Crossroads (Barnsley) Limited

On this page

• 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 remained 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.

The service was 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.

People using the service consistently told us they were treated with kindness, compassion and respect by staff. Feedback from people, relatives and friends was overwhelmingly positive, with staff frequently described as “kind”, “friendly”, “chatty” and “respectful”. People told us they valued the caring relationships they had developed with staff and the emotional support they received.

People told us staff knew people’s preferences, daily routines and how they communicated which helped to deliver personalised and compassionate care. One person said, “The staff are very nice and friendly, and they chat to me” Another person said they had the same care worker regularly and described them as “lovely, chatty and friendly.”

People and relatives told us staff consistently treated them with dignity and respect, including during personal care. One family member highlighted staff’s respectful approach. They said, “The staff are very caring people and they know my [relative] really well.”

Relatives spoke positively about the wider staff team. One person said, “The office staff are really helpful.” Another relative described attending the provider’s annual general meeting (AGM). They said, “The meeting was really welcoming, and you could see they [Crossroads] recruit people who understood their culture and values.”

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

Staff recognised and responded to people’s individual needs, including cultural background, religion, dietary preferences, communication needs, and personal routines. They provided tailored activities for people living with dementia and learning disabilities and adapted support following individual risk assessments rather than applying a one‑size‑fits‑all approach.

Staff demonstrated a strong understanding of people’s individual behaviours, communication methods and individual needs. Relatives told us staff took time to get to know people well, particularly those with limited verbal communication, and adapted their approach to ensure care was delivered in a way that was respectful and meaningful to the individual.

Family members told us staff were skilled in interpreting nonverbal communication and responding appropriately. One family member said, “Staff really care about [relative], and this has resulted in a positive impact on [relative’s] wellbeing.”

The provider promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

People and relatives told us staff supported people to express their views and make day-to-day decisions about their care. People said they were able to choose what they wanted to do during visits, when activities took place and how their care was delivered. Staff were described as flexible and responsive, adapting support to reflect people’s preferences and routines. One person told us staff adapted their support to fit in with their preferences. They described the service as “excellent” and said staff were always helpful and led by their choices.

Staff showed a clear commitment to supporting people to be involved in decisions about their care. One staff member said, “I always support independence by giving people choices they understand and reassuring them that I am there to support them and their needs in line with their care plan.” This demonstrated how staff enabled people to remain in control of their 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, concern or distress.

Staff responded promptly when people’s needs changed and took action to keep people safe. Records showed staff contacted health professionals quickly when people became unwell and followed advice to provide immediate support. Relatives reported staff were generally punctual and stayed for the full duration of their visits. When concerns were raised, including safeguarding issues, the provider acted quickly to address them and maintain people’s safety and confidence in the service. One person said, “Over the years I’ve had some very good people, and they’ve seen me through some really rough times, so I would definitely recommend them”.

The service monitored visit attendance through the electronic log-in and log-out system. Alerts were sent to the office team if a visit had not been attended or if staff were running late. When this occurred, the team contacted both the staff member and the person using the service to check on the situation.

The provider always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care.

The provider supported staff wellbeing through a fair, inclusive and compassionate approach. Leaders treated staff with dignity and handled health, wellbeing and personal matters sensitively and in confidence.

The provider operated an open‑door culture that encouraged openness and honesty. Managers responded to concerns promptly and with empathy. A shared management on‑call rota ensured staff had access to leadership support at all times, including outside normal office hours, for operational, safety and wellbeing matters.

Staff felt supported to learn and develop, with the provider encouraging ongoing training and offering paid opportunities to complete additional courses relevant to their caring roles. This helped staff build confidence and maintain the skills needed to provide effective, compassionate care.

The provider supported staff wellbeing effectively. Managers responded promptly and confidentially when a staff member experienced a significant change in personal circumstances, providing practical support and agreeing flexible working arrangements. This enabled the staff member to remain engaged at work and continue delivering safe care