Blackberry Hill

Updated 16 January 2026

Date of Assessment: 22nd January – 10th February 2026.

Blackberry Hill is a residential care home providing support to 10 younger adults. The service supports autistic people and people with a learning disability. We have assessed the service using ‘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.

People’s rights under the Mental Capacity Act were not fully upheld. Where people lacked the capacity to consent, the provider did not always work in accordance with the law and current best practice guidelines.

People lived in a home where regular checks were not always completed to ensure the safety of the environment. During the inspection we also identified concerns relating to fire safety and staffing that placed people at risk. Significant findings identified during a fire risk assessment had not all been actioned. The provider gave assurances during the assessment that action was being taken to address the shortfalls. We also raised these concerns with the local fire service.

People had their needs assessed when they moved to the home. Care plans were developed using these assessments. Improvements were needed to ensure care plans and risk assessments reflected people’s current needs.

Governance arrangements were not effective and did not ensure risks were consistently identified or addressed. A series of checks and audits were completed, but these had not been effective in monitoring quality or driving improvement. The registered manager was responsive to feedback. Some improvements had been completed before the end of the assessment.

We found a breach of regulations concerning governance. The provider took some immediate action during the inspection, but governance systems were not robust enough to provide ongoing assurance. We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to some of the concerns found at this assessment.

Medicines were managed well and staff worked with agencies involved in people’s care. Staff felt supported and were treated equally.

Staff worked well with health professionals, ensured timely access to healthcare, and supported people to lead active, fulfilling lives.

People experienced caring and compassionate support, and staff promoted choice, communication and meaningful activity. People were treated with dignity and respect, and relatives consistently reported that their family members had a good quality of life.

Updated 16 January 2026

Relatives told us, and our observations found, people experienced caring and compassionate support at Blackberry Hill. Relatives consistently described staff as kind, respectful and familiar with people’s individual needs. They said people felt safe with staff who knew them well, and that communication from the team was generally effective, although 1 relative felt this could be improved. For people who could not communicate verbally, staff used adapted approaches such as communication books, pictures and observation to understand choices and preferences. Relatives repeatedly told us the service had a caring ethos which “resonates from the top down” and that staff were “very kind and caring and treat their relative with dignity and respect”. Relatives told us staff supported people to maintain independence wherever possible, offering choices about daily routines, meals and activities. People were encouraged to participate in household tasks and to access regular community‑based activities, including walks, swimming, outings and social events. Most families valued the homely atmosphere and the stable core staff team, which they felt promoted trust and continuity of care. Most relatives told us their family members were well supported, with one saying, “We feel very happy, very reassured, [relative] has a lovely quality of life, we couldn’t be happier with it.” Most relatives said they were involved in assessments, reviews and care planning, and most felt well informed about their family member’s health and wellbeing. Most relatives told us staff responded promptly to changes in needs, including managing epilepsy and arranging medical input. The home was generally described as clean and well maintained. Some relatives raised concerns about the size of the home and the impact of living alongside people with more complex needs, saying communal areas could feel crowded. A small number also commented on staffing levels, the care of personal belongings, and the quality of food. Despite this, relatives said they felt listened to and knew who to contact should they have any concerns. Relatives told us people were treated as individuals, supported to express themselves, and provided with consistent routines that helped them feel settled. Overall, relatives described a caring, supportive service where people were happy, safe, and encouraged to live fulfilling lives. People could not directly tell us about their experience. We used observation to assess their experiences of care. This approach showed people were included and listened to and staff consistently interacted positively with them. Throughout our visits we observed staff to be kind, caring and supported people to be as independent as possible. Observations showed staff responding promptly and sensitively to people’s needs, including during potential health events. People were supported to make everyday choices, maintain independence and enjoy meaningful interactions.