Lifeways Community Care (Halifax)

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• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Our last rating of this key question was good. At this assessment the rating remains good. People gave us many examples of how the support they received had enabled them to make choices and become more independent. This level of support has resulted in people having confidence in themselves to go forward in leading fulfilling lives. Staff were trained in person-centred practice and were enthusiastic about the importance of having the person at the heart of any decision making and supporting them to maximise their independence as much as possible. Systems were in place to support people in engaging in activities outside the service and in developing new safe friendships and relationships. The wellbeing of staff was prioritised to make sure they were fully supported in their work to improve people's lives.

This service scored 85 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

We did not look at Kindness, compassion and dignity during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Caring.

We did not look at Treating people as individuals during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Caring.

People talked about receiving support from staff that had enabled them to become more independent. One person gave an example of being afraid of a particular medical procedure but, with support from staff, had worked to overcome it and was now able to go into medical appointments without any support. One person was very proud to tell us that, with staff support, they were in control of their finances for the first time in their life. They said this made them ‘feel human’. People gave multiple examples of activities they had attended or were planning, such as holidays abroad, ice skating, theatre and pantomime visits. We saw photographs of 2 people being supported to visit Paris where they became engaged.

Staff were enthusiastic about the importance of having the person at the heart of any decision making and supporting them to maximise their independence as much as possible. They gave examples of a person whose family had previously made all their decisions but was now able to make their own decisions about their care, of supporting other people to budget for holidays abroad, of planning activities such as arts and crafts or trips to the theatre based on individual preference. Each property had a 'Proud' file with pictures of activities that people had enjoyed.

The registered manager told us all colleagues were trained in person centred practice and the importance of choice, “from the food being eaten, time people want to go to bed to more significant and larger decisions.”

A member of our inspection team who spoke with a large number of staff said, “Every conversation I had organically included how people were supported to make their own choices as much as possible and how everything was tailored to ensuring people could live their best lives. I didn't need to push for examples, they talked openly as if this was very normal practice.”

People were supported and encouraged to maintain and develop important relationships and to develop new ones through opportunities to engage in activities away from their home.

To support people with intimate relationships, the service had appointed a champion from the staff team and were looking to appoint another. They were also working with adult learning in relation to an upcoming specific course on relationships for people with a learning disability.

Other opportunities arranged by the registered manager included a ‘Find Your voice’ group. This is a music and movement programme to be held weekly at the service’s office over 10 weeks in the first quarter of 2025. This will encourage movement amongst those with more sensory needs and less mobility needs.

For those more physically able there was a weekly run club which people joined to run and walk and other sporting events.

We did not look at Responding to people’s immediate needs during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Caring.

Staff told us they had confidence in the management of the service and said they felt comfortable to go to them with any issues. Staff felt involved and listened to.

We saw examples of how staff had been supported in their wellbeing and development. Staff told us how they could request additional training if they thought this would support them in their role. Staff were highly complementary of the support they received to make sure their wellbeing and development was promoted.

Systems to ensure the wellbeing of staff were in place. For example, to ensure colleagues were not overworked, any requests for working in excess of 46 hours in a week had to be approved by senior managers.

Flexible working arrangements were in place to support staff. This included staff with religious needs and caring responsibilities.



Risk assessments were completed, and reasonable adjustments were put in place for staff with certain needs.

A health and wellbeing day had taken place at the service office for staff and people to get advice on matters including healthy diet, smoking cessation and health screening.