Helping Hands Barnet

Updated 24 July 2026

About the service

Helping Hands Barnet is a domiciliary care service providing support to people in their own homes.There were 51 people receiving a regulated activity of personal care.

Who the service is for

This service supports younger adults, older people and people living with dementia and physical disabilities who are living in their own homes.

Key findings

We carried out this assessment on 06 August 2026. This service was previously rated as good. We carried out this assessment to confirm whether the rating of good remains accurate. This report does not provide detailed information on areas where we found practice continues to meet a good standard. Instead, our findings focus on any areas where the service needs to improve or where we found exceptional practice.

We checked whether the service was working within the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). We found that staff and management worked within the MCA. Where people were assessed as lacking capacity, mental capacity assessments had been completed.

People received safe care from staff who knew them well. The provider had effective systems to safeguard people from abuse. Staff undertook training and were familiar with policies and procedures. Staff were able to tell us how they would recognise and report abuse. A staff member told us, “If I notice any signs of abuse I will speak to management.” The provider shared information with the local safeguarding authority when they had concerns.

Staff told us they ensured people were always treated with kindness and respect. Care was person-centred and reflected people's preferences and routines. A staff told us, “We work together and respect one another. We share information to provide person centred care.” The provider regularly sought feedback from people and acted upon it to improve the service.

Complaints, incidents and accidents were recorded, logged, investigated and reported to external agencies if required. There was a system to learn lessons and reduce the risk of reoccurrence.

There were enough staff available to support people. Staff had the necessary training and experience. Risks to people were assessed, managed and reviewed. Medicines were managed in a safe way.

Staff understood the importance of respecting people's diverse needs and promoting independence. People had access to health and social care professionals where required in a timely way. The registered manager told us, “One client who is looked after by their relative and is prone to falls. We met with the relative and discussed about an Occupational Therapist (OT) referral. As a result, a bed and armchair was provided. The focus is to make care safe and involving others, including the carers.”

People were supported by staff to maintain a balanced diet where this was part of their care package.

There were systems to ensure the environment was safe.

Auditing and quality assurance processes enabled the service to identify where improvement was needed. The service worked in partnership with other agencies to make sure people received the right care and support.

Updated 24 July 2026

People and their relatives spoke positively about their experiences of the service and the care provided. People spoke warmly about carers who knew them well, understood their preferences, and consistently went beyond the expected care tasks to support their wellbeing.

People and relatives repeatedly described carers as kind, patient and attentive, helping them feel comfortable and safe. For example, “[Carer] is wonderful. She really does care and is not in it just for the job and she wants mum to have a good quality of life”, “[Carer] chats and gets [relative] laughing. She puts mum at ease and listens to her”, “They know [relative] and they know if [relative] has a good or a bad day” and “They chat with [relative], they are always very polite and build a familiar rapport.”

People and relatives told us they felt safe when receiving support. They described the carers as attentive, responsive and quick to recognise any concerns. Relatives told us the staff understood people's routines, preferences and changing needs, particularly where they had supported them over a long period of time. For example, “We have a really good routine”, “[Person] has a good relationship with the carer” and “They never rush me and they are kind.”

A relative described how carers recognised changes in their family member's willingness to engage with personal care and worked collaboratively to support them, “They recognised this and we worked together.”

People valued the continuity of care and told us they were usually supported by a stable team of carers. Relatives said this helped staff understand people’s needs and preferences and contributed to positive relationships.

The feedback regarding staff knowledge and skills was positive. Relatives felt care workers understood people’s needs well. They told us, “I do feel that the carers know what they're doing” and “I am absolutely sure that my carer is well trained and knows what she is doing.”

People and their relatives described communication with the office team as good, including outside of normal working hours. They told us, “[Manager] is excellent, they are approachable and willing to listen” and “The office team always answer the phone quickly and are very accommodating and flexible.”