Background to this inspection
Updated
17 September 2022
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 Health and Social Care Act 2008.
Inspection team
The inspection was completed by one inspector, a Specialist Adviser and an Expert by Experience. A Specialist Adviser provides specialist advice to ensure CQC’s judgements are informed by up-to-date and credible professional knowledge and experience. 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 agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats.
Registered Manager
This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC to manage the service. 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.
At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.
Notice of inspection
This inspection was announced. We gave a short notice period of the inspection because it is a small service and we needed to be sure the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 21 July 2022 and ended on 29 July 2022. We visited the location’s office on 21 July 2022.
What we did before the inspection
We reviewed information we received about the service since it was registered. We sought feedback from professionals who work with the service. We used all this information to plan our inspection.
The provider was not asked to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR) prior to this inspection. A PIR is information providers send us to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make.
During the inspection
We spoke with the relatives of nine children who used the service and received feedback from two professionals.
We spoke with six members of staff including the registered manager, the deputy manager, a senior care worker, care workers, and the provider’s nominated individual. The nominated individual is responsible for supervising the management of the service on behalf of the provider.
We reviewed four children’s care records and two files in relation to the recruitment, training and supervision of care workers. A variety of other records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were also reviewed.
Updated
17 September 2022
About the service
Community Short Breaks is a domiciliary care service providing care and support to children and young people with a physical disability, sensory impairment, learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder.
The service specialises in providing ‘short breaks’. This includes looking after children and young people within their own home or taking them out into the community to provide a break for their families or carers from their caring responsibilities.
Not everyone who used the service received personal care. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) 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. At the time of our inspection, there were 10 children and young people receiving support with personal care.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
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. We considered this guidance as there were people using the service who have a learning disability and/or who are autistic.
Right Support: People received individualised support from care workers who understood their needs and were committed to promoting choice and independence. 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’s needs were assessed and regularly reviewed. Detailed care plans and risk assessments provided guidance for care workers on how to safely and effectively meet people’s needs.
Right Care: People received person-centred care, which promoted their wellbeing and maintained their dignity. Care workers were kind and caring and had developed important and meaningful relationships with the people they supported.
Right Culture: The service was well-led. There was a person-centred culture and systems and processes were in place to help make sure people received safe and effective care. For example, staff were safely recruited and received appropriate training and support to help make sure they could meet people’s needs. Staff worked closely with people’s families and healthcare professionals to meet people’s health needs.
Audits and checks were used to monitor the service and identify where improvements could be made.
Management were responsive to feedback about ways they could continue to develop and improve the service. For example, we recommended the provider develop contingencies should people’s named care worker(s) be unavailable.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk.
Rating at last inspection
This service was registered with us on 27 November 2020 and this is the first inspection.
Why we inspected
This inspection was prompted by a review of the information we held about this service.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.