Collegiate House

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.

This is the first assessment for this newly registered service. This key question has been rated 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 100 (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 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 person said, “Staff have to support my beliefs and my sexuality. Such as the music I listen to, that is for me they listen to my music choices because it is my choice. I pick my clothes every day.” Throughout our assessment, we observed warm, positive and meaningful interactions between people and staff. Staff approached people in a respectful manner and took care to ensure their privacy was maintained at all times. For example, staff were observed knocking on people's bedroom doors and seeking permission before entering their personal space to provide support. People had locks fitted to their bedroom doors, enabling them to maintain control over their personal space whilst ensuring staff could gain access in an emergency if required. The service had also introduced doorbells for people who preferred an additional level of privacy. One person’s relative told us this approach felt less intrusive, as staff would ring the doorbell and wait for a response before entering. This enabled the person to exercise greater choice and control over their living environment and promoted their right to privacy, dignity and independence.

Staff had developed trusting and genuine relationships with people and used their knowledge of individuals to engage with them in ways that were meaningful and enjoyable. We observed staff using humour appropriately and talking with people about subjects that were important to them, creating a relaxed and positive atmosphere. These interactions demonstrated the affection, respect and understanding staff had for the people they supported.

Staff went above and beyond to ensure people felt comfortable, valued and able to express their views. For example, 1 person had previously chosen not to engage with members of the management team. Recognising the importance of ensuring the person's voice was heard, staff took a creative and person-centred approach by incorporating the person's favourite snack into informal visits to the office. As a result, the person became more comfortable engaging with management and was able to provide regular feedback about their care, support and any concerns they may have had. This demonstrated the service's commitment to building relationships and ensuring people's views influenced how care was delivered.

Without exception, people and their relatives spoke positively about the caring nature of staff and the quality of support they received. People told us they liked the staff who supported them, while relatives consistently described staff as respectful, kind and attentive to people's needs. A relative told us the care their loved one received was, “Exceptional”. Staff supported people using a consistent person-centred approach, placing a strong emphasis on respecting people's individuality, listening to what mattered to them and ensuring they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect in every aspect of daily life.

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. The provider took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. Staff demonstrated a detailed understanding of people's individual preferences, interests and personal histories, enabling them to provide highly personalised support that reflected what was important to each person. Without exception, staff were able to describe people's preferred routines, favourite music, hobbies, activities and the relationships that mattered most to them. This knowledge was embedded into people's day-to-day support and helped ensure care reflected their individuality and promoted their well-being.

Staff actively promoted people's rights, individuality and self-expression. Staff supported people to explore and express their identities in ways that were meaningful to them. For example, 1 person was being supported to explore their sexuality and had chosen to display Pride memorabilia and wear a bracelet reflecting their sexual identity. Staff spoke positively about supporting people to be themselves and ensuring they felt valued, respected and accepted. A staff member said, “People decide every day what they want to do, we come up with ideas. 1 person can be dropped off and can walk independently, they have their own mobile and can contact the house if needed and we have a tracking app to keep [name] safe.”

People's choices were consistently respected and upheld. Individuals were empowered to make decisions about how they spent their time, their appearance, their interests and their daily routines. One person told us, "I like to wear pink nail varnish, that is my choice. I like to listen to music which I like. This means staff listen to it too, because that is my choice, not theirs."

People spoke confidently about the control they had over their day-to-day lives and the opportunities they had to pursue their interests. One person told us, "I usually watch the news, but I have decided not to today. I have been learning about the Japanese Yen today. I choose what I do. I have been to Bakewell today and am going to relax for the rest of the day." This reflected a culture where people were empowered to make meaningful choices, follow their own interests and maintain independence.

Staff consistently championed people's rights to choice, self-determination and personal expression. As a result, people experienced care that was highly individualised, inclusive and respectful of their unique identities, preferences and aspirations. The culture of the service enabled people to live lives that reflected who they were, what was important to them and how they wished to be supported.

The provider was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and well-being. People were empowered to lead their own care and support and were encouraged to exercise choice and control in all aspects of their daily lives. Staff demonstrated a strong commitment to promoting independence and ensuring people remained at the centre of decisions affecting them. Support was delivered flexibly and adapted to people's preferences, wishes and changing needs.

Staff knew people exceptionally well and used this knowledge to maximise opportunities for choice and participation. For example, staff carefully monitored one person's non-verbal communication and behavioural cues throughout the day to understand their preferences and ensure they could make meaningful choices about activities and how they spent their time. This person-centred approach ensured people's voices were heard, regardless of their communication method. People's individuality was respected and reflected within their home environments. One person had chosen to maintain a minimalist living space, telling us this was, "to help me keep it clean." Staff respected and supported this preference, enabling the person to maintain control over their environment and take pride in their home.

People were supported to make decisions about their daily routines and were not expected to fit into rigid schedules. We observed people choosing what time they got up, how they spent their day and which activities they wished to participate in. A relative said, “Staff work hard take [name] swimming, dancing, keeping [name] active and support with healthy foods. [Name] does lots of activities and they do ‘Tasty Tuesdays’ -baking, aqua aerobics and the sauna [name] really likes that. There is always options.” People told us they were able to make choices about the support they received, including deciding whether they preferred a bath or a shower and how their personal care was provided. Choice and control extended to mealtimes and nutrition. Staff offered meal choices to people using their preferred methods of communication, for example, 1 person was supported to choose food using a keyring which contained pictures of different foods. Staff worked alongside people to develop weekly menus and shopping lists, ensuring people chose the meals they wished to eat. People's preferences directly influenced how the service operated. For example, people had recently decided they would prefer a weekly barbecue during the summer months rather than the traditional Sunday roast. Staff embraced this choice and facilitated the change, creating an experience that reflected what people wanted and enjoyed.

Independence was actively encouraged through meaningful opportunities to develop and maintain life skills. People were supported to participate in preparing meals, cooking and baking, with staff providing only the level of assistance required. This approach promoted confidence, self-esteem and independence whilst enabling people to develop skills that were important to them.

The culture of the service was one in which people were empowered to make meaningful decisions about how they lived their lives. Staff consistently promoted choice, respected individual preferences and supported people to maintain as much independence and control as possible, resulting in highly personalised care and positive outcomes for people.

The provider was 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. People's immediate needs were met by staff who knew them exceptionally well and responded promptly and sensitively to their individual preferences, routines and emotional well-being. Staff demonstrated a detailed understanding of what was important to people and tailored their support, accordingly, ensuring care was responsive, personalised and delivered in a way that promoted comfort and reassurance. A professional told us, “My experience of staff at Collegiate House is that they are patient, caring and person centred with a respectful manner towards people.They appear adept to manage the differing needs of people well and maintain confidentiality.”

We observed people following their preferred daily routines, which helped to reduce anxiety and promote a sense of stability and well-being. Staff understood the importance of recognising and responding to people's emotional needs as well as their physical needs. For example, 1 person could become overwhelmed following their morning personal care routine. Staff explained how they provided the person with time and space to relax and decompress before discussing or offering activities for the day. This person-centred approach ensured support was delivered at the person's pace and reflected their individual needs and preferences.

There was a warm and trusting rapport between people and staff. Throughout our assessment people appeared comfortable, relaxed and confident in the presence of staff. For example, we observed 1 person greeting staff with hugs, fist bumps and shared humour. Positive interactions were natural and genuine, demonstrating the strong relationships staff had developed with people and the trust people placed in them. Staff responded creatively to people's individual needs and took action to remove barriers which could affect their wellbeing and independence. For example, 1 person did not feel comfortable using the communal laundry facilities. In response, the service provided them with their own washing machine. This not only reduced the person's anxiety but also increased their independence and control over an aspect of daily living that was important to them.

People's appearance and presentation reflected the quality of support they received. People were observed to be well-groomed, dressed in clothing of their choice and presented in a way that reflected their preferences and individuality. Without exception, people and their relatives told us they were happy with the care and support provided and felt their needs were consistently met. Feedback we received demonstrated people felt listened to, valued and supported by staff who were responsive to their changing needs and committed to ensuring they experienced positive outcomes. A relative told us, “Staff always work well with [name] to overcome any difficult times. All of the staff got [name] the help when they needed it, they listened to me and [name] and took action, extra psychology input and support, they have [name’s] best interests at heart."

The provider always cared about and promoted the well-being of their staff, and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care. Without exception, staff spoke positively about the support they received and described the management team as approachable, caring and committed to their well-being both in and outside of work. Staff consistently told us they felt exceptionally well supported by leaders and colleagues. They described a culture where their views were listened to, their contributions were recognised and support was readily available when required. Staff told us the management team took a genuine interest in their well-being and provided practical and emotional support during both personal and professional challenges. A staff member said, “The management is very supportive, they are open to hearing our concerns. The team is amazing here, they all know the people so well. I am so happy to work here. We have a routine for all the people, they are then happy, they are all happy and when I go home this makes me feel satisfied.”

Leaders actively invested in staff development and encouraged continuous learning. Staff told us they were supported to undertake additional training and professional development opportunities to enhance their skills and progress within their careers. Several staff had completed further qualifications, reflecting the service's commitment to developing a skilled, knowledgeable and motivated workforce.

Staff well-being was promoted through a range of initiatives designed to encourage engagement, recognition and positive working relationships. The management team facilitated wellbeing workshops, providing staff with opportunities to discuss well-being, resilience and self-care. Positive practice was consistently recognised and celebrated. Through regular supervision and appraisal processes, staff were provided with constructive feedback and opportunities to reflect on their achievements and professional development. Leaders used these forums to acknowledge good practice and reinforce the service's values and expectations. The service had also introduced innovative ways to promote peer recognition. For example, staff had access to a 'praise board', which enabled colleagues to acknowledge and celebrate each other's contributions and achievements. This helped foster a culture of appreciation, teamwork and mutual respect across the service.

Leaders recognised the importance of maintaining strong relationships within the team and regularly organised social and team-building activities, such as a recent karaoke evening, which provided opportunities for colleagues to build relationships outside of the workplace. Friendly competitions, quizzes and staff prizes further promoted team cohesion and engagement. The positive culture within the service was reflected in the feedback received from staff, who consistently described high levels of morale and job satisfaction. Leaders had created an environment where staff felt supported, appreciated and empowered to perform at their best, resulting in a motivated workforce that was committed to delivering exceptional care and support for people.