Stepping Stones

1-6 Boxhill Close, Honicknowle, Plymouth, Devon, PL5 3QB

01752788273

Care Type

Residential Care

Inspection date

1 June 2023

Provider

Matthew & Michael Healthcare Ltd

Beds

15 beds

About Stepping Stones

Stepping Stones is a care home based in Plymouth, offering a place where residents and their families can feel genuinely at ease. The team there takes pride in creating an environment where people feel valued, safe, and part of a community. For families exploring care options in the Plymouth area, it can be reassuring to find a home with a clear sense of purpose and a commitment to the people it supports.

Stepping Stones is a residential care home providing personal care and support for up to 15 people with a learning disability, autism, or complex mental health needs. At the time of inspection, 14 people were living at the service. Staff supported people by focusing on their strengths and encouraging independence, with fulfilling days and access to specialist health and social care support.

The home was homely and clean, with personalised bedrooms. Staff were respectful and provided caring, compassionate support, encouraging people to take positive risks to enhance their wellbeing. Support plans reflected individual needs and preferences.

However, inspectors found that people were not always supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives, and staff did not always support people in the least restrictive way possible. The service could not always demonstrate they were acting in people's best interests. The ethos and values of staff generally helped enable people to lead confident, inclusive, and empowered lives.

Source: CQC inspection report, 19 August 2023

Specialist Care

Learning disabilitiesOlder peoplePhysical disabilitiesYounger adults

Fees and availability

We have not verified a current weekly fee for this home. Ask for a written quote based on the room and care needed, including any extra charges.

Check current vacancies, the admission assessment and visiting arrangements directly with the home.

Care and inspection details

Checked against the CQC register on 20 September 2026. This is a check of published information, not a visit to the home.

Registered service: Care home service without nursing
Registered capacity: 15 places — this is not a vacancy count
Registration checked: Registered · PL5 3QB

Registered care categories

Caring for adults over 65 yrs; Caring for adults under 65 yrs; Learning disabilities; Physical disabilities.

These describe the registration. The home must assess whether it can meet the individual person's needs and whether a place is available.

CQC ratings in more detail

Overall rating shown by CQC: Requires improvement.

Rating report published 19 August 2023. Latest inspection date recorded: 1 June 2023.

Safe: Requires improvement
Effective: Requires improvement
Caring: Good
Responsive: Good
Well-led: Requires improvement

Questions prompted by these ratings

Safe: What changes have been made to medicines, staffing and safeguarding since this rating?
Effective: How are staff training, nutrition and health outcomes checked now?
Well-led: What has changed in management, checks and oversight since this rating?

These are questions for your visit, not a claim about conditions today.

Read Stepping Stones's CQC record and reports.

Contains Care Quality Commission information under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Ratings and registration details can change after the date checked.

5 Questions to Ask on Your Visit

When visiting Stepping Stones, consider asking...

1.What happens if my relative's care needs increase significantly -- will they have to move?
2.How do you handle concerns or complaints from families?
3.What does the monthly fee cover and what will cost extra?
4.How do you keep families informed about their relative's day-to-day wellbeing?
5.What happens if my relative is unhappy here?

5 Things to Look For on Your Visit

When you visit Stepping Stones, look out for...

1.Do staff greet residents by name and stop to chat?
2.Are residents dressed, up and occupied, or sitting alone in front of a TV?
3.Does the home smell fresh and feel clean without being clinical?
4.Do residents look comfortable and at ease, or anxious and withdrawn?
5.Does the manager answer your questions openly or deflect?

Could the NHS fund Stepping Stones's fees?

The average nursing home costs £1,535 per week. That's £79,820 a year. NHS Continuing Healthcare could cover all of it. No means test, no contribution from you.

Find out if the NHS could fund these fees