionate about providing people with the tools they needed and preferred, to communicate. This included specialised technology and the use of social media. Activities were solely focused on people, their preferences and goals and had an extremely positive impact on their wellbeing. Relatives and staff told us how staff had gone above and beyond to ensure people's preferences and wishes were met at the end of their lives.

People remained safe with support from staff who knew them, their support needs and risks to their wellbeing. We observed that staff constantly looked out for areas of risk and took immediate action to mitigate them. There were always enough staff to meet people's needs and they were recruited safely.

Some people had complex medicines protocols, but these were well known by staff and medicines were given safely. The building was kept safe through a number of health and safety checks by staff and external professionals. A professional said, "The home is always clean and tidy and staff members respect that it is

the resident's 'home'." When incidents occurred, actions were taken immediately to reduce reoccurrence.

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. Staff continuously asked people about their views and choices and these were documented.

Staff had the skills and knowledge to meet people's needs and preferences. They had received specialised training, regular supervision and team meetings to ensure they were confident in their roles. People's nutritional and hydrational needs continued to be met. They were supported with regular involvement from health and social care professionals, who spoke positively about the support people received.

There was a kind and caring culture at the Views. Relatives and professionals spoke highly about staff. We observed that people enjoyed spending time with staff and that strong relationships had been built. Staff were passionate about working with people. One staff member said, "Having worked in this field a while, I feel for the first time I am at home. It makes me so very enthusiastic about everything."

People's privacy, dignity and independence was promoted and respected. People's views were continually sought, using a variety of tools to create a sensory experience and further understanding of choices about their care.

Relatives and professionals were complimentary about the registered manager and how the service was run. Staff described them as, "Lovely", "Very supportive" and said, "Even if she's not here, we can always phone her." Staff told us they felt part of a warm, supportive, team-working culture, that centred around people's quality of life every day. One staff member said, "I loved the culture from the moment I came here."

Quality assurance processes were robust to give oversight of the service. The registered manager and team leader had ideas of how to continuously improve people's lives and valued working in partnership with others to achieve this.