- Homecare service
Home Instead
Assessment report published 29 September 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 3 September 2026 – 11 September 2026. The service is a care at home service providing support to adults of all ages. Some people may have been living with dementia, mental health conditions and physical disabilities and learning disabilities.
At the time of our assessment 57 people were being supported with person care.
We completed this inspection remotely, which means we did not physically visit the office location.
We 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.
Safety was prioritised through proactive systems and a strong learning culture. Staff demonstrated exceptional vigilance and professionalism, ensuring people were protected from harm. Robust safeguarding, detailed risk assessments, and innovative solutions were in place. People told us they felt completely safe and supported, and staff described a warm and positive culture. Decisions around the MCA were collaboratively managed to enable people’s safety while encouraging them to make decisions for themselves.
The service provided exceptionally effective and compassionate care, supported by distinctive leadership. People’s needs were thoroughly assessed and reviewed, with care organised around their health, identity, relationships, routines, strengths and desired outcomes. Staff worked creatively with families and healthcare professionals, helping people improve their health and wellbeing, reducing risks and remaining independent at home. The provider and registered manager monitored people’s care closely and adapted support as their circumstances changed, resulting in positive and, in some cases, life-changing outcomes.
People and relatives consistently described staff as patient, warm and caring. Staff treated people with kindness, protected their dignity and built trusted relationships that extended beyond completing care tasks. They recognised people as individuals, respected their choices and used their knowledge of people’s histories, cultures and interests to provide meaningful support. People were empowered to retain control over their lives while staff responded quickly and compassionately when their needs changed or they experienced distress.
People received safe care from skilled staff who understood safeguarding, managed risks and medicines, and worked effectively with other services. Care was flexible, person-centred and provided by familiar staff. The provider created an open, supportive culture where staff felt valued, inspired and able to speak up. They worked proactively and innovatively with community and healthcare partners, invested in staff development and used audits, feedback and learning from incidents to improve care. Innovative learning was embedded across the workforce, using new tried and tested approaches and focused on achieving better experiences and outcomes for people.
People's experience of this service
People and their relatives described exceptionally positive experiences of receiving care and support from the service. Feedback was consistently and overwhelmingly positive, with people telling us they felt safe, respected and treated as individuals. Relatives repeatedly highlighted the kindness, professionalism and commitment of staff, with one relative describing carers as "exemplary" and another saying staff were "supportive, well trained, kind and caring." Evidence gathered showed people experienced highly personalised care that enhanced their wellbeing and enabled them to remain living safely and independently in their own homes.
People and relatives consistently praised the continuity of care provided. Many told us they were supported by a small number of regular carers who knew them well and understood their routines, preferences and changing needs. One relative told us, "Continuity of staff is what we wanted," while another said, "[Family member] only gets 2 or 3 carers" and described this as contributing to their family member's sense of security. Relatives frequently told us staff went beyond what was expected to ensure people remained safe and well. One relative described how staff responded quickly when their family member was at risk of leaving the house at night, saying the service's response was "Above and beyond."
People felt listened to and involved in decisions about their care. Relatives told us communication with the management team was excellent and concerns were acted upon promptly. One relative described the management team as, "’We will get it done and sorted for you' type of people," while another said, "I feel listened to and they respond quickly." Someone else we spoke with said, “That is just their [providers] culture, it is outstanding really.” People valued regular reviews, access to care information and proactive updates regarding changes in wellbeing or support needs.
Feedback demonstrated a significant positive impact on people's lives. Relatives described people becoming more active, eating better, feeling more settled and enjoying meaningful companionship. One relative told us their family member was "Now eating well and improving on all aspects of their life," while another said staff had "Greatly improved [their] life as [they] are seeing someone every day and looks forward to them coming." A person using the service told us staff were kind, respectful and flexible, adding, "They listen to me, I feel valued".
Without exception, everyone who expressed a view said they would recommend the service. Relatives used phrases such as "Definitely recommend," "Very helpful and compassionate" and "So good, so good" when describing the support received.
Overall, feedback showed people experienced exceptionally caring, responsive and person-centred support that consistently exceeded expectations and had a meaningful impact on their quality of life and wellbeing.