The Willows

Raby Hall, Raby Hall Road, Wirral, Merseyside, CH63 0NN

01515592410

Care Type

Residential Care

Inspection date

9 November 2018

Provider

Autism Together

Beds

8 beds

Rating history

OutstandingMar 2016
GoodFeb 2019

Rating dropped from Outstanding to Good in 2019.

Source: CQC inspection reports. Contains CQC data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Costs and who runs this home

Run by Autism Together, which runs 16 care homes in England: 13 rated Good and 3 Requires Improvement.

How to pay for a care home explains the council means test, what counts as capital and the funding you can ask to be assessed for.

About The Willows

The Willows is a residential care home in Wirral, providing accommodation and support for people with a learning disability. The findings below set out what CQC inspectors observed there.

The Willows provides accommodation and support for people with a learning disability. At inspection, the service was rated good but inspectors identified areas where current practice did not fully align with guidance promoting choice, independence and inclusion. The physical layout and staffing arrangements meant the home did not operate as a domestic environment.

The office functioned as a central hub where staff and residents spent considerable time, creating an institutional feel rather than a homely atmosphere. The building's location on a campus, away from the heart of the local community, limited residents' ability to access ordinary community facilities without relying on vehicle transport.

Source: CQC inspection report, 7 February 2019

Specialist Care

Learning 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 21 September 2026. This is a check of published information, not a visit to the home.

Registered service: Care home service without nursing
Registered capacity: 8 places — this is not a vacancy count
Registration checked: Registered · CH63 0NN

Registered care categories

Caring for adults under 65 yrs; Learning 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: Good.

Rating report published 7 February 2019. Latest inspection date recorded: 9 November 2018.

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

Read The Willows'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 The Willows, 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 The Willows, 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 The Willows'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