St. Michaels

St. Michaels is a residential care home supporting up to five adults who have autism, learning disabilities, and associated needs, providing them with individual flats or a bungalow within the grounds. The service focuses on empowering people whose past experiences or anxious behaviors have limited their quality of life. This CQC inspection report highlights how the management and consistent staff team work together to deliver personalized care, maintain a safe environment, and promote independence, while actively listening to residents and working closely with health professionals.

Residents live in a safe and secure environment where staff understand individual risks, such as epilepsy, and know how to manage challenging behaviors effectively through personalized support plans. Medication is handled responsibly, and robust recruitment and infection control procedures are actively maintained to protect everyone in the home.

The care provided is deeply personal, promoting independence, dignity, and human rights while ensuring residents have maximum choice and control over their daily lives. Staff are passionate about supporting individuals to achieve positive outcomes, such as developing skills to help them transition toward supported living services in the future.

Residents are actively involved in the day-to-day life of the home, from helping with decoration and creating logos to moving group meetings online during the pandemic. Communication with families is praised as excellent, and staff consistently listen to residents' wishes to ensure they remain engaged and empowered.

The home is supported by a visible and proactive registered manager who leads by example, maintains open communication, and ensures thorough quality checks and staff training are regularly carried out. Staff feel well-supported in their roles, and the service maintains strong partnerships with external health professionals to adapt quickly when people's needs change.