Little Hayes
At a Glance
The information you need to decide whether this home warrants a closer look.
Residential homes
Staff warmth score
of reviewers answered yes
Good to know
- Registered beds34
- SpecialismsCaring for adults over 65 yrs, Caring for adults under 65 yrs, Dementia, Mental health conditions, Physical disabilities, Sensory impairment
- Last inspected2021-05-27
The Evidence
What the review data, the inspection reports, and the dementia-care evidence base tell us about this home.
What families say
Families talk about how quickly their relatives settle in here. The staff team come across as genuinely warm — the kind of people who remember how you like your tea and check you're comfortable without making a fuss. There's a real sense that residents feel safe and able to be themselves.
The eight family priority themes
- Staff warmth65
- Compassion & dignity70
- Cleanliness55
- Activities & engagement55
- Food quality50
- Healthcare45
- Management & leadership45
- Resident happiness60
What inspectors found
Inspected 2021-05-27
Is this home safe?
Is the care effective?
The Effective domain was rated Requires Improvement at the September 2025 inspection. This domain covers whether staff have the right training, whether care plans are detailed and kept up to date, whether people have good access to healthcare, and whether food and nutrition are managed well. A Requires Improvement rating here means inspectors found gaps in at least some of these areas. The home supports people with dementia, mental health conditions, and physical disabilities, all of which require specific, regularly updated knowledge from staff. The published summary does not specify which aspects of effectiveness were found wanting.Is this home caring?
The Caring domain was rated Good at the September 2025 inspection. This covers whether staff treat people with kindness, dignity, and respect, and whether people have their independence supported. A Good rating here means inspectors were satisfied with the quality of human interactions between staff and the people who live at Little Hayes. The published summary does not include specific verbatim observations or quotes from this domain. Given the home's mix of residents, including people with dementia and mental health conditions, a Good in Caring is an encouraging finding.Is the home responsive?
The Responsive domain was rated Good at the September 2025 inspection. This domain covers whether people have a meaningful life at the home, including varied activities, whether their individual preferences are acted on, and whether end-of-life care is handled well. A Good rating here is positive, though the published summary does not include specific detail about the activities programme, how one-to-one engagement is delivered, or what end-of-life arrangements look like. The home supports a range of people including those with dementia, sensory impairments, and physical disabilities, so responsiveness to individual need is particularly important.Is the home well-led?
The Well-led domain was rated Requires Improvement at the September 2025 inspection. A registered manager, Mrs Samantha Ann Caswell, is named in post, and Mrs Gita Gaur is the nominated individual for the provider, Oakray Care (Little Hayes) Ltd. A Requires Improvement here typically points to weaknesses in governance, quality monitoring, or the systems used to identify and act on problems. It can also reflect concerns about whether the leadership culture supports staff to speak up. Given that Safe and Effective are also rated Requires Improvement, the Well-led rating is particularly significant because good leadership is what drives improvement in both of those areas.
Source: CQC inspection report →
What the evidence base says
The home welcomes both younger and older adults, with particular experience in dementia care, mental health conditions, physical disabilities and sensory impairments. For people living with dementia, the secure environment and structured activity programme help maintain quality of life. Staff understand how to support dignity and independence while keeping people safe. All areas worth probing directly during a visit.
The DCC Verdict
Our editorial view, built from the three lenses: what families tell us, what inspectors record, and how the home sits against good dementia-care practice.
DCC Family Score
Little Hayes scores in the mid-range, reflecting a mixed picture: inspectors found genuine kindness from staff but identified real concerns in safety, effectiveness, and leadership that families need to investigate before making a decision.
Homes in South East typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
Families talk about how quickly their relatives settle in here. The staff team come across as genuinely warm — the kind of people who remember how you like your tea and check you're comfortable without making a fuss. There's a real sense that residents feel safe and able to be themselves.
What inspectors have recorded
The team here seem to understand what matters to families during those first difficult weeks. They help personalise rooms before someone moves in and make sure the whole transition feels as smooth as possible. While there has been a concern raised about communication during hospital visits, the overall picture from families is of staff who stay attentive and responsive.
How it sits against good practice
Being so close to the coast brings its own gentle rhythm to life here — something that families mention adds to the atmosphere.
Worth a visit
Little Hayes in Totland Bay was assessed in September 2025 and the report was published in February 2026. The overall rating is Good, which represents an improvement from a previous rating of Requires Improvement. However, this overall Good masks significant variation across the five inspection domains: Caring and Responsive were rated Good, but Safe, Effective, and Well-led were all rated Requires Improvement at this most recent assessment. The key uncertainty for any family considering this home is understanding exactly what the three Requires Improvement ratings mean in practice, particularly for a parent living with dementia or a physical disability. On a visit, ask the manager to explain specifically what the inspectors identified as concerns in safety, effectiveness, and leadership, and what has changed since September 2025. Ask to see the actual staffing rota for last week, including nights, and ask how care plans are reviewed and updated when your parent's needs change.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
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In Their Own Words
How Little Hayes describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Where kindness meets coastal living for those needing specialist support
Dedicated residential home Support in Totland Bay
When you need somewhere that understands complex care needs, Little Hayes in Totland Bay brings together experienced staff with a genuinely caring approach. This specialist home supports people with dementia, mental health conditions, physical disabilities and sensory impairments. The coastal location adds something special to daily life here.
Who they care for
The home welcomes both younger and older adults, with particular experience in dementia care, mental health conditions, physical disabilities and sensory impairments.
For people living with dementia, the secure environment and structured activity programme help maintain quality of life. Staff understand how to support dignity and independence while keeping people safe.
“Being so close to the coast brings its own gentle rhythm to life here — something that families mention adds to the atmosphere.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
The DCC Verdict
Our editorial view, built from the three lenses: what families tell us, what inspectors record, and how the home sits against good dementia-care practice.
DCC Family Score
Little Hayes scores in the mid-range, reflecting a mixed picture: inspectors found genuine kindness from staff but identified real concerns in safety, effectiveness, and leadership that families need to investigate before making a decision.
Homes in South East typically score 68–82.The three-lens summary
What families tell us
Families talk about how quickly their relatives settle in here. The staff team come across as genuinely warm — the kind of people who remember how you like your tea and check you're comfortable without making a fuss. There's a real sense that residents feel safe and able to be themselves.
What inspectors have recorded
The team here seem to understand what matters to families during those first difficult weeks. They help personalise rooms before someone moves in and make sure the whole transition feels as smooth as possible. While there has been a concern raised about communication during hospital visits, the overall picture from families is of staff who stay attentive and responsive.
How it sits against good practice
Being so close to the coast brings its own gentle rhythm to life here — something that families mention adds to the atmosphere.
Worth a visit
Little Hayes in Totland Bay was assessed in September 2025 and the report was published in February 2026. The overall rating is Good, which represents an improvement from a previous rating of Requires Improvement. However, this overall Good masks significant variation across the five inspection domains: Caring and Responsive were rated Good, but Safe, Effective, and Well-led were all rated Requires Improvement at this most recent assessment. The key uncertainty for any family considering this home is understanding exactly what the three Requires Improvement ratings mean in practice, particularly for a parent living with dementia or a physical disability. On a visit, ask the manager to explain specifically what the inspectors identified as concerns in safety, effectiveness, and leadership, and what has changed since September 2025. Ask to see the actual staffing rota for last week, including nights, and ask how care plans are reviewed and updated when your parent's needs change.
The three questions to ask when you visitSave this home. Compare it against your shortlist.
Let our analysis show you how Little Hayes measures up against the other homes you’re considering. Free account.
In Their Own Words
How Little Hayes describes itself — collected from its own website. DCC has not edited or independently verified the content in this tab.
Where kindness meets coastal living for those needing specialist support
Dedicated residential home Support in Totland Bay
When you need somewhere that understands complex care needs, Little Hayes in Totland Bay brings together experienced staff with a genuinely caring approach. This specialist home supports people with dementia, mental health conditions, physical disabilities and sensory impairments. The coastal location adds something special to daily life here.
Who they care for
The home welcomes both younger and older adults, with particular experience in dementia care, mental health conditions, physical disabilities and sensory impairments.
For people living with dementia, the secure environment and structured activity programme help maintain quality of life. Staff understand how to support dignity and independence while keeping people safe.
Management & ethos
The team here seem to understand what matters to families during those first difficult weeks. They help personalise rooms before someone moves in and make sure the whole transition feels as smooth as possible. While there has been a concern raised about communication during hospital visits, the overall picture from families is of staff who stay attentive and responsive.
The home & environment
The home keeps everything clean and well-maintained, with practical touches like lift access to all floors and en-suite rooms that help people stay independent. There's an enclosed garden for sitting out safely. Meals get good mentions too — proper food that people actually enjoy eating.
“Being so close to the coast brings its own gentle rhythm to life here — something that families mention adds to the atmosphere.”
DCC does not edit or curate content in this tab. For independently curated information, see The Evidence and DCC Verdict.
