Midlands Supported Living

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.

People were observed to be relaxed, comfortable and positive in their homes and in their interactions with staff. They were encouraged to make choices, personalise their living spaces and remain involved in everyday activities and their local communities. Relatives consistently told us they felt people were safe, well cared for and treated with kindness, dignity and compassion.

Staff knew people well and responded to their individual needs, including supporting communication, sensory regulation and access to healthcare. People and relatives were involved in assessments and care planning, and staff worked effectively with external professionals to promote good health outcomes. Medicines were managed safely, staffing levels were sufficient and recruitment practices were thorough. Some aspects of risk assessment, environmental monitoring and long-term planning required further development, and leaders were aware of these areas and had already begun to take action to address them.

Staff told us that previous management arrangements had not always been supportive; however, a new leadership team was in place prior to the inspection, and this had led to noticeable improvements. Leaders were visible, knowledgeable and open, and staff felt more valued and confident to raise concerns or share ideas. Governance systems were developing and learning from incidents and feedback was evident. There were no breaches of regulations identified. Overall, the service demonstrated a positive, caring culture with improving leadership and a clear commitment to providing safe, person-centred support that enabled people to live meaningful and fulfilling lives.