House of Caring Ltd

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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.

This is the first assessment of this service. This key question has been rated good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

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.

Staff treated people with exceptional kindness, empathy and compassion and always respected their privacy and dignity.

Relatives described staff as exceptionally kind and compassionate people who genuinely cared about their family members and their wellbeing. They said their family members had developed extremely positive relationships with the staff who supported them. One relative told us, “We feel the carers have become part of our extended family as they treat [family member] with kindness and are genuinely concerned when she is not feeling her usual self.They do not leave until they are confident she is comfortable and content.” Another relative said, “I cannot fault any of the team of four who are on the rota. They are all so kind and wonderful.”

Professionals highlighted the strength and warmth of the relationships people had developed with the staff who supported them. One professional told us, “The interactions I have observed suggest strong, trusting relationships between staff and those they support. There is genuine warmth, patience, and rapport-building evident in daily practice.”

Relatives told us staff demonstrated skill, kindness and commitment in their approach to providing personalised care that was highly responsive to their family members’ holistic needs. One relative said, “The carers are highly skilled in working with autistic children. They demonstrate patience, creativity, and a deep understanding of [family member’s] unique needs. Whether it's assisting with daily routines, engaging her in therapeutic activities, or managing challenging behaviours, they do so with professionalism and kindness.”

Professionals reported that staff ensured they always maintained people’s dignity and treated people with respect in their communication and behaviours. One professional said, ‘Staff consistently uphold the dignity of individuals, showing respect in both language and actions.”

Relatives confirmed staff always considered their family members’ privacy and dignity when providing their care. One relative told us, “They maintain [family member’s] dignity throughout the visit, especially when she is being changed.”

The provider valued people as individuals and always made sure people’s care and support met their needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture, unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Relatives said staff consistently exceeded expectations in their efforts to meet their family members’ needs and adapted the support they provided to achieve good outcomes. One relative told us, “The care team goes above and beyond to meet [family member’s] emotional, developmental, and physical needs. They adapt activities to suit her interests and sensory preferences, helping her thrive in a supportive environment.”

The provider respected people’s individual preferences about their care and strove to provide support that met these. For example, the registered manager told us some people had requested their care be provided by staff who spoke their own first language. The registered manager said the management team had assigned Punjabi-speaking staff and Somali-speaking staff to ensure people’s needs and preferences were met.

One relative described the benefits to their family member of receiving their care and support from staff who shared their cultural heritage. The relative said, “[Family member] has a good relationship with her carers. They speak to her in Punjabi, using soft tone, asking her about her day and feelings. [Family member] often enquires about their day too; there is some commonality. They call her Aunty, which in Asian culture is a sign of respect.”

Professionals told us staff were knowledgeable about the people they supported, and that care plans reflected people’s individual needs and preferences. One professional said, “Staff take time to understand each person’s unique background, preferences, and needs. Care plans are person-centred and thoughtfully implemented, reflecting a holistic approach.” Another professional told us, “People are supported in a way that values their independence and individuality.”

People’s care plans recorded their religious and cultural needs, describing these in detail where they were particularly important aspects of people’s lives. This ensured staff knew how to provide care in a way that reflected people’s religious and cultural needs and wishes. For example, one person’s care plan stated, ‘My culture and faith are deeply important to me. They influence my daily routine, how I view dignity and modesty and how I wish to be supported by those around me. My cultural background also shapes the food I enjoy, my language preferences, and how my family is involved in decision-making. I take great comfort in traditional values of family care and loyalty. I see my carers as extended family, and their understanding of my cultural and religious needs brings me great emotional comfort and trust.’

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Staff encouraged people to manage aspects of their care where they were able to do this.

Relatives said staff supported their family members in a way which promoted their independence. One relative told us, “It takes time, but the staff do encourage [family member] to be independent.”

The PIR outlined how the provider worked with reablement services in supporting people to regain their independence following injury or illness. The PIR stated, ‘To support individuals recovering from illness, injury, or surgery, we collaborate with reablement services to promote independence and improve daily living skills. We work with occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and other rehabilitation professionals who provide service users with tailored exercise programmes and adaptive equipment to regain mobility and confidence. By incorporating reablement into our care plans, we empower service users to achieve their personal goals, such as returning to independent living or reducing reliance on care.’

The provider 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 or distress.

Staff responded well to people’s immediate needs. For example, on one occasion a child’s father was admitted to hospital and the child’s mother was unable to meet the child’s needs alone. The provider contacted the local authority emergency duty team and, at their request, extended the support provided to midnight to ensure the child received the care they needed.

The registered manager told us staff were clear about the action they should take in the event of an emergency, such as a medical episode. The registered manager said, “If they need to call 999, staff know to wait with the service user and the rota will be rearranged.”

The provider promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to deliver person-centred care. Staff told us the management team cared about their wellbeing and said they felt valued for the work they did.

The PIR demonstrated that the provider understood the benefits of promoting workforce wellbeing to staff and people who used the service stating, ‘We recognise that the well-being of our staff is closely linked to the quality of care they provide. To promote staff well-being, we offer flexible working hours, mental health support, and a healthy work-life balance. By prioritising staff well-being, we reduce burnout and turnover, maintaining a stable and motivated workforce. Through these strategies, we have successfully maintained a sufficient and high-quality workforce capable of meeting the complex needs of our service users.’