During an assessment under our new approach
Helena Road is a care home providing support with personal care to adults with learning disabilities and/or on the autistic spectrum. The service is registered to provide support to a maximum of 10 people and at the time of our inspection 5 people were using the service. A new provider, Certitude Trading Limited, recently took over this service and was registered with CQC on 8 December 2025. This was the first inspection of the service under its current provider. Prior to that we last inspected the service in December 2017. At that time, we rated it as good.
We undertook an unannounced inspection visit to the service over 2 days on the 30 January and 2 February 2026. We have undertaken a comprehensive inspection which means we have reviewed all of the quality statements. As a result of this inspection, we have rated the service as good for safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led and good overall.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives. The ethos at the service supported this. Care was person-centred and promoted people's dignity, privacy and human rights. The ethos, values, attitudes and behaviours of management and staff helped ensure people could lead safe, confident, inclusive and empowered lives.
We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. We considered this guidance as the service is registered for people who have a learning disability and/or who are autistic. The service met this guidance.
Steps had been taken to safeguard people from abuse and risk assessments were in place to help mitigate risks people faced. There were enough staff to support people and robust staff recruitment practices were in place. Medicines were managed in a way that was safe. People’s needs were assessed and reviewed. Staff undertook training to support them in their role. Staff, management and people worked together to ensure needs were met. People were able to consent to their care. The provider promoted the wellbeing of its staff. People were listened to and involved in planning their care. The provider had various quality assurance and monitoring systems in place to help drive improvements. Staff who used the service spoke positively about the leadership team and there was a shared and open culture at the service.