- Homecare service
Forward Care
Assessment report published 1 July 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 18 June to 24 June 2026.
This service provides care and support to people living in 6 ‘supported living’ settings, so they can live as independently as possible. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living. This assessment looked at people’s personal care and support.
The service is also registered to provide personal care to people living in their own homes. This is sometimes known as homecare. No one was receiving support from this part of the service at the time of our assessment.
The service supports people with mental health needs, people with a learning disability and autistic people.
People received safe care and treatment. Staff assessed risks and involved people in planning for these. Staff worked closely with other professionals to make sure people’s needs were assessed and planned for. People were supported to manage their own medicines and to do things for themselves when they wanted. Staff supported people in a person-centred way, ensuring care met their individual needs and reflected their choices. People understood and consented to their care.
There were enough staff. Staff were provided with a range of training and learning opportunities. Staff felt supported and had the information they needed to care for people well. They were encouraged to undertake qualifications and were given opportunities for promotion.
All staff, including the registered manager, knew people well. They provided guidance and support to help people manage their mental health and set personal objectives. People were encouraged to learn skills and try new things. Staff supported people to go on holidays and pursue social activities of their choice.
There were effective systems for monitoring and improving the quality of the service. These included a range of audits and checks. Staff reflected when things went wrong and learnt from these. The provider valued feedback from people using the service, staff and other stakeholders. They acted on feedback by making changes to the service.
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. We found the provider was following this guidance. For example, they found bespoke ways to enable people to communicate effectively and make choices. They supported people to feel safe within the local community. People were able to establish and maintain relationships which were important to them. Staff respected people’s human rights. They advocated for people when liaising with others and helped to ensure people could access services which they needed to live healthy and happy lives.
People's experience of this service
People had a good experience using the service. People felt safe and empowered to make informed choices. People told us staff were friendly, kind and supportive. Staff supported them when they needed. People were able to be independent when they wanted. Comments from people using the service included, “I am very happy”, “All the staff are friendly”, “I feel very secure and they look after me” and “I am happy living here. I respect everyone and everyone respects me.”
People explained staff enabled them to live healthy lives, helping improve their diet and exercise. People were able to see health care professionals when they needed. They had opportunities to discuss their mental health with staff and set their own goals to improve their wellbeing. A person commented, “The staff are very wonderful, they always lend a helping hand.”
People told us managers and staff listened to them and responded to their feedback. They had opportunities to speak up. Staff respected people’s religions, cultures and identity. People were supported to celebrate their faith and lifestyles. Staff used people’s preferred pronouns and names when talking with and about them.
People told us they were pleased they received support from Forward Care. Their comments included, “The best thing about [the service] is the structure that is provided” and “The skills and confidence I’ve gained here makes me feel more able to make decisions for myself.”
External professionals and relatives also commented positively about people’s experience. Professionals described improvements in people’s wellbeing and how staff ensured people were safe. Comments from relatives included, “It is a tranquil, peaceful service”, “The service is lovely” and “It is safe because the staff are professional and caring.”