- Homecare service
Equal People Mencap
Assessment report published 20 October 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of assessment: 15 to 30 September 2026.
Equal People Mencap is registered to provide personal care to young people and adults living in their own homes and adults living in supported living settings. At the time of our assessment, 14 people were being supported with personal care. The service specialises in supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people. Equal People Mencap also operates a resource centre providing activities and support for people. CQC does not inspect this part of the service.
The last rating for the service was good (Published 18 January 2019). The rating has remained good.
Staff told us they felt communication needed to improve. They explained they did not always feel supported by managers. Some staff told us that they did not feel their concerns were listened to. We shared this feedback with the management team. They told us they would meet with staff, reflect on this feedback and find ways to resolve these concerns.
External professionals told us there was good collaborative working to help meet people’s needs. However, some external professionals felt communication needed to improve. We shared this feedback with the management team so they could look at ways to address this.
People received safe care and treatment. They were supported by familiar staff who they knew well. Staff completed a range of training and had the skills to understand and meet people’s needs. There were effective systems for investigating accidents, incidents and complaints. The provider enabled staff, and people using the service to be involved in improvements when things went wrong.
Managers assessed the risks to people’s safety and wellbeing. They supported people to take risks and be independent when they were able.
People were involved in making decisions about their care. The provider assessed and planned for their needs. There were regular reviews and information was updated when people’s needs or wishes changed. People were supported to set personal objectives and work towards these. People consented to their care. Staff provided information in accessible formats to help people understand and make choices.
The provider worked in partnership with other agencies, organisations and services. They advocated for people and supported them to access these services, for example, health appointments.
There were effective systems for monitoring and improving the quality of the service. People using the service were central to this and there were opportunities for them to speak up and share their views.
There was no registered manager. However, the manager had applied to register with CQC. They worked closely with other members of the management team to oversee the running of 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. The provider demonstrated they were following this guidance. They had undertaken work to address problems people had accessing healthcare services. They also worked with people to support them to secure education and employment. Staff understood how people communicated and found ways to overcome barriers. This helped to ensure people were involved in decisions about their care and the organisation. People were involved in recruiting staff, deciding organisational objectives and planning for the future.
People's experience of this service
People had a good experience of the service. They told us their needs were being met. They were able to make decisions about their care. People liked the staff and had good relationships with them. People enjoyed opportunities to take part in different activities organised by Equal People Mencap with staff and their friends.
People felt safe. Relatives told us risks were well managed. They told us staff arrived on time and followed support plans.
People knew who to speak with if they had any concerns. They told us they felt confident speaking up and would be listened to.
Comments from people using the service included, “The support workers are very friendly and helpful” and “I am very happy with all the staff. They are always caring.” Relatives also confirmed they were happy with the service. Their comments included, “Staff know [person] really well and keep [them] safe”, “[Person] is extremely well cared for” and “I am really happy with how it is going.”
Some people told us about specific issues of concern which were affecting them. We discussed these with the management team. They were already aware of these and were able to tell us how they were supporting people with these concerns.
We received feedback from a number of external professionals who worked with the service. They told us they thought Equal People Mencap provided good support for people. A professional explained, “I feel the service works in a person-centred way and is focused on achieving positive outcomes for people.” Another professional told us, “The service supports people’s wellbeing, independence, and safety, with appropriate consideration of safeguarding and individual care needs.”