Updated 5 January 2026
Date of assessment: 21 January 2026 – 18 February 2026
Time to Care Specialist Support Services Limited provides personal care and support to people under the age of 65 who may have a learning disability or mental health need. The location supports 2 different Assessment Service Groups (ASGs). The location is registered for the ASGs supported living and domiciliary care. Under CQC’s new assessment methodology, the 2 ASGs are reported on separately. This report is in respect of the supported living services only and considers only those people who received support from that ASG and the regulated activity of personal care. CQC does not regulate premises used for supported living.
The assessment was prompted due to the time since the last inspection and incoming concerns in relation to the care people received. During the assessment we identified 4 breaches of legal regulation in relation to governance; safe care and treatment including risk management, care planning and medicines; staffing and the provision of person-centred care.
At the time of the assessment 6 people were receiving the regulated activity of personal care. Five people lived in supported living services in small complexes of flats and received shared support from a communal staff team, along with additional individually funded hours of support. Another person lived in a separate individual supported living service and had a dedicated team of care staff to support their needs.
Where people gave consent, we visited them at home and spoke to them about their care. For other people we spoke with their relatives. We visited 3 people and spoke with 2 relatives.
There were 2 registered managers in post at the time of the assessment. One was also the nominated individual and will be referred to as such in the report. The nominated individual made an application to cancel the other registered manager’s registration during the inspection as they were not available to do this themselves. This was approved on 26 February 2026. An acting manager was in post.
The service did not always apply the principles and values of Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture and other best practice guidance. These ensure that people who use the service can live as full a life as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes that include control, choice and independence.
Care plans and risk management plans were not sufficiently detailed. They were not monitored effectively to ensure people’s needs were met. Oversight of care planning was lacking meaning opportunities to improve people’s care, wellbeing and outcomes were missed.
At one complex there was a high reliance on agency staff, who had not received a robust induction, and did not understand people’s needs. Staff received limited supervision and support.
Care was not person-centred as most people were supported by staff who did not know them or understand their needs.
Some people were supported to have choice and control and maintain their independence. Other people were left feeling isolated and alone which was impacting their quality of life.
The nominated individual thought the registered manager was conducting audits and monitoring the quality of support people received. However, this was not the case.
Some action was being taken to improve the quality of service and additional resources had been sourced to enable this to happen. An action plan was being developed to address improvements.
A failure to notify of events the provider is legally obliged to inform the Commission of was identified during the inspection. This is being addressed separately.
We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment. This service is being placed in special measures. The purpose of special measures is to ensure that services providing inadequate care make significant improvements. Special measures provide a framework within which we use our enforcement powers in response to inadequate care and provide a timeframe within which providers must improve the quality of the care they provide.
The service was in organisational safeguarding, meaning the local authority was monitoring the service and supporting them to ensure the correct procedures were in place to keep people safe.