SafeAre people protected from abuse and avoidable harm?53%Requires improvement
See the breakdownHide the breakdown7 of 8 below good
Infection prevention and controlSome shortfalls
Involving people to manage risksSome shortfalls
Learning cultureSome shortfalls
Medicines optimisationSome shortfalls
Safe and effective staffingSome shortfalls
Safe systems, pathways and transitionsSome shortfalls
SafeguardingSome shortfalls
Safe environmentsGood
EffectiveDoes care achieve good outcomes and a good quality of life?62%Requires improvement
See the breakdownHide the breakdown2 of 6 below good
Consent to care and treatmentSignificant shortfalls
Delivering evidence-based care and treatmentSome shortfalls
Assessing needsGood
How staff, teams and services work togetherGood
Monitoring and improving outcomesGood
Supporting people to live healthier livesGood
CaringAre staff kind, compassionate and respectful?70%Good
See the breakdownHide the breakdown1 of 5 below good
Treating people as individualsSome shortfalls
Independence, choice and controlGood
Kindness, compassion and dignityGood
Responding to people's immediate needsGood
Workforce wellbeing and enablementGood
ResponsiveAre services organised to meet people's needs?68%Good
See the breakdownHide the breakdown2 of 7 below good
Planning for the futureSome shortfalls
Providing InformationSome shortfalls
Care provision, integration and continuityGood
Equity in accessGood
Equity in experiences and outcomesGood
Listening to and involving peopleGood
Person-centred careGood
Well-ledIs the home well managed, with a culture of high-quality care?54%Requires improvement
See the breakdownHide the breakdown5 of 7 below good
Governance, management and sustainabilitySignificant shortfalls
Capable, compassionate and inclusive leadersSome shortfalls
Learning, improvement and innovationSome shortfalls
Partnerships and communitiesSome shortfalls
Shared direction and cultureSome shortfalls
Freedom to speak upGood
Workforce equality, diversity and inclusionGood
Percentages are CQC scores from its newer way of assessing homes. ?
CQC scored 33 standards: 16 good, 17 below good. Use “See the breakdown” on each key question for its standards. ?
CQC hasn't inspected this home for more than 5 years. It re-inspects based on risk, so an old rating doesn't count against a home on this site, but it may not reflect the home today. ?
The Ferns is one of 112 care homes in Wirral: a 8-bed residential care home in Wirral, run by Autism Together. CQC registers it to look after people with a learning disability or autism and children. The typical home in Wirral has 28 beds, so this one is on the small side.
The current CQC rating is Requires improvement, published in May 2026. It was Requires improvement for safe, effective and well-led as well. Caring and responsive were rated Good. It was also rated Requires improvement at the inspection before, in March 2019. Ratings in Wirral are typically about 4 years old, which makes this one newer than most. Of the 33 standards CQC scored, 17 fell below good. The lowest was “consent to care and treatment” (significant shortfalls).
Autism Together runs 16 care homes, and 14 of the 16 rated are Good or Outstanding. The nearest home with a higher rating is The Maples (Good), 0.0 km away. 26 other homes in Wirral share its tier, “Requires improvement”.
