Belong at Home Domiciliary Care Agency - Wigan & Southport

Updated 9 March 2026

Date of assessment: 12 March 2026 to 1 April 2026.

Belong at Home domiciliary care agency – Wigan and Southport provide personal care to adults of all ages in their homes. Personal care is the support provided to people to help them maintain their hygiene, dignity, and daily living needs, such as washing, dressing and toileting. At the time of the assessment, 24 people were receiving the regulated activity of personal care. Although this service specialises in supporting older people living with dementia, they are also registered to provide support to autistic people and people with a learning disability. At the time of our assessment, the service was not providing support to people whose primary care need was because of their learning disability or autism. However, the provider had regard to the specialist guidance ‘Right support, right care, right culture’. Evidence and feedback demonstrated that the service consistently met the needs of the people they supported.

The provider had robust systems and processes in place to identify and swiftly investigate safety events. There were safe systems and pathways into the service. The provider had a strong understanding of safeguarding and people felt safe. People were involved in managing their own risks. The location, which staff used as a base and the people’s homes had adequate safety checks in place and appropriate assessments and certification. The provider ensured there were enough staff, who were well trained and well supported by leaders. The provider assessed and managed the risk of infection well and made sure medicines were being administered safely.

The provider ensured thorough assessments of people’s needs were completed. They delivered evidence-based treatment, worked well with other teams and professionals, encouraged people to live healthier lives, monitored their progress and conditions and were knowledgeable about the importance of people consenting to their care and treatment.

The provider consistently demonstrated an exceptional standard of care, placing people at the heart of everything they did. Staff showed genuine compassion, kindness, and respect with people, taking time to understand their individual needs, preferences and life histories. Relationships between staff and people were warm, supportive, and built on trust which enabled people to feel valued, listened to, and safe. Care was delivered with dignity and sensitivity. Feedback from people and their relatives was overwhelmingly positive, reflecting a culture where kindness is embedded and where staff went above and beyond to provide person centred – care.

Staff and leaders ensured care was tailored to the person. The provider had an exceptional understanding of the health and care needs of the people supported and ensured information provided to people was accurate and up to date. People had opportunities to share their feedback and were listened to by the leaders. The provider demonstrated their knowledge around the importance of good end of life care.

The provider ensured the location was exceptionally well – led, with a clear vision and strong values, which were understood and demonstrated by staff at all levels. Leaders were visible, approachable and highly supportive of their staff. There was an open and inclusive culture where staff felt confident to share ideas and raise concerns. There was a strong emphasis on continuous improvement, with robust governance systems which were used to monitor and drive positive change. Staff felt valued, motivated and well supported, which was reflected in high retention rates and the standard of the care which was being delivered. Leaders had strong relationships with people, families and external professionals. A collaborative approach was taken which enhanced outcomes and sustained a culture of excellence.

The culture within the service was extremely positive and the provider’s values were embedded. The leaders were extremely competent in their roles and were well supported by the provider. The provider had excellent oversight and governed the service well. Leaders used technology to enhance their oversight. The service worked extremely well alongside other services locally and championed innovative practice and improvement.

Updated 9 March 2026

People and their relatives spoke extremely positively about their experiences, consistently describing the service as compassionate, responsive and highly personalised. People valued the strong, caring relationships they developed with staff, who were described as “kind”, “patient” and “genuinely interested” in their wellbeing. A person reflected, “It’s a vocation and needs a special kind of person”, while another person said, “I would give them 11 out of 10…they never rush to leave and give [person] the kindness he was looking for.” Staff were praised for spending meaningful time with people, not just completing tasks. Comments such as, “They sat and talked to him. They listened to [them] and were very kind to [them]” highlighted the importance of companionship, which people evidently valued.

Care was consistently described as person centred, with staff taking time to understand individual preferences and offering choice in all aspects of support. A relative said, “Carers are always checking and asking what [they] want before preparing meals, giving [them] a choice at all times.” Another relative said, “They are really effective at finding out what [they] would like to do, including what to eat…they don’t question [them], they go along with [their] wishes.” People were also appreciative of the flexibility of the service, with care packages adapting as people’s needs changed, such as increasing visits or introducing support with shopping and outings.

People and relatives felt safe and reassured by the attentiveness and competence of staff. A relative shared, “[They] had a mole on [their] back which they spotted and got immediate advice on. They leave nothing to chance. They really care.” Others reiterated this, stating, “They make sure I am safe, consider the risks and encourage me to be more confident.” Attention to detail was consistently highlighted, with another comment noting, “The care and attention to detail every day is second to none…they check [them] all over and make sure [they] are comfortable.”

People valued staff’s consistency and reliability. People knew who was coming to complete the visit and were always kept informed of any changes. A person said, “I always know who is coming and they are always on time.” The use of real time updates further reassured families, for example a relative said, “The new [system name] keeps us up to date with [their relatives] care at all times.”

People valued staff responsiveness and their willingness to listen. Concerns were acted upon quickly and respectfully. A person shared, “I had a concern regarding the carer I had, I raised it and they did not send [them] again. Now I am much happier, and my carer is like my friend.” Relatives felt involved in people’s care and valued the provider’s transparency, with someone noting, “They are genuinely honest with us at all times.”

People described staff as adaptable and skilled in their roles, with a person noting, “They are able to turn their hand to many different styles of care.” Simple acts, such as sharing a coffee or a conversation were seen as equally important as practical support, with a relative stating, “Sometimes, they have the time to sit and have a coffee and a chat with [them] and it makes [their] day.”

Feedback from people and relatives about the management team was equally as positive, with people expressing confidence in the service and its leaders. A relative said, “You can message…call…email…and they always respond in quick time.” Others told us how they were so pleased with the service, they have recommended it to others.