The Porthouse

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 75 (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.

Staff were caring in their approach. Family members told us, “I have always found the staff to be friendly and approachable” and “[Staff] take the time to get to know each young person’s interests, likes, and dislikes.” A staff member shared, “Seriously, I enjoy myself. I love the guys that are supported here. Sometimes it can be hard, but we know how to support them, such as redirecting their attention.”

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.

We observed that people were supported in line with their individual needs and choices, with emphasis on promoting their autonomy. A family member reflected this approach, stating, “[My relative] is given choices where possible and appropriate.” Staff communicated in an age-appropriate and empowering manner, enhancing people’s sense of self-worth.

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

People were offered meaningful engagement and stimulation, including what activities they wished to take part in. A family member told us, “Activities are driven by the needs and wants of residents. Lots of activities are pursued inside the setting such as creative activities, games in the garden and my [relative] really values the celebrations and marking of national days such as St George's Day. Off site, trips into the community take place throughout the week and then further afield to places like London and farm trips. The team are happy to plan trips to anywhere the young people want to go.”

People were actively supported to participate in activities, promoting inclusion and involvement within the community. Person-centred support enabled one individual to explore a range of suitable day services, ensuring opportunities were tailored to their preferences, interests, and needs.

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 demonstrated a good understanding of people’s care needs and preferences. They appropriately supported one individual who was particularly routine-oriented and preferred to engage in activities that were clearly planned and recorded in his calendar, which helped him feel settled and secure.

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff feedback was valued and used to support improvement where necessary. The ‘Employee Engagement Survey 2025’ indicated that the majority of staff were satisfied overall, reporting positive opportunities for skills development and manageable workloads.