Background to this inspection
Updated
3 April 2020
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by one inspector.
Service and service type
L’Arche Kent The Rainbow is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was unannounced.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with two people who used the service about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with five members of staff including registered manager, assistant manager and three care workers. We observed the care and support of people who could not tell us about their experience.
We reviewed a range of records. This included two people’s care records and multiple medicines records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, were reviewed.
Updated
3 April 2020
About the service
L’Arche Kent The Rainbow is a residential care home providing personal care to five people with a learning disability. The service can support up to six people.
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.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
People were supported by staff who treated them with kindness and compassion. People told us staff were nice and helped them to do the things they enjoyed doing. People took part in a range of activities which were tailored to each person. People were supported to maintain relationships with their loved ones and be part of communities which were important to them such as, local churches. People were supported to stay safe and understand positive relationships. People were involved in managing their own risks where possible.
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.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published 27 September 2017.)
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.