During an assessment under our new approach
About the service
Cherry Tree Close is a residential care home. It provides accommodation and personal care for up to 2 adults with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder. At the time of the inspection there were 2 people living at the service.
Who the service is for
This is a specialist service for people with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder.
Key findings
We carried out this assessment 30 September 2026 to 9 October 2026 and carried out a site visit on 5 October 2026. This service was previously rated as good. We carried out this assessment to confirm whether the rating of good remains accurate. This report does not provide detailed information on areas where we found practice continues to meet a good standard. Instead, our findings focus on any areas where the service needs to improve or where we found exceptional practice.
We assessed the service against the ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether people with a learning disability and autistic people received respect, equality, dignity, choice, independence, and good access to their local community. The ethos and delivery of the service followed the principles of the guidance, and care was planned in a person-centred way.
People were supported by enough staff who had the skills, knowledge and experience to support them safely. A staff member told us, “I think it is all very balanced with staffing and needs.” The service had effective systems to safeguard people from abuse. The service had systems to ensure the environment was safe and medicines were administered safely. We identified some minor medicines discrepancies which had not impacted on people taking their medicine safely. However, we raised these concerns with the registered manager, who responded promptly and took immediate action to address the issues identified.
Staff knew people well and used their detailed knowledge of people’s individual needs and preferences to provide personalised care. A relative told us, “[They have] been looked after by [staff for over] 20 years. I am very happy with them. They understand [my relative] very well.” Where people were able, they were actively involved in planning and reviewing their care, with involvement of those important to them. Care plans were person centred and provided staff with information on how to support people based on their assessed needs, choices and preferences. The registered manager was now developing these assessments to ensure they fully captured the extensive knowledge of people’s needs.
Staff worked alongside health and social care professionals to promote personalised, integrated care. The collaboration supported safe and effective care which was highly responsive to people’s needs. This was corroborated by a health and social care professional who told us, “I have worked alongside the [staff team] for many years. I have always felt the team are supportive and communicate well. I have built a good rapport with the managers, and they provide timely and effective communication. I feel they offer an excellent service with good staff continuity.”
People can only be deprived of their liberty to receive care and treatment with appropriate legal authority. In care homes, this can be done through a procedure called the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), which is part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). At the time of our assessment, no one was subject to a DoLS within the home. We checked and found that staff and management worked within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions; they had choice, control and freedom over their lives.
Staff were recruited safely, with all necessary pre-employment checks completed. Staff also received regular supervision to ensure they received the support they needed to carry out their roles confidently and safely. Staff spoke positively about working at Cherry Tree Close. A senior staff member told us, “A lot of [staff] have been here for a long time. I have been here 8-9 years and some of the [staff] have been here 30+ years which is unheard of in the care sector.”
Staff demonstrated a strong commitment to the people they supported and described efforts to provide meaningful opportunities and promote independence. A senior staff member said, “One person has been taking on some voluntary work at a [local shop]. We [supported them] to get a bus there and staff worked together [with them] at the shop. When we felt [the person] was confident [they have] now been going out on [their] own.” We heard how these arrangements had been risk assessed and regularly reviewed to ensure the person remained comfortable and confident as their independence grew.
The provider had governance and monitoring systems to oversee the quality and safety of care. The service was underpinned by a strong values-based culture that was embedded across all levels of the organisation. Leaders and staff demonstrated a commitment to learning and improvement, using feedback and reflection to enhance people's experiences and outcomes. This approach supported the delivery of personalised care, promoted inclusion and independence, and helped people achieve outcomes that were meaningful to them.