A CARE home has been rated as "good" overall by the healthcare watchdog but some concerns were made about its safety.

Futures, in Colchester Road, Halstead, provides care and support for up to ten people with complex needs who have a learning disability and autistic spectrum disorder.

The Care Quality Commission praised it for the caring, effective, well-led and responsive care that it provided.

The report, published last Tuesday following an inspection in January, reads: "People appeared happy with the way staff provided care and support.

"Staff, including newly employed staff, demonstrated that they knew people well and we saw that they had built good relationships with the people who used the service.

"Staff were able to give us in-depth explanations of what worked well for people and how care had to be delivered flexibly according to people's needs and moods.

"Staff were observed explaining to people what would be happening and taking the time needed to do so effectively.

"All the interactions we observed confirmed to us that relationships between staff and those they were supporting were respectful and friendly.

"Support was provided discretely where necessary and the general atmosphere was of an inclusive service where care was centred on the people who lived there."

The manager was also praised as being "firm but fair" with an open management style.

However, concerns were raised about the safety of the setting.

The report reads: "The service was not always safe.

"Systems were in place to safeguard people from abuse and staff had received safeguarding awareness training, although some were not clear on reporting procedures.

"Recruitment processes were not always robust.

"Risks were assessed and action taken to minimise them, although identified risks were not always communicated throughout the staff team."