We carried out a review of the data available to us about Stepping Stone Court on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Stepping Stone Court, you can give feedback on this service.
Stepping Stone Court is a supported living service providing personal care to people with learning disabilities and mental health conditions. This service provides care and support to people living in two 'supported living' settings, so that they can live in their own home as independently as possible.
People's care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people's personal care and support. At the time of inspection, 11 people were living in two supported living homes of which one person was receiving personal care and support.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Staff actively supported people to maintain their independence through a creative and positive approach to risk taking. Learning from incidents was used to inform risk management to ensure people were supported to maintain their independence. People were encouraged to identify and follow pursuits that interested them.
People were encouraged to take an active role in the running of the service. Adaptions had been made to making communication accessible for people using social stories and adaptive technology.
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.
Staff were well trained, skilled and motivated to deliver a high-quality level of care. Staff had received training tailored to people's individual care needs.
We observed staff communicating and interacting with people. People were comfortable and confident around staff that were supporting them.
People were supported to maintain good health and had access to healthcare services. Staff worked with a range of health professionals to ensure they knew people's care needs.
People were valued and placed at the centre of the service. People were supported to be active in the running of the home.
Medicines were managed safely. Staffing levels were enough to ensure that people's needs were met in a person-centred way. Staff were safely recruited.
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.
Right support:
• People were given choice and control in a supported way. For example, people had a keyworker and information was provided in a person-centred accessible format.
Right care:
• The staff and management team were very focussed on delivering person-centred care and were responsive to people's changing needs.
Right culture:
• Staff had formed positive relationships with people they supported and looked for ways to develop their independence. People were fully supported and motivated to be active members within the community which reduced social isolation and promoted development of social skills.
The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.
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 last inspected on 24 October 2018, however, no rating was awarded at that inspection.
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the last inspection date and lack of rating awarded at that 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.
Stepping Stone Court is a supported living service providing personal care support to people with a mental health condition and younger adults. This service provides care and support to people living in two ‘supported living’ settings, so that they can live in their own home as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living; this inspection looked at people’s personal care and support. At the time of inspection, one person was in receipt of personal care and support.
Due to the limited service being provided at the time of our inspection, we could not answer all the key lines of enquiry (KLOEs) against the regulated activity. We have therefore not been able to award a rating for the service.
The service had a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
The provider had systems in place to help ensure people were safeguarded against harm and abuse. The registered manager understood their responsibility in ensuring people’s safety by minimising risks associated with people's care and support needs, and reporting any safeguarding concerns to the local safeguarding authority and to CQC.
People's needs were assessed before they started using the service to ensure they could be met effectively. People and their relatives were involved in the assessments which were used to develop a care plan. Staff were given sufficient information on how to meet people’s personalised needs. People's care needs were met in accordance with their agreed care plan.
Suitable staff were recruited to meet people’s needs safely. Staff were provided with regular training and supervision to enable them to provide effective care.
The provider encouraged lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people to use the service. Staff were trained in equality and diversity.
People were given information about how to raise any concerns or complaints. The provider had quality assurance systems in place to assess, monitor and evaluate the care delivery.