Marama Care HQ

Ratings

• Overall

  Good

• Safe

  Good

• Effective

  Good

• Caring

  Good

• Responsive

  Good

• Well-led

  Good

Our view of the service

Date of Assessment: 24 March to 8 April 2026. The service is a supported living service, providing personal care to adults under and over 65 years old and children, living with dementia, learning disabilities, mental health conditions, physical disabilities and sensory impairments.

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.

At our last assessment the provider was in breach of 4 legal regulations in relation to consent, safe care and treatment, good governance and failure to notify CQC of a notifiable safety incident.

This assessment focused on whether the provider had taken sufficient action to address the concerns from the last assessment and whether people were now receiving care that was safe, effective, caring and well led.

There was evidence of improvement since the previous assessment. Leaders had taken steps to strengthen governance systems, including the introduction of new audit processes, external governance support and clearer accountability arrangements. Incident reporting systems had been reviewed, learning from incidents was shared with staff, and leaders were open and responsive throughout the assessment process.

Staff demonstrated a good understanding of people’s individual needs, and we observed kind, respectful and person‑centred interactions. People were supported to make choices about their daily lives and to access their community. Risk assessments and care plans showed staff understood key risks, and in several cases support had improved, including better monitoring of health needs and more consistent recording of incidents.

People's experience of this service

People’s experiences of the service were mixed. Most relatives and professionals told us people were cared for by staff who were kind, patient and committed to supporting them to live meaningful lives. People were generally supported to take part in activities they enjoyed, maintain important relationships and access their local communities. Relatives described staff as approachable and responsive, and most said they felt able to raise concerns and speak openly with managers.

People using the service included autistic people and people with a learning disability. We assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance. We saw examples where staff supported people to have choice and control over their daily lives, including choosing activities, meals and how they spent their time. Observations and records showed staff adapted their communication to people’s individual needs, using visual prompts, simple language and reassurance. This helped people to feel calm, involved and able to lead their day as much as possible.

Relatives told us people were usually supported to attend health appointments, and staff worked with other professionals to meet people’s needs. Most relatives said food was balanced, home cooked and involved people in making choices. However, records did not always show care was delivered consistently in line with people’s plans, particularly where support was needed with oral hygiene. This meant people’s experiences did not always reflect the standard of care planned for them.

While many relatives expressed general satisfaction with the care provided, some raised concerns about restrictive practices, involvement in decisions and record keeping. A small number of relatives told us they were not always involved in decisions about restrictions or restraint.

Overall, people often experienced compassionate and supportive care, with staff who knew them well and aimed to promote independence and inclusion.