Charnwood House

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.

This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated outstanding. This meant services were tailored to meet the needs of individuals and delivered to ensure flexibility, choice and continuity of care.

This service scored 89 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider was exceptional at making sure people were at the centre of their care and choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs. There was an extremely strong and visible person-centred culture. Every member of staff we spoke with showed a passion for providing outstanding outcomes for the people they supported and were proud of the difference they made to people's lives. A staff member told us, “Our main aim is to help people learn and be as independent as they’re able to with the least amount of restriction possible. No matter what their goals are this value ensures them the best possible chance of achieving it.”

Staff demonstrated creativity and flexibility in overcoming barriers to participation, ensuring people could enjoy meaningful experiences and maintain strong connections with their communities and family connections. A professional told us, “The care provided is incredible, the level of trust staff have developed with people, along with how well they know their journey creates care that is beyond any person-centred care I have seen before. People have achieved outcomes beyond any anticipated medical opinion proving that in the right environment all outcomes can be worked towards and achievable.” Another medical professional said, “I have worked with [Name] for several years through various care settings, supporting their mental health. Charnwood House and the registered manager have gone above and beyond, they have never given up and fought alongside [Name] to achieve where they are today. [Name’s] outcomes and environment could have been so much different and that is credit to all the staff who have allowed [Name] to thrive.”

Positive behaviour support (PBS) plans were highly personalised and collaborative. Each plan was bespoke and tailored to the individual with clear evidence of input from the wider care team. There was recognition of the right support, triggers and de-escalation techniques. Staff demonstrated a clear understanding of each person’s triggers and the most effective de-escalation techniques. This ensured that responses to behaviours were respectful, proactive, and focused on promoting wellbeing and autonomy. The strong person-centred culture meant staff were confident in adapting support to meet changing needs and consistently used positive approaches to reduce distress and avoid restrictive practices.

The registered manager and staff at Charnwood House demonstrated outstanding understanding of the diverse health and social care needs of the people they supported, as well as the needs of the local community. Care was consistently joined‑up, flexible and highly personalised, ensuring people experienced seamless support and genuine continuity across all areas of their lives.

People received care that prioritised integrated working. Staff collaborated closely with a wide range of professionals including dietitians, occupational therapists, and speech and language therapy (SALT) teams. Records and staff accounts showed that this collaborative approach ensured people received the specialist input they required, and that care plans were regularly updated to remain clinically accurate, holistic and responsive to people’s changing needs.

Staff demonstrated exceptional knowledge of how to work with external agencies to support people with more complex or enhanced needs. They were able to give clear examples of positive joint working with medical teams and the Court of Protection, ensuring people’s rights, choices and safety remained central to every decision.

A particularly strong example of outstanding integrated practice involved a person who found managing relationships and attachments extremely difficult. For safeguarding reasons, the person had restrictions in place around contact with certain gender groups. Despite the complexity of this situation, the registered manager worked collaboratively with external professionals and the Court of Protection to create a care plan that was safe, legally compliant and still aligned with the person’s personal goals.

The registered manager championed the individual’s strengths and interests, identifying ways they could participate in meaningful community activity safely. One of the person’s long‑term goals was to organise an event to raise money for a local charity. The registered manager completed a detailed risk assessment and, working with professionals, designed a safe and structured plan that allowed the person to take an active role in planning and running the event while still maintaining necessary safeguards.

The event was extremely successful. It not only provided a safe way for the person to achieve their goal, but it also became a source of pride, confidence and purpose. The success led to it becoming an annual tradition that the person now looks forward to each year. They also spend time researching which charity they would like to support next, demonstrating sustained motivation and meaningful community involvement.

This example showed exceptional practice in integrating care, respecting legal frameworks, and enabling people to achieve meaningful outcomes despite significant complexities. The approach balanced safety with empowerment and demonstrated a service committed to removing barriers rather than allowing them to limit opportunity.

Charnwood House demonstrated outstanding practice in how information was provided to people. Staff ensured that information was consistently accessible, understandable and meaningful, regardless of a person’s communication needs, mood or level of ability at any given time. This approach empowered people to participate fully in their care and daily life.

The service worked closely with the multidisciplinary team (MDT) to develop highly individualised strategies for a person who required significant support to receive, process and retain information. MDT professionals contributed specialist insight, which helped shape a truly comprehensive communication plan. This plan included the simultaneous use of verbal conversations, structured routines, repetitive pictorial references, and accessible equipment such as a personal whiteboard. Easy‑read documents were also created and routinely updated so information could be presented clearly and in a format the person could revisit independently.

Staff implemented these strategies consistently and skillfully. For example, the whiteboard was used to break down key information into simple steps and visual cues, helping the person understand and anticipate what was happening throughout the day. Repetitive pictorial references were placed in the person’s preferred locations around the home to reinforce messages, reduce anxiety and support memory. Verbal discussions were delivered calmly and at the person’s pace, with staff checking comprehension and adapting their approach in real time.

This layered, personalised communication system ensured the person had multiple ways to access information, so even on days when their emotional state or cognitive processing made one method difficult, another remained available. This reduced misunderstandings, improved the person’s confidence and helped them feel more in control. Over time, staff observed significant improvements in how the person engaged with their daily routines, expressed their needs and made informed choices.

The service consistently demonstrated how it actively listened to and involved people in decisions about their care. Staff consistently promoted a culture where people’s views were not only heard but acted upon promptly and meaningfully. This created an environment where people felt respected, in control, and genuinely central to all care planning.

For example, a person who received one‑to‑one support throughout the day, expressed that they felt anxious because too many different staff members were supporting them within a single day. They explained that frequent staff changes increased their stress and affected their ability to complete activities, which at times led to behaviours associated with anxiety and frustration.

The service took this feedback seriously and responded immediately. The registered manager reviewed the person’s support arrangements and restructured the rota so that staff were assigned to work with the individual for longer periods during each shift. This reduced the number of transitions between staff and allowed the person to build trust, maintain consistency and develop a stronger sense of emotional security.

The impact of this change was significant. The person became more settled and able to remain engaged for longer periods. They were better able to complete their daily activities without time pressure or heightened stress. Staff reported a noticeable reduction in behaviours linked to anxiety and frustration, and records showed improved outcomes in the person’s ability to focus, participate and communicate their needs.

This example demonstrated the service’s exceptional commitment to listening and responding to what people tell them—both verbally and through behaviour. Staff showed a deep understanding of how anxiety can affect engagement and used the person’s insight to adapt care in the least restrictive and most empowering way.

The provider was exceptional at ensuring people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. Staff consistently ensured that people had fair, meaningful and personalised opportunities to participate in community life and pursue their aspirations, regardless of the level of support they required. This reflected a deeply embedded culture of inclusion, proactive planning and creative problem‑solving.

Staff showed an exceptional understanding of people’s individual communication needs, triggers and vulnerabilities. For example, one person required support from multiple staff members to safely access the community. Staff worked closely with the individual and professionals to understand what could cause distress in unfamiliar or busy environments. Staff proactively carried out environmental assessments before each community visit including checking how busy the venue was, the sensory environment, layout, potential triggers and safe exit routes. Because staff also knew the person’s favourite places extremely well, they were able to adapt plans so that the person could access these valued experiences safely and confidently, without feeling overwhelmed.

As a result, the person experienced consistently positive outings. Their confidence increased, their time in the community expanded and anxiety‑related behaviours reduced significantly. This demonstrated the service’s outstanding ability not only to support access but to systematically remove barriers that could otherwise have limited participation.

Another example of outstanding practice involved a person who’s long‑term ambition was to go on holiday abroad. The registered manager demonstrated exceptional dedication by going above and beyond to locate and secure the identification documents required to apply for a passport. This included liaising with external agencies, sourcing historical information and exploring funding options to ensure that cost did not become a barrier.

This persistence ensured the person had an equitable opportunity to meet legal requirements for international travel. By removing these administrative and financial barriers, the registered manager empowered the person to pursue a meaningful and ambitious life goal that they had considered too complex or outside their remit previously.

Across the service, it was evident that staff did not accept that people’s disabilities or support needs should limit their opportunities. Instead, they took proactive steps to understand and eliminate obstacles, whether environmental, practical, sensory, social or bureaucratic. This resulted in greater freedom, increased independence and stronger community inclusion for the people they supported.

The provider had an equality and diversity statement and policy in place, which reflected and reinforced their core values of kindness, commitment and creativity. These values were evident in staff interactions and in the way support was personalised to reduce the risk of unequal outcomes. Staff were encouraged and supported to use their skills confidently and without fear of discrimination, harassment or unfair treatment. This promoted a positive working culture where staff could focus on delivering personalised, empathetic care.

Leaders ensured that equity was not just a policy but an active part of service development. Staff were consulted on the equality and diversity statement and policy and were invited to share their own experiences, perspectives and ideas for improvement. This collaborative approach ensured the policy was meaningful and relevant to daily practice and helped create an environment where Charnwood House remained equitable and inclusive for everyone.

The registered manager supported people to consider and plan for their future needs, even when these conversations were initially difficult. Some people and family members were naturally reluctant to discuss future care arrangements, including changing health needs or long‑term planning. Despite this, the registered manager approached the topic sensitively, respectfully and at the individual’s pace.

Rather than avoiding these discussions, the registered manager revisited them at appropriate times, ensuring they were conducted in a calm, supportive and unpressured way. They used clear, accessible language and adapted their communication to meet each person’s needs. This approach helped reduce anxiety and enabled people and families to engage gradually when they felt more comfortable.

Senior staff routinely checked whether people’s needs, wishes or circumstances had changed. These conversations were documented clearly and showed management remained responsive and proactive even when formal planning was initially declined. This ensured that emerging needs were not overlooked and that people’s preferences could be recorded as soon as they were ready to share them.

The registered manager also ensured that people were not asked to make decisions before they felt prepared. Conversations were spaced appropriately, giving time for reflection. When families remained unsure, the manager explored their concerns sensitively and reassured them that planning was intended to support the person’s wellbeing, not to pre‑empt change unnecessarily.