Creative Support - Teesside Services

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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

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity, and respect. 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 95 (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 and staff were exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy, and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect. A visiting professional told us, “The [registered managers] are somebody they (people and staff) all respect and look up to. [The registered managers] have a wealth of knowledge in their field, and people are the focus.”

Staff were highly skilled at communicating in a way which put people at ease and provided reassurance. Staff knew people very well and spoke to them in a dignified, respectful way, adapting their approach to suit each person’s communication needs. Staffs’ kindness and compassion was further demonstrated in the way they spoke about the people they supported.

It was clear people had strong and trusted relationships with staff. Our observation confirmed people were treated in an extremely kind and caring way. People were relaxed and comfortable with staff and interacted positively with them. It was apparent from these interactions that they had meaningful relationships with staff that were based on trust. We observed a person interacted with a staff member through touch. The person’s reaction during this interaction was warm and affectionate.

Professionals praised the staff and management for their caring and compassionate approach to supporting people. One professional said, “Having observed various Creative Support staff working directly with individuals, they consistently demonstrate a caring, person-centred approach that promotes independence and respects personal preferences.”

Staff consistently described a culture of kindness, respect, and teamwork where colleagues felt valued, supported, and listened to. One staff member said, "There is a strong sense of teamwork within the service, where staff communicate openly, help each other during busy periods, and work together to achieve the best outcomes for the people they support." Staff spoke about colleagues being approachable and understanding, creating an environment where everyone felt comfortable sharing ideas and contributing to decisions. This outstanding culture of mutual respect and compassion had a direct impact on the quality of support provided.

Staff worked collaboratively and willingly supported one another to ensure people received consistent, high-quality care. A staff member commented that, "Everyone is encouraged to speak respectfully and listen to each other's views." This positive and inclusive culture promoted staff wellbeing, high morale, and a shared commitment to achieving the best possible outcomes for people.

The management team took full account of each person’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture, and protected characteristics, recognising and celebrating individuality. This thoughtful approach meant that people’s voices were heard, their choices respected, and their dignity upheld at every stage of care.

Staff consistently demonstrated a deep respect for human rights and individuality, ensuring that every person was supported in ways that upheld their dignity, independence, and choice. When challenges arose, the focus was never on restricting people, but on finding creative, empowering solutions that allowed people to continue living life on their own terms.

Staff demonstrated an outstanding commitment to treating people as individuals, ensuring support was tailored to each person's unique needs, preferences, strengths, and aspirations. Staff took time to develop meaningful relationships and gain a detailed understanding of what was important to people, enabling them to provide highly personalised support that respected their identity, choices, and lifestyle. One staff member described this approach, saying, "I consider and support people's individual needs and preferences by providing person-centred care that is tailored to each individual."

Staff consistently went beyond people's care needs to understand their routines, communication styles, interests, culture, beliefs, and personal goals. As one staff member explained, "I taketime to get to know the person, understand their routines, preferences, background, communication needs, culture, beliefs, interests, and goals so I can support them in the way that is most comfortable and meaningful to them."

Relationships between people and staff were described as exceptionally warm, compassionate, and authentic. Families repeatedly emphasised that staff went beyond what would reasonably be expected. A relative told us, “Staff are always smiling and welcoming, it’s obviously more than a job.” Others described them as ’caring and kind, respectful’, highlighting the dignity and humanity at the core of interactions. The impact of these relationships was profound, with relatives expressing both relief and gratitude. Staff were also recognised for their skill and patience, particularly in supporting individuals whose needs had previously been misunderstood, with one relative noting “others saw behaviour as a problem but here it is not like that.”

People consistently experienced care that promoted their independence, respected their choices, and gave them control over their daily lives. Care plans were developed with people, highly person-centred and tailored to individual preferences, routines, and goals. For example, plans for people clearly prioritised autonomy, dignity, and involvement in decision-making.

Independence, choice and control was truly promoted by everyone at Creative Support. There was a real focus on what people could do for themselves and how this could be further developed to allow people to live fulfilled lives.

At the heart of people’s experiences was a powerful commitment to person-centred care, where individuals were truly in control of their lives. People were supported to make meaningful choices about their surroundings, routines, and identities, resulting in homes and lifestyles that reflected who they were. One relative described said, “[Person] gets to choose all sorts… their bedding… the colouring on the walls… it’s how [person] likes it,” Another relative told us, “[Person] has a beautiful room we made it all nice.” These were not tokenistic choices; they reflected a culture where individuality was valued and celebrated. This was further reinforced bya consistent approach to consent, with staff ensuring that decisions were always explained and respected. One staff member said, “It’s never just a tick box… it gets explained and sorted so [person] is happy.”

Staff demonstrated an outstanding commitment to ensuring people were empowered to lead their lives in the way they chose. Support was tailored to each person's abilities, with staff focusing on what people could do for themselves rather than taking over. One staff member said, "I support people to maintain their independence by focusing on what they can do for themselves and encouraging them to take an active role in their daily lives." Staff used prompts, encouragement, and guidance to build confidence and enable people to develop and maintain important life skills and achieve goals that were important to them.

Professionals praised the staff and management for their caring and compassionate approach to supporting people. One professional said, “Having observed various Creative Support staff working directly with individuals, they consistently demonstrate a caring, person-centred approach that promotes independence and respects personal preference. The positive ethos of the organisation led by the registered service director (who is also one of the two registered mangers), is clearly evident throughout the service.”

The management team and staff were exceptional in how they listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern, or distress.

Staff demonstrated outstanding person-centred practice around people’s changing needs whilst continuously promoting choice, control and dignity. For example, one person struggled to express when they were in pain. Staff worked with the person to developed an accessible pain communication tool that enabled a person to clearly express their pain levels as their health deteriorated. The person used the tool independently, often calling staff and pointing to the face that reflected how they were feeling. This enabled staff to accurately assess pain and administer the appropriate medication in a timely and responsive way. Staff continually monitored and reviewed the pain, noticing patterns and advocating for medication reviews when pain increased. Their proactive approach ensured treatment remained effective and responsive to the persons changing needs.

Another example included staff using their skills and extensive knowledge of a person by recognising potential swallowing difficulties and taking swift action to secure specialist support. Following concerns that the person was coughing during meals staff proactively sought Speech and Language Therapy input to understand the underlying cause and reduce future risks. They worked closely with healthcare professionals to implement personalised eating and drinking guidelines, ensuring support was tailored to person's specific needs while maintaining dignity, choice, and enjoyment of meals. Staff successfully adapted meal preparation, presentation, and support strategies to promote safe eating and drinking while ensuring mealtimes remained positive and person-centred. Through early intervention, effective partnership working, and consistent implementation of professional advice, the person received safer, more responsive care that reduced health risks and supported their ongoing wellbeing and quality of life.

The provider demonstrated an exceptional commitment to staff wellbeing. From induction onwards, employees were provided with access to a comprehensive range of confidential support services, and their rights were consistently upheld.

Regular supervision sessions and annual appraisals ensured that staff felt valued, supported, and given opportunities for development. A wide-ranging wellbeing offer was in place, including a health and wellbeing app, an employee assistance programme, free counselling, and access to confidential advice on both personal and professional matters. This positive culture directly contributed to improved outcomes for people using the service, as staff felt confident, motivated, and fully enabled to perform at their best.

Staff were further motivated through financial incentives linked to training, alongside a strong culture of recognition. The organisation’s awards scheme actively celebrated excellence, with recent nominations highlighting the team’s dedication and commitment. This holistic and proactive approach fostered a highly supported, motivated, and resilient workforce. Staff shared very positive feedback about the level of support they received in their roles. One staff member commented, “I am definitely here to stay. I feel very supported. The staff teamwork is excellent. Our mangers are amazing and make you want to be a better version of yourself.”