Swanton Community Services Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin

Darwin Community Support care staff supported people with a physical disability, those with a learning disability, older people with dementia, people with mental health problems and younger adults.

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 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 provider had developed a culture where all staff encouraged people to explore their care and support options.

People were supported by staff members who were aware of their individual protected characteristics like age, gender and disability. The provider had embedded the equality, diversity and human rights approach to supporting people's privacy and dignity. People had very positive outcomes as a result. The provider fully understood people's individual needs and delivered care and support in a way that meets these.

Darwin Community Support made arrangements for people to engage in social activities, education and work, which were innovative, met people's individual needs, and followed best practice guidance so people could lead as full a life as possible.

The service knew what people have done in the past and what they wanted to achieve in the future. They evaluated whether they could accommodate people's desired activities and strived to make them happen.

The service had a very flexible approach to any restrictions imposed on people; keeping them under constant review, making them in a time-limited way, and only when necessary.

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 at Telford and Wrekin

Shared Lives Scheme supported this practice.

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

The provider promoted a strong organisational commitment to achieving positive outcomes for people. This was evidenced through quality monitoring processes. The provider, and management team, had good links with the local communities within which people lived. The management team and provider had systems in place to identify improvements and drive good care.

The service consistently applied the principles and values of Registering the Right Support and other best practice guidance. This helped people who use the service to 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 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.

People received safe care and support as the staff team had been trained to recognise potential signs of abuse and understood what to do to safely support people. The provider had assessed the risks to people associated with their care and support. Staff members were knowledgeable about these risks and knew what to do to minimise the potential for harm to people. When it was needed, people received safe support with their medicines by trained and competent staff members

People had access to additional healthcare services when required. Staff members knew people's individual health outcomes and supported them appropriately. When required, people were supported to maintain a healthy diet by a staff team which knew their individual preferences.

People received help and support from a kind and compassionate staff team with whom they had developed positive relationships. People were provided with information in a way they could understand.

The provider had systems in place to encourage and respond to any complaints or compliments from people or those close to them.