Positive Steps Care & Support Ltd

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right Support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support: • Model of care and setting maximises people's choice, control and independence Right care: Care is person-centred and promotes people's dignity, privacy and human rights Right culture: • Ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of leaders and care staff ensure people using services lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives

People's equality, diversity and human rights were respected. The service's vision and values centred around the people they supported. The organisation's statement of purpose documented a philosophy of maximising people's life choices, encouraging independence and people having a sense of worth and value. Our inspection found that the organisation's philosophy was embedded in Positive Steps. For example, people were constantly encouraged to lead rich and meaningful lives.

The service provided safe care to people. One person commented, "I have no complaints; I feel at ease with my carers." Measures to manage risk were as least restrictive as possible to protect people's freedom. People's rights were protected because the service followed the appropriate legal processes. Medicines

were safely managed on people's behalf.

Care files were personalised to reflect people's personal preferences. Their views and suggestions were taken into account to improve the service. People were supported to maintain a balanced diet. Health and social care professionals were regularly involved in people's care to ensure they received the care and treatment which was right for them.

Staff relationships with people were caring and supportive. Staff provided care that was kind and compassionate. One comment received about the service stated, "Excellence in care. Absolutely brilliant, excellent. They (staff) are a flagship of care."

There were sufficient staff to meet people's needs. People were supported by a core team of staff. Relatives valued the consistency of staff to ensure structure and familiarity. Staff confirmed people's needs were met and felt there were sufficient staffing numbers. The registered manager explained staffing arrangements always matched the support commissioned and staff skills were integral to this to suit people's needs. They added that people received support from a consistent staff team. This ensured people were able to build up trusting relationships with staff who knew their needs.

There were effective staff recruitment and selection processes in place. People received effective care and support from staff who were well trained and competent.

Staff spoke positively about communication and how the registered manager worked well with them and encouraged their professional development.

A number of methods were used to assess the quality and safety of the service people received. The service made continuous improvements in response to their findings.