We looked at five staff employment files. We saw that the manager had ensured relevant checks were carried out before new staff could start work. There was evidence that the provider had sought at least two references from each staff member. One of these references was always from the staff members' most recent employer.
We spoke with a family member of a person receiving care from Olive Tree Services. They told us that 'they were quite lucky at the moment' and they had a 'good team and continuity is good'.
Care workers we spoke with told us that they had attended safeguarding training and knew how to recognise and report abuse. Care workers were aware of the different forms of abuse and knew who to report to if they felt people were being abused.
Not all of the appropriate checks were undertaken before staff began work. Two care workers personnel files were audited; these demonstrated that before employment, care workers had been cleared by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). The provider had conducted comprehensive interviews to ensure care workers were appropriate for the work. The provider had not requested references from employees previous employers, or where applicable employees other providers.
People who used the service, their representatives and staff were asked for their views about their care and treatment and they were acted on.