Ryedale Homecare

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.

People consistently described staff as kind, respectful and supportive. Several people told us that the service “feels like a family” and that staff “go above and beyond” to support both them and their relatives. Observations during visits also showed staff interacting with people in a warm, calm and considerate manner. People appeared relaxed and comfortable in staff presence, and staff demonstrated awareness of individual routines, preferences and communication needs.

During a visit to 2 people with a learning disability, we saw them smiling, engaging positively with staff and enjoying their activities. Their living spaces were clean, personalised and reflective of their interests, promoting dignity and comfort. Staff supported conversations sensitively and ensured people were involved appropriately where they wished to participate.

Feedback about the manager was highly positive, with people and relatives describing them as “knowledgeable, willing to listen, calm, proactive and responsive.” This contributed to people feeling respected, valued and safe.

People’s experience showed that staff treated them with kindness and compassion and upheld their dignity.

People told us staff knew them well and understood their preferences, which helped support care that reflected individual routines and comfort. Observations during visits confirmed that staff adapted communication styles to match people’s needs, including giving people time to respond, using visual prompts and offering clear choices.

Where detailed care plans had been completed, particularly for people with a learning disability, information reflected people’s strengths, interests, communication needs and personal goals. During visits, people were seen choosing activities such as cooking, puzzles, walking outside and deciding what to watch or eat, demonstrating that staff recognised what mattered to each person.

Although there were inconsistencies in written records, the direct care observed and feedback received showed that staff treated people as individuals and recognised their uniqueness.

People described having regular opportunities to make decisions about their daily routines, activities and preferences. During observations, individuals confidently expressed what they wished to do, including going shopping, taking walks, completing puzzles, choosing drinks and engaging in the leisure activities they enjoyed. Staff supported choice by presenting options, using accessible communication and respecting people’s decisions.

They demonstrated awareness of how to support people with a learning disability to exercise control, including breaking down information, checking understanding and observing non‑verbal cues for agreement or discomfort. People appeared comfortable making choices and were supported to maintain their independence where possible.

Staff were observed responding promptly and appropriately to people’s needs. Interactions during visits showed staff noticed when people required reassurance, practical support or adjustments to their environment. People told us that staff were “attentive” and often “anticipated their needs”, and that support was delivered “calmly and without rush”.

During our observation, staff adapted tasks to match people’s physical and emotional comfort. For example, by adjusting pace, offering breaks and checking whether people were happy to continue with activities. People confirmed they were “having a good day” and expressed satisfaction with staff support.

Staff had access to training in autism and learning disability, which supported their ability to understand communication differences, sensory needs and indicators of pain or distress. Staff reported they felt supported by the manager, and performance reviews and inductions were recorded in staff files. The positive culture described by staff and people contributed to consistent caring practice.