Ten Acre Respite Service

Updated 11 June 2026

Our view of the service

About the service

The service is a residential respite service providing care for up to 5 people at a time. At the time of the inspection there was 17 people using the service on a regular rolling respite programme. At the time of our inspection 2 people were using the service.

Who the service is for

This is a specialist service for people with a learning disability and autistic people. We have assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence, and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. We found staff and leaders worked in line with this guidance.

Key findings

We carried out this assessment on 6 July and 13 July 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.

People were supported by enough staff who had the skills and knowledge to support them safely. Staff worked well as a team and felt supported by the management team. One staff member said, “I feel absolutely 100% supported by my manager. Senior staff are very helpful too. All staff are lovely, we have good teamwork and there is always someone to help you if needed, they [staff] are like a work family.”

Risks associated with people’s care were assessed and people were involved in the process. There were effective systems in place to safeguard people from abuse. Medicines were administered safely and there were systems in place to ensure the environment was safe. For example, all relevant maintenance checks had been carried out to ensure environmental safety. The provider had a recruitment process which helped them select staff who were suitable to work with vulnerable people. Pre-employment checks were carried out prior to staff starting work.

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). We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the MCA and how they managed DoLS within the service. We found that staff and management worked within the MCA. DoLS authorisations were appropriately applied for and overseen. People were not subject to unlawful or excessive restrictions they had choice, control and freedom over their lives. Staff and leaders understood DoLS and ensured people were supported in line with their preferences and choices were offered. One staff member said, “Every individual we support has the right to make their own decisions if they have the capacity to do so. We [staff] follow the 5 statutory principles regarding the Mental Capacity Act. We have regular training and discuss as a team any concerns regarding DoLS.”

People’s needs were assessed and kept under review to ensure any changes to people’s care were identified. Staff were introduced to people at a pace people could tolerate and staff built good relationships with them. Staff and leaders spoke with people’s family members prior to each person’s stay to ensure up to date information was captured.

Staff were welcoming, friendly, and showed a good understanding of people’s preferences. Care and support were delivered in a thoughtful and caring way and people enjoyed their visits to the service. Bedrooms were personalised ready for each person’s stay and staff were organised and prepared for people as they arrived for their stay.

People’s care plans were person centred and staff respected people’s preferences. People were supported by staff who knew them well and understood their needs. People had scrapbooks to record activities and events they had been involved with during their stay at the service. This showed people had fulfilling lives and took part in social activities both at the service and in the local community.

People and their relatives had access to a complaints procedure and knew how to raise concerns. The registered manager confirmed there were currently no open complaints

The provider’s values of empowerment, togetherness, honesty, being outstanding and being supportive were discussed at staff meetings and staff were familiar with them. Audits were carried out to ensure issues were identified and actions taken to minimise reoccurrence. The registered manager had an overarching action plan which was made up of actions identified on each audit. Actions were resolved quickly and efficiently.

A case management system was in place to monitor accidents and incidents and to identify any trends or patterns. Any learning identified was shared with staff and the team learnt together and made changes, where needed, to improve practice.

Updated 11 June 2026

We spoke with people and their relatives to gather their views of the service. Where people had specific communication needs, we observed interactions between them, their peers and staff to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk to us. People responded well to staff and interactions between them were appropriate, friendly, patient and kind. One relative said, "I think they [staff] are marvelous. The staff are consistent. Always the same faces and [family member] is pleased to see them, for example, [Family member] smiles and moves around in an excited way. The manager is really good. They are attentive and obliging.” Another relative said, “[Family member] has a lovely banter with the staff and is happy going and happy coming back.”

Staff ensured people were supported in line with their preferences and staff were knowledgeable about people’s life history, cultural needs, and individual goals. One relative said, “They [staff] understand [family member’s] needs, likes and dislikes. What they do well is talk to [family member] like an adult. They do a journal and take photos of where they have been. They keep us informed of anything we need to know. They understand [family member’s] needs and know how to support them with their epilepsy.”

People were offered meaningful choices regarding every aspect of daily life such as meals, drinks, care routines and activities. One relative said, “[Family member] uses a wheelchair and the staff are well trained in moving and handling. [Family member] has a hoist in the bedroom. [Family member] loves it at Ten Acre Respite Service. They [staff] take [family member] everywhere. Shopping, walks, cinema and crafts in the house. They [staff] communicate well and ring to check any changes prior to admission.”

Staff protected people’s privacy, dignity and respect at all times. Staff offered reassurance, kindness, patience, humour, and emotional support. One relative said, “They [staff] are amazing and bend over backwards. When [family member] arrives, they go to their room with their suitcase and says bye. I was quite anxious to start with. [family member] takes their mobile phone and texts me twice a day and would say if they were unhappy but often says they want to stay longer.”

Relatives were complimentary about the support their family member received at Ten Acre Respite Service. One relative said, “I am really happy with the service. I don't go in often, but when I have, they [staff] are welcoming. When I speak to them on the phone, they are really nice and I get good updates. So, for example [family member] has a scrap book, and they [staff] put photos in there of where [family member] has been. In the past they have rung me to inform me if [family member] has been unwell. The manager is very approachable and it's a well led service.”