- Homecare service
Steps 2 Limited
Assessment report published 29 September 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
About the service
Steps 2 Limited is a homecare service providing personal care to people living in their own homes. At the time of the assessment, 4 people were receiving the regulated activity of Personal care.
Who the service is for
This was a specialist service for autistic people, people with a learning disability and people with physical disabilities. 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.
Key findings
We carried out this assessment between 16 September and 22 September 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 received safe, person-centred care and support which enabled them to achieve positive outcomes and maintain their independence. Staff understood people’s individual needs, risks and communication preferences and supported people to make choices about their lives and remain active in their local communities. Care plans reflected people’s health, wellbeing and support needs and staff worked effectively with health and social care professionals where needed. People were treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Systems were in place to monitor the quality and safety of care, including incidents, medicines, care plans, staff training and recruitment. People were supported to make choices, maintain their independence and access their local communities in line with the principles of Right support, right care, right culture.
People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment with appropriate legal authority. The service supported people living in their own homes, where the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) do not apply. We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and how restrictions on people were managed. Care records for 2 people incorrectly referred to DoLS authorisations being in place. We discussed this with the local authority, who confirmed there were no Court of Protection orders in place and both people were awaiting review of their current arrangements. The registered manager acknowledged the recording was inaccurate and agreed to update the care records to reflect people’s current arrangements. People we spoke with did not raise concerns about restrictions on their freedom or choice.
People continued to access their local communities and take part in activities that were important to them. Staff supported people to make choices and maintain their independence wherever possible.
People's experience of this service
We gathered people’s experiences by speaking with 3 people who used the service in their homes. They communicated with us verbally, although some preferred shorter responses and additional time to answer questions. We also observed interactions between people and staff and gathered feedback from a relative and staff.
Choice and control were evident in day-to-day support. People told us they were able to choose whether they took part in activities and social events. Others described choosing how they spent their time, what they ate and the activities they took part in. Access to the local community was important to those we spoke with. They told us about shopping, using public transport, cycling, walking, visiting cafés and spending time with family, friends and partners. One person said, “I like going shopping. I also like going out on my bike, going for walks and going to cafés.”
Independence was encouraged and maintained. One person told us, “I’m more independent,” and described managing their own personal care, meals and medicines while knowing staff were available when needed. Others described completing household tasks, making drinks and managing aspects of their daily routines independently.
Support reflected individual preferences, communication needs and routines. Staff gave examples of adapting arrangements when these were not working well for a person. This included moving away from a fixed routine and offering greater flexibility and choice about how the person spent their time.
During our visits, we saw that privacy and individual choice were respected. Two people chose to speak with us without staff present and this was respected. Another person preferred a staff member to remain during the conversation for reassurance and support, and this choice was also respected. We observed people interacting comfortably with staff and appearing confident expressing their views and preferences. Those we met appeared relaxed in their homes and spoke positively about the support they received.
Feedback about safety and relationships was positive. No one we spoke with raised concerns about the care and support they received. A relative told us their family member was safe, staff were kind and treated them with respect, and any concerns were dealt with promptly. Overall, people described support which helped them remain independent, maintain important relationships and participate in activities that were meaningful to them.