Bellamy House (Empowering U Care)

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 80 (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 always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

During the visit, we observed warm and caring interactions between staff and the person they were supporting. The individual appeared relaxed and comfortable in their environment, engaging in play and showing no signs of distress. Staff used a gentle tone, offered reassurance, and provided choices, such as supporting them to eat at their own pace while remaining attentive to their cues. This demonstrated a kind, patient, and responsive approach.

Staff explained they supported the person in a way that maintained dignity and privacy, particularly when providing personal care. Staff sought consent before offering assistance and encouraged the person to be involved in tasks wherever possible.

Staff were respectful when speaking about people and their care needs.

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 told us they supported the person in line with their individual preferences, including using preferred names and pronouns, and ensured this was communicated to new staff and professionals so support remained appropriate and respectful. Staff explained they adapted support the person’s routines, communication style and level of independence, and encouraged the person to make choices about their day by taking time to listen to their preferences.

During our visit, we observed staff offering gentle prompts and reassurance, adapting their approach to support the person at a comfortable pace, which reflected the personalised methods described to us. Staff also told us that as people-built trust with the team, they shared more about themselves, which helped shape support plans over time.

We saw the provider kept photos showing people enjoying activities that reflected their interests.

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

Staff supported the person to make their own choices and encouraged independence wherever possible. Staff told us they always asked the person what they wanted before providing support, and if a choice was safe and reasonable, they followed it. When something was not possible, staff worked with the person to find an alternative that still respected their wishes. Daily routines were shaped around the person’s preferences, and staff adapted their approach to match different communication styles and levels of independence. For example, during the visit, we saw staff actively enabling choice by presenting simple options and allowing the person time to respond in their own way. Even when the person was engaged in play and relaxed in their environment, staff used simple prompts and gave the person time to respond.

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 observed changes in behaviour, body language and facial expressions to understand what the person was trying to communicate, especially when they were unable to express themselves verbally.

Staff described how they offered clear options to help the person communicate what they needed, such as whether they wanted to move, rest, stretch or continue an activity. By watching how the person responded, staff were able to identify what the person wanted and provide support promptly.

Staff used calm and gentle approaches to help the person settle if they became unsettled or began to show signs of discomfort. They paid close attention to early signs that indicated the person needed reassurance or a change in activity and adapted their support accordingly.

The registered manager told us they had systems in place to ensure an on‑call service was available so staff could contact the office in the event of an emergency.

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.

Staff told us they felt well supported in their roles and that the service promoted a positive and caring working environment. They said they received regular praise, feedback and supervision, and felt comfortable raising any concerns. Supervisions took place monthly or every 2 months and included discussions about wellbeing and support.

Staff described managers as approachable and flexible, explaining they could speak to them if they needed to adjust their hours or discuss workload. They felt management understood the demands of the role and responded appropriately when support was needed.

One staff member shared when a service user sadly passed away, “Four managers came to check on me and asked if I was okay”. Staff told us this level of care made them feel valued and reassured during difficult times.

Staff also said their rota patterns provided a good work–life balance, and the manager explained that staff had access to a health and wellbeing app for additional support.