Background to this inspection
Updated
6 August 2019
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
An Expert by Experience undertook telephone calls to parents of children using the service on day one. Day two was undertaken by one inspector at the office base. One inspector carried out a home visit to a person on day three, and on day four an assistant inspector completed telephone interviews with staff. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care service. It provides personal care to children and younger people in a community setting or within their own homes.
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
We gave the service seven days’ notice of the inspection site visit. This was to ensure the management team was available to support the inspection process. Inspection activity started on 8 May and ended on 30 May 2019.
What we did before the inspection
Prior to our inspection we looked at the information we held about 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 also sought feedback from the local authorities and professionals who work with the service. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We spoke with eight parents by telephone to ask about their children's experience of the care provided. We spent time with the registered manager and provider during the inspection site visit. Following the inspection site visit we sought the views of three support workers, by telephone, and visited one person receiving a service in their own home.
We reviewed a variety of records which related to people’s individual care and the running of the service. These records included care records of three children and young people receiving personal care, three staff employment records and a range of other records including information given to children, young people and families about the service.
After the inspection
We looked at risk assessments, staff induction and other information sent to us after the inspection by the registered manager and provider.
Updated
6 August 2019
About the service
Richmond House Social Care Service is registered to provide personal care to children and adults, with special educational needs and disabilities, in their own homes or community settings. At the time of the inspection the service was supporting 11 children and adults between the ages of four and 32 years old. Seven of those were receiving support with personal care.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Children and young people received extremely high-quality, personalised care from an exceptionally caring service. The registered manager and provider were very passionate about high-quality, person-centred care.
Children had achieved remarkable positive outcomes through outstanding support from this service. The service was exceptionally skilled in encouraging children and young people's abilities and were passionate about them embracing their interests.
We heard how some children’s lives had been transformed since they began receiving support from Richmond House. A relative said, “It certainly wasn’t long after Richmond House becoming involved with [Name of child], that I started to see positive changes. You are an incredible team.”
Staff demonstrated exceptionally caring and considerate values. A relative told us their child’s staff “Looked after them like family.” The staff teams were reliable, consistent and greatly committed to caring for children and young people using the service.
Parents and staff members spoke highly of the management team and told us that they were always available and supportive. Children and young people were often asked for their views about the quality of the service.
There were enough numbers of staff to meet children and young people's needs. Recruitment checks were undertaken, to determine the suitability of new staff to protect children and young people that used the service. Care records were held securely in a locked cabinet within a locked office to help maintain confidentiality.
Children and young people were supported with a tailored package of care that was personalised to their preferences and needs.
Children and young people were safe and protected from avoidable harm because staff knew how to identify and report any concerns relating to the risk of abuse. Risks to their health, safety and well-being were assessed, and in the main, measures developed to remove or reduce the risks.
Staff had the skills, knowledge and a good understanding of children and young people's individual needs and how they wished to be supported. Staff training was delivered around some children and young people's individual needs, which ensured they could be supported effectively by competent staff.
Children and young people were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible.
People, and parents of children using the service told us they would be confident to raise any concerns with the management team. Everyone we spoke with during this inspection was satisfied with the care and support provided for people.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
This was the first inspection of this service since registering with the CQC in June 2018.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection.
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.