During an assessment under our new approach
About the service
This service is a supported living service. There were 24 people receiving the regulated activity personal care at the time of the assessment throughout 9 supported living locations across Solihull.
Who the service is for
This service supports adults over the age of 18, people with dementia, mental health conditions, physical disabilities, sensory impairments, learning disabilities and autistic people. We have assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence, and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.
Key findingsWe carried out this assessment between 18 August to 27 August 2026. This service was previously rated as good. We carried out this assessment to confirm the rating of good remained accurate. This report does not provide detailed information on areas where we found practice continues to meet a good standard. Instead, our findings focus on any areas where the service needs to improve or where we found exceptional practice.
People's needs were assessed before joining the service and reviewed regularly to ensure support remained appropriate and responsive. Staff considered both a person's individual needs and the impact on other people living at the service when assessing suitability. Staff worked closely with health and social care professionals to help people achieve positive outcomes. Staff took a person-centred approach to helping people achieve their goals, adapting support to reflect their preferences, abilities and wellbeing. One staff member explained, "They [the person] will tell us what they want to do. For example, if they want to get a job, we will support them to make it happen." Staff understood the importance of seeking consent before providing support. We also saw positive examples of people being supported to take informed risks whilst maintaining their independence. The registered manager described how one person was supported to safely enjoy social opportunities. This included staff having discussions with the person about relationships, alcohol awareness and personal safety, and identifying ways of staying safe whilst socialising.
Staff promoted people's dignity, privacy and respect. People were encouraged to maintain their independence and develop skills. One staff member described supporting a person to develop cooking skills and explained, "[The person] wants to learn how to cook... and so we have been supporting them. [The person] feels it's a big achievement. It gives them more independence, a better quality of life and the opportunity to learn new skills."
People received person-centred care. Care plans were detailed and personalised, providing clear guidance on what was important to people, how they wished to be supported and how to respond to changes in their wellbeing. People were encouraged to share their views through regular reviews and surveys, and the provider demonstrated how feedback was listened to and used to drive improvements. Staff supported people to access healthcare services, maintain community connections and participate in meaningful activities. One staff member explained, "We support people to access the community, they will choose activities they want to do and then we will plan how they will get there and how to manage their money." Staff also demonstrated a commitment to equality and inclusion, with one staff member telling us, "We treat people fairly by giving everyone equal opportunities. We listen to everyone."
The provider had systems and processes in place to keep people safe. There was a positive learning culture, with lessons identified and acted upon when issues arose. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of safeguarding and how to raise concerns. One staff member shared, "If I had concerns about a person or a colleague I was working with, I would raise this with managers." People were involved in assessing and managing risks in their care and support. Staff told us, "We agree on how to manage the risk with the person... their involvement is important." Medicines were managed safely through clear support plans, risk assessments and regular reviews involving health professionals. Recruitment processes were robust, and staff were supported to keep their training up to date and received regular supervision.
Staff spoke highly of leaders and described managers as approachable and supportive. One staff member said, "The Registered Manager is great, I have a lot of support... whatever I need they are there." Governance systems effectively monitored quality, managed risks and supported continuous improvement. The provider demonstrated a commitment to learning through accredited schemes, manager networks, sector updates and ongoing service development.
However, some areas required further improvement. Not all staff had completed training aligned to the Core Capabilities Framework for Supporting Autistic People and People with a Learning Disability. The provider acknowledged our feedback and begun addressing this during the assessment by sourcing training opportunities for staff to complete. Some people had a Court of Protection order in place. A Court of Protection order sets out specific legal arrangements for decisions made on behalf of individuals who lack capacity to make certain decisions themselves. The service did not always maintain up-to-date Court of Protection documentation and therefore could not be assured it was consistently adhering to the conditions and restrictions set out within these orders. Best interest records were not in place where people lacked capacity to make specific decisions. This limited assurance that decisions had been made in accordance with legal requirements and in people's best interests. The provider recognised these areas for improvement and, during the assessment, took steps to obtain updated Court of Protection documentation and implement best interest decision records to strengthen oversight and ensure decision-making arrangements were appropriately evidenced.