Home Instead

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 outstanding. At this assessment the rating has remained 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.

The service demonstrated an exceptional commitment to treating people with kindness, compassion, and dignity, with a culture that consistently placed people at the heart of care. Feedback from people and their relatives was overwhelmingly positive, with many describing how staff went above and beyond to ensure people felt valued, respected, and supported. One person told us, “The staff are lovely, they make me laugh.” This highlighted the genuine, warm relationships staff developed with people, contributing to their emotional wellbeing. Another relative told us, “They’re always keen to see any additional ways they can help.” The same relative went on to tell us how the service was initially commissioned to provide care for one person, who passed away, and they transitioned to supporting a second person living in the same property. They told us, “[Person] needs to see another face other that [relative]. It was a difficult transition and we let the office know what happened. The managers have been there a while and they are absolutely fantastic. They are better than any service I’ve hear friends have for their relatives. They really are peace of mind. They seem to be able to accommodate any request.”

Relatives spoke highly of the impact the service had not only on the people receiving care but also on their own ability to maintain meaningful family relationships. Two relatives told us that the support provided enabled them to spend quality time with their loved one as a son or daughter, rather than feeling burdened by caring responsibilities. This demonstrated how the service extended its compassionate approach to include families, improving outcomes for everyone involved.

Staff showed a strong awareness of the importance of protecting people’s dignity, particularly when providing personal care. They described practical steps taken to ensure people felt comfortable and respected, such as covering individuals with dressing gowns or towels to maintain privacy. One staff member said, “People are quite vulnerable [when receiving support with personal care] and some feel uncomfortable. I make sure I support them in a nice, mindful way.” This reflected a thoughtful and empathetic approach in everyday practice.

The service also invested in developing staff understanding of people’s lived experiences to further enhance compassionate care. The registered manager described a “walking in their shoes” workshop, designed to help staff better understand the inner experiences of people living with dementia, including how care interventions might feel from their perspective and how to respond to distress in a sensitive and supportive way. This proactive approach to empathy and learning was embedded in the culture of the service and translated into consistently high‑quality care.

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. The registered manager told us, “It’s about still giving people the dignity and ability to do what they can. We support people to take carefully managed risks. It’s not about ‘care’ it’s about supporting them to stay home safely.”

The service demonstrated an exceptional commitment to recognising and valuing people as individuals, with a culture that consistently promoted personalised, relationship‑centred care. Staff and the management team spoke about people with genuine warmth and compassion, and it was evident they saw individuals as whole people with unique histories, preferences, and aspirations, rather than a set of tasks to complete.

The service ensured staff had the time needed to deliver truly person‑centred care. Each visit was scheduled to provide enough time to prevent people from feeling rushed and enabled staff to engage meaningfully, build relationships, and understand what was important to them. A staff member told us, “It’s about bringing positivity to their lives to lift their mood while attending to their needs.” This approach supported high‑quality interactions and promoted people’s emotional wellbeing, as well as their physical needs.

Care plans were highly personalised and provided staff with a detailed understanding of each person before they even met them. These included not only care needs but also social interests, lifestyle preferences, and important personal information. One staff member told us, “[The care plan] covers everything from social activities to food and nutrition. You have an idea of the person by reading through it before you ever meet them. The plans will also detail significant information that the person might not want to discuss with staff, so you know what to avoid.” One person had particular preferences around how their food was prepared and the time this took was eating into time the staff had to support them with their care needs. To address this the service put in an additional weekend visit solely used for staff to prepare home cooked food in batches so these could be used throughout the week. This enabled the person to continue to have fresh food prepared in a way that was important to them, rather than having to rely on ready meals or other food that could be prepared during care calls. This demonstrated a thoughtful and respectful approach, enabling staff to provide sensitive, tailored care from the outset.

People were consistently supported to maintain their independence, make choices and remain in control of their daily lives. The registered manager shared examples of how people were actively involved in maintaining their home environment, where this was important to them. For example, one person was encouraged to take part in dusting while staff carried out cleaning tasks, ensuring they remained involved in a way that was meaningful and achievable.

Staff demonstrated a strong commitment to promoting independence and reducing social isolation. One staff member told us, “Part of my role involves encouraging people, including people and relatives, to attend community events, craft groups and local activities to reduce isolation and maintain independence. helping them stay socially active, informed and independent for longer.” This reflected a culture where people were supported to live fulfilling and connected lives.

People spoke positively about how staff enabled them to remain involved in decisions about their care and daily activities. One person told us, “I’ve been a bit poorly and a couple of the staff have taken me to medical appointments recently. It feels really good to have a second pair of ears for my appointment.” This showed how staff supported people in a way that maintained their autonomy while providing reassurance and practical support when needed.

The registered manager explained how people were supported to take well-managed risks to promote independence. For example, one person was supported to be involved in preparing their own meals, enabling them to retain skills and confidence in a safe and supportive way.

Care plans clearly reflected people’s abilities, strengths and preferences. They provided staff with detailed guidance on what individuals could do independently and where support was required, ensuring care was delivered in a person-centred way that maximised independence at all times. The registered manager told us about two people whom their appearance and hygiene was very important to. They were previously reluctant to have a shower. Through the relationships built with staff both of these people gained the confidence to be supported to have a shower and maintain their hygiene to a high standard. This enhanced their wellbeing and positive self-image.

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 wellbeing.

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.

The service demonstrated an exceptional ability to respond promptly and effectively to people’s immediate needs, ensuring safety, reassurance and continuity of care at all times. Relatives spoke highly of the responsive and proactive approach taken by staff in urgent situations. One relative told us, “[Person’s] had a few tumbles due to their health issues. They’ve been excellent. They’ll call for an ambulance then call me straight away. They’ll stay until I arrive.” This approach was promoted by the provider, who had contingencies in place to enable this level of support and prevent it from impacting other’s care, and care staff were happy to do this as they had developed caring relationships with people. The registered manager also told us that all risks were reviewed after incidents such as these and we saw evidence of this in a case study where someone had been admitted to hospital following a fall. This reflected a strong commitment to ensuring people were not only safe but also supported emotionally through potentially distressing situations.

We saw evidence of a person-centred and highly compassionate response following incidents. For example, a case study review detailed how staff supported a person living with dementia who had an unwitnessed fall overnight and reported pain the following day. Staff acted promptly to seek medical attention and accompanied the person to hospital via ambulance. Significantly, a member of staff remained with the person for almost 24 hours, ensuring they had a familiar and trusted presence during what could otherwise have been a distressing experience. This approach was promoted but not expected by the provider and, because of the positive relationships staff had with people, staff provided this support happily. The provider supported the staff member at the hospital by bringing in food and drink for them. This demonstrated an exceptional level of dedication and understanding of the person’s emotional and psychological needs, as well as their physical health.

Staff demonstrated a strong understanding of how to respond appropriately and promptly to urgent incidents, ensuring people’s safety remained the priority at all times. One staff member described how they took swift and appropriate action when they were unable to gain access to a person’s home. They told us, “I recently had a client where I couldn't gain access to the property… our usual routine would be to ring the bell, and said family member would let us in. On this day we did not get a response. I escalated to the office who tried to contact the family member to no avail. So, we then escalated to 999 as we had concerns something had happened… I could see through the window that my client was safe still snuggled in bed.” The police attended and safely gained access, confirming the family member was unharmed. This example showed staff followed clear escalation processes, used professional judgement, and acted decisively to safeguard people when risks were identified, demonstrating a robust and proactive approach to managing urgent situations.

The service consistently went above and beyond to respond to immediate needs in a way that prioritised dignity, reassurance and continuity. Staff recognised the importance of familiarity and emotional support alongside clinical response, ensuring people felt safe, valued and cared for at all times. This culture of responsiveness was embedded across the service and contributed to improved outcomes and experiences for people and their families.

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 service demonstrated an exceptional commitment to workforce wellbeing and enablement. Staff felt valued and recognised for their contributions, with achievements celebrated through initiatives such as ‘Care Professional of the Month’ awards. This recognition helped to promote motivation, pride in work and a positive staff culture.

Staff had access to a wide range of wellbeing initiatives designed to support their physical and emotional health. These included wellbeing cafés and social events such as a summer party, which provided opportunities for staff to connect, feel supported and maintain a healthy work–life balance. One staff member told us, “I feel very valued and supported within the service. There is wellbeing opportunities organised for staff, such as a recent 12-week joint pain programme at a local health centre, which included free gym facilities for three months and was available to both staff and clients. We also have wellbeing walks and spa days.”

There was a strong focus on support, engagement and listening to staff voice. Staff received regular supervision, providing time for reflection, development and support. In response to feedback from the most recent staff satisfaction survey, the service was also launching a monthly staff surgery. This provided an open and accessible forum for staff to raise concerns, seek advice, or simply have an informal conversation with management. This responsive approach showed the service actively listened to staff and took meaningful action to improve their experience and wellbeing.

Work anniversaries were also celebrated, recognising staff loyalty and long‑term commitment to the service. This further reinforced a positive, appreciative culture where staff felt valued for their ongoing contribution and dedication.