Rhyme House

Rhyme House is a residential care home providing personal care and support to autistic people/ and or have a learning disability. At the time of inspection, the service supported nine people. The service can support up to 10 people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting some of the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture. Right Support Staff promoted people's strengths and promoted what they could do, so people had a fulfilling and meaningful everyday life. Staff supported people to reach their aspirations and goals. For example, one person's goal was to work in a tea-room, staff supported them by initially encouraging them to offer to make tea for visitors who came to the service. The service gave people care and support in a safe, clean, well equipped, well-furnished and well-maintained environment that met their sensory and physical needs. For example, the service had recently been repainted and people told us they chose their own colour of paint for their rooms. Staff enabled people to access specialist health and social care support in the community. For example, people were supported to attend weekly support groups to support their protected characteristics under the Equality Act. Right Care People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people's privacy and dignity. They understood and responded to their individual needs. We observed positive interactions between staff and people. For example, one staff member was asking a person how they were feeling as they didn't feel too well the day before. People who had individual ways of communicating, using body language, sounds, Makaton (a form of sign language), pictures and symbols could interact comfortably with staff and others involved in their treatment/care and support. Staff had the necessary skills to understand the way people communicated. Staff told us that a few people had adapted and personalised Makaton signs and made their own form of signs that staff had learnt. The service had enough appropriately skilled staff to meet people's needs and keep them safe. For example, staff had a good understanding of people's emotional needs and how best to positively support them to avoid them becoming anxious of distressed. Right Culture People were supported by staff who understood best practice in relation to the wide range of strengths,