Creative Support - Teesside Services

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

Responsive – this means we looked for evidence that the provider met people’s needs.At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment, the rating has changed to outstanding. This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

This service scored 93 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The management team were exceptional at making sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in their needs.

The management team demonstrated an outstanding commitment to truly person-centred care, ensuring people’s cultural needs were not only identified but actively embraced and celebrated. Individuals, relatives, and staff worked in genuine partnership to support people to live authentically, express their identity, and make meaningful choices about their lives.

Staff went beyond expected standards by proactively encouraging people to explore and connect with their cultural and spiritual backgrounds. For example, when a person expressed a wish to purchase a Koran, staff supported them to obtain it and spent time reading together, demonstrating deep respect, compassion, and a genuine commitment to the person’s beliefs and preferences.

People were at the heart of their community and involved in several community initiatives providing a safe space for people to come together. Staff were passionate in supporting people to pursue meaningful interests and remain active members of the community.

People received outstanding, person-centred care through a co-produced film club developed directly from their feedback and preferences. The management team created a meaningful, accessible social opportunity where people could make choices, maintain control and engage with peers in a relaxed setting. People, relatives, and staff told us this approach empowered people to make decisions, strengthened friendships and significantly reduced isolation, leading to improved confidence, wellbeing, and a stronger sense of belonging.

Care and support were holistic and focused on what people could achieve. The service’s approach to understanding the person and providing a consistent staff team meant there were many examples of the progress people made. Newsletters and regular reports detailed people’s accomplishments. These also explored areas where things were not working so well and what changes could be made to people’s support to address this.

The management team demonstrated an outstanding commitment to person-centred care by developing innovative, community-based opportunities aligned with people’s interests and choices. Following engagement at a local “What Can You Offer” event, strong partnership working led to established links with the local prison, enabling people to attend regular health and wellbeing sessions that promoted inclusion, confidence, and personal development. People reported enjoyment, increased confidence, and a strong sense of belonging, benefiting from meeting others, working as part of a team, and contributing to their community. Activities such as the litter pick further enhanced pride, purpose, and community connection. One person said, “I love going to the prison and I love the prisoners because they are funny and joyful. They make me happy and smile. I like going outside to play rounders and Cricket because I love it"

The management team had an exceptional understanding of the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity. Staff worked with other professionals to ensure continuity of care. Regular multi-disciplinary meetings occurred, which involved people and their families to ensure information was shared and everyone had an opportunity to input. Where challenges in care and support arose, these were identified promptly and shared with relevant others to engage support. This included both external professionals and specialist staff who focused on positive behaviour support. This meant care was continually reviewed and adapted to ensure it met people’s assessed needs.

The provider delivered an outstanding level of care provision, integration, and continuity, with a strong focus on reducing social isolation and promoting inclusion. The management team and staff were highly proactive in creating meaningful opportunities for people to engage with others, regularly organising a range of activities such as film clubs, local discos, craft sessions, and frequent community outings. These opportunities were well coordinated and often involved wider community links, ensuring people remained connected beyond the service. This seamless and integrated approach supported continuity in people’s experiences, strengthened relationships, and significantly enhanced their sense of belonging, wellbeing, and overall quality of life.

The provider demonstrated an outstanding approach to care provision, integration, and continuity through its bespoke on-call service. This highly responsive system ensured people, staff, and families received immediate, consistent, and knowledgeable support at all times. Strong coordination between teams enabled seamless care delivery, reduced delays, and maintained safety and quality across the service. People benefited from rapid access to familiar staff who understood their individual needs, while staff were supported with 24/7 guidance, promoting confidence and consistency. This integrated and proactive approach ensured uninterrupted, person-centred care and consistently positive outcomes.

People were truly recognised and valued as individuals, both for who they were and what they could potentially achieve. People were supported by a consistent staff team who knew them well and had received bespoke training in their individual support needs. People had the tools to ensure they could communicate with staff and express their choices and wishes. Care plans gave specific information about how people communicated. Staff supported people at their own pace to be motivated to lead full and active lives. People were supported in engaging in new day to day skills and working towards their individual aspirations and goals. For example, going on holiday and being involved in food preparation.

The management team and staff demonstrated a person-centred approach to meeting individuals’ communication and information needs.

Staff consistently identified, recorded, and responded to needs in line with the Accessible Information Standard, ensuring people received support in ways they could understand. ‘Easy read’ documents of relevant records were available.

The management team demonstrated an outstanding commitment to accessible, person-centred information, ensuring people were fully supported to understand important aspects of their lives. In response to feedback, they co-produced an engaging and easy-to-understand video about tenancy agreements, working in genuine partnership with the people they support. People were actively involved in developing the resource, recording key information which was brought to life through personalised animation. This ensured the content was clear, relevant, and accessible, meeting a wide range of communication needs and learning styles.

This innovative approach had a significant and empowering impact, improving people’s understanding of their rights and responsibilities, increasing confidence in decision-making, and enabling greater independence. Participants felt valued, proud, and heard, while the video provides a sustainable, high-quality resource that continues to benefit others across the service.

Comprehensive, clearly structured documentation such as personalised support plans, communication profiles, and hospital and dental passports ensured needs were highly visible and consistently met. Staff were proactive in familiarising themselves with individuals’ preferences before providing care, supported by thorough induction processes and shadow shifts.

Information was shared effectively with relevant professionals, with consent, to promote continuity of care across services. People were empowered through tailored communication support, enabling them to access services confidently and maintain their independence.This proactive and well-embedded approach ensured individuals experienced inclusive, responsive care that consistently exceeded expected standards.

The management team and staff were exceptional in how they listened to, valued, and acted on the views of people, those important to them, and professionals. There was a strong, inclusive culture where people were actively involved in decisions about their care and felt empowered to share their preferences, concerns, and ideas.

The management team demonstrated an outstanding, person-centred approach by actively listening to and valuing feedback from people. When people expressed an interest in undertaking safeguarding training, the team responded swiftly and effectively, recognising the importance of this in promoting understanding, independence, and personal safety. They ensured the training was arranged in a way that was accessible, meaningful, and tailored to individual needs, empowering people to increase their knowledge, confidence, and ability to recognise and respond to safeguarding concerns.

Feedback was consistently encouraged, welcomed, and used to drive meaningful improvements. People and relatives described feeling genuinely heard, with actions taken quickly and clearly communicated, reinforcing trust and confidence in the service. Staff ensured people were kept informed of any changes and how their input had influenced care delivery. A professional told us, “[The registered manager] is very proactive in always looking at what can be done to improve people’s wellbeing, mental health and enjoyment.”

Relationships between people, families, and the management team were highly positive, with the registered managers described as approachable, responsive, and committed to ensuring all voices were respected. External professionals also highlighted the provider’s openness, noting that communication was proactive and feedback was used constructively to enhance outcomes.

This embedded, person-centred approach ensured people’s voices directly shaped the service, demonstrating a consistently high standard of responsive care that exceeded expectations.

The management team and staff demonstrated a very strong and proactive approach to promoting equity in access to care and support. People were enabled to receive timely, personalised care regardless of the complexity of their needs, including those who may otherwise experience barriers to accessing services.

Staff worked flexibly and responsively to ensure people were not disadvantaged, particularly those with significant emotional or behavioural support needs. Referrals were managed promptly, and care was adapted to meet individual circumstances, ensuring fair and inclusive access.

Professionals and relatives described the staff and management team as approachable, reliable, and committed to finding solutions, even in complex situations. The provider worked collaboratively with external partners to reduce delays, avoid unnecessary hospital admissions, and ensure continuity of care.This consistent focus on fairness, inclusion, and responsiveness ensured people received the support they needed at the right time, promoting positive outcomes and reducing inequalities in access to care.

The management team demonstrated an exceptional commitment to equity by actively listening to the experiences of people who may be at greater risk of unequal treatment or poorer outcomes. They used this insight to tailor people’s experiences of care, support, and treatment so that everyone received fair, person‑centred, and rights‑based care.

The management team showed exemplary advocacy when a decision was made not to offer treatment to a person with a serious health condition. Staff were concerned that the decision may have been influenced by factors such as the person’s disability and age. They challenged this appropriately, sought a second clinical opinion, and ensured the person’s rights and best interests were fully represented. Although the clinical outcome did not change, the process demonstrated a strong culture of standing up for people, addressing potential inequality, and ensuring decisions were made ethically and without discrimination.

The provider demonstrated an exceptional commitment to equality, diversity, and human rights. All staff completed core Equality Diversity Inclusion (EDI) training with compliance monitored through governance and the importance of completion being reinforced through supervision. This ensured staff were confident in making reasonable adjustments and removing barriers linked to protected characteristics.

The organisation’s inclusive culture was strengthened by its status as a Disability Confident Employer and Stonewall Diversity Champion, alongside a dedicated EDI Team and a growing network of EDI Champions. Over the past year, several impactful initiatives promoted racial and cultural inclusion, including an EDI calendar, guidance on respectful name use, and a Black History Month podcast series. Feedback from staff had also helped shaped a new Anti‑Racism action plan.

Workforce inclusion was further supported through fair employment practices such as visa sponsorship, comprehensive LGBTQ+ training, an active LGBTQ+ network, and visible participation in Pride events. Staff told us the provider promoted well being and work-life balance.,

Support plans and risk assessments were strengths‑based and person‑centred, ensuring people were supported in ways that respected identity, promoted independence and upheld human rights.

People were supported to think ahead and plan for important life changes in a way that was natural, respectful, and empowering. Staff took time to understand what mattered to each person, helping them make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life.

Staff demonstrated a positive approach to future planning, supporting people to think about their lives both now and ahead. Care planning focused on the person, ensuring their choices, independence, and long-term wellbeing were considered. Staff worked with people and those important to them to plan for areas such as housing, health needs, finances, and daily activities, including support with understanding money, accessing the community, and planning enjoyable experiences like holidays. The approach emphasised helping people live fulfilling and independent lives, while also ensuring plans were in place to provide stability and support in the future. This helped people feel more confident, prepared, and involved in decisions about their lives.

Staff were responsive to people’s ideas and interests, using positive outcome notes to capture what went well and identify meaningful next steps. This approach helped people build confidence, try new things, and stay in control of their own goals.

Clear policies and procedures were in place to guide end‑of‑life planning, ensuring people’s wishes and preferences were understood early and could be honoured with dignity and compassion.