- Care home
University Care
Assessment report published 3 November 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
About the service
University Care is a care home which supports up to 4 people. At the time of the assessment, 4 people were living at the service.
Who the service is for
This service is a specialist service that supported people with mental health needs, a learning disability and autistic people.
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 were treated with respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence, and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.
Key findingsWe carried out this assessment on 6 October 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.
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. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions. They had choice, control and freedom over their lives.
People received safe, effective and person-centred care from staff who understood their needs and preferences. There was a positive learning culture, with incidents, accidents and safeguarding concerns reviewed and lessons implemented. Staff understood their safeguarding responsibilities, and people felt confident concerns would be recognised and acted upon. Staffing levels were sufficient to meet people’s needs, staff had completed required training, and systems supported the safe ordering, recording and monitoring of medicines.
People’s needs were recorded within care plans, including how they wished to be supported. Staff understood the importance of obtaining consent before providing care, support or treatment, and healthcare professionals were contacted appropriately when required. People were treated with dignity and respect, listened to and supported to maintain their independence. They had choices about their personal space, daily activities and the care they received.
Care was personalised around people’s individual needs, likes and dislikes. People felt involved in decisions about their care and spoke positively about the support they received.
Staff knew people well and supported them to achieve positive outcomes that reflected their individual needs and circumstances.
The service demonstrated the principles of Right support, Right Care, Right Culture. People were supported to exercise choice, control and independence; care was person-centred and promoted dignity; and staff and leaders demonstrated values and behaviours that supported people to feel listened to and involved. People were supported to access the local community but also enjoyed going on trips, including theme parks.
Governance arrangements included audits to monitor care quality and maintain oversight of the service. Experienced and knowledgeable managers were involved in the day-to-day running of the service and demonstrated a commitment to the people supported. Learning from other services operated by the provider was used to reduce risks. Staff spoke positively about their colleagues and managers and felt supported and involved in the service.
People's experience of this service
We spoke with 2 people who used the service and observed positive interactions between people and staff throughout the inspection. People appeared comfortable in their home environment and spoke warmly about the support they received. One person was keen to share their interests and experiences, speaking enthusiastically about recent trips and upcoming activities. They told us staff supported them well and described enjoying opportunities to take part in community activities and outings with other people using the service.
People told us they felt safe living at the service and valued the support provided by staff. One person said, “Having the staff around makes me feel safe” and described the support they received as “the best it could be.” People told us staff listened to them, understood their needs and provided support in a way that worked for them. Comments included, “The staff listen to me when I talk with them and provide the support that's right for me” and “The staff are always around if I have a problem.”
People consistently described staff as kind, caring and respectful. They told us staff respected their privacy and dignity, including knocking on bedroom doors before entering. People said they were encouraged to be as independent as possible and supported to make choices about their daily lives. One person told us, “The staff allow me to be as independent as possible in my daily life.”
People were positive about the opportunities available to them and how staff supported their interests and hobbies. One person described enjoying taking part in household activities, celebrations and movie nights, while another told us staff supported them with their hobbies and interests. People also spoke positively about the food provided and said they were involved in planning menus and discussing their preferences.
People told us they were supported to access healthcare services and manage their medicines safely. They spoke positively about the support they received from staff and the progress they had made since they had moved into the service. One person told us, “I feel I have made very good progress since coming to live at the home,” and rated the service “10 out of 10.”
Overall, feedback was highly positive and demonstrated that people experienced a safe, caring and supportive environment where staff knew them well, respected their choices and promoted their independence, wellbeing and quality of life.