Choices Housing Association Limited - 1 William Street

Updated 23 April 2026

About the service

The service is a care home. There were 5 people using the service at the time of the inspection.

Who the service is for

This service supports people with learning disabilities and/or autism.

Key findings

We carried out this assessment on 27 April 2026 and 05 May 2026. This service was previously rated as good. We carried out this assessment to confirm whether the rating of good remains 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.

We assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed autistic people and people with a learning disability respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence, and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.

People’s risks were managed in a way which ensured they had choice and independence. Safeguarding systems were in place to ensure people were protected from abuse. There were enough staff available to ensure people were supported in line with their physical, social, and emotional needs. Medicines were managed safely and systems were in place to ensure the environment was clean and well maintained.

People’s needs were assessed and reviewed to ensure they received the right care at the right time that met their individual preferences. People were involved in the planning and review of their care which ensured people’s support was centred around them. People were involved in the monitoring of their care through regular keyworker meetings, which included discussions around their goals and aspirations.

People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment with appropriate legal authority. In care homes, this can be done through a procedure called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which is part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA and how they managed DoLS within the service. We found that staff and management worked within the MCA. DoLS authorisations were appropriately applied for and overseen for 4 people who lived at the service. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions, and they had choice, control, and freedom over their lives.

Staff and the registered manager demonstrated an exceptionally caring and person-centred culture, with relatives, people and professionals consistently describing staff as kind, compassionate and highly attentive to individual needs. Relatives expressed complete confidence in the service, with one family member describing staff as “special people.” Staff promoted dignity and privacy in all aspects of care, with relatives telling us they “go above and beyond” to protect people’s privacy and self-respect.

Staff knew people extremely well and provided highly personalised support based on people’s preferences, life histories, interests, and communication needs. People were empowered to make choices, maintain relationships, access meaningful activities, and live fulfilling lives, while staff actively promoted independence and inclusion. There was a strong culture of compassion, advocacy, and empowerment, which resulted in exceptional outcomes which had made a significant impact on people’s lives.

There was a positive and caring culture at the service, which focused on promoting people’s independence and ensuring people had the maximum choice and control of their lives. People, relatives, staff, and professionals spoke highly of the registered manager who led by example and was extremely passionate about the role they played in enhancing people’s lives. The governance systems in place were embedded and used as a lever to ensure the support provided met people’s needs and people consistently achieved positive outcomes. There was a strong focus of learning and seeking ways to continually improve to ensure people received high quality sustainable support.

Updated 23 April 2026

People experienced exceptionally caring, person-centred support which enabled them to live safe, fulfilling, and meaningful lives. Feedback from people, relatives and professionals was overwhelmingly positive and consistently highlighted a culture of kindness, compassion, and respect. One professional stated, “Without exception, I have observed staff treating residents with dignity and respect at all times. Interactions are kind, compassionate, and tailored to the individual.” Relatives echoed this view, telling us, “All the staff are good, they all go above and beyond.”

Relatives told us they felt reassured their loved ones were safe, well supported and treated with dignity and respect at all times. People’s privacy was actively protected, and staff demonstrated a strong commitment to preserving self-respect and individuality, particularly during times when people may have felt vulnerable.

People spoke positively about their lives at the service and the quality of relationships they had developed with staff. Comments included, “I like living here a lot, the staff are great,” and “I’m happy. I do everything I like doing.” People told us staff understood them as individuals, respected their preferences, and provided support in ways which promoted both independence and choice. One person explained staff understood their need for personal space while ensuring they remained safe and supported, which resulted in improved emotional wellbeing.

We observed warm and trusting relationships between people and staff. People were seen laughing, enjoying conversations, encouraging one another, and living as independently as possible within their home. One person proudly showed us their bedroom, interests, and technology they enjoyed using, and interactions demonstrated genuine affection, humour, and companionship. Observations confirmed a culture of positive affirmation, inclusion, and respect, where people felt comfortable, confident and at home.

People benefited from highly person-centred support delivered by staff who knew them extremely well. Care was tailored around people’s preferences, life histories, interests, relationships, and communication needs, supporting meaningful lives which aligned with their choices and identities. People were supported to maintain important family connections, pursue activities they enjoyed, remain active within their communities and make decisions about how they spent their time. Staff listened to people, respected their choices, and adapted support to reflect what was important to them, promoting both independence and emotional wellbeing.

People consistently achieved outcomes that mattered to them because staff were strong advocates for their rights. Examples included supporting a person to reconnect with an important family member and, securing specialist equipment to maximise the independence of a person living with a deteriorating health condition, which made a positive impact on their current and future independence. One person’s reduction in medication through the NHS STOMP initiative had improved the person’s confidence and communication, which made a positive impact on their quality of life. Through advocacy and partnership working, staff achieved significant improvements in people’s wellbeing, dignity, confidence, and ability to participate in everyday life.

People, relatives, and professionals consistently recognised the exceptional standard of care provided. Compliments received by the service described the home as caring and homely, praised staff for their commitment and kindness, and highlighted the significant positive impact they had on people's lives. Feedback included comments such as, “[Person] was in the best home at William Street, the care is outstanding.” This demonstrated people experienced highly personalised support from a compassionate and dedicated staff team who consistently went above and beyond to achieve the best possible individualised outcomes.