CQC Reports for Barnsley Care Homes - 28th July 2025

Rated: Outstanding

Report published: 29 July 2025

Date of Assessment: 26 June to 2 July 2025

Current View of Service

Woodways is a residential care home, providing support to younger adults, some of whom may be living with a learning disability and/or autism. The service can support up to 6 people, and at the time of our assessment 6 people were living at the service. An assessment has been undertaken of a specialist service that is used by autistic people or people with a learning disability. We have assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.

At our previous assessment we were concerned about governance at the service. At this assessment, the provider has made improvements. The service was previously rated requires improvement and is now rated good in safe, outstanding in effective, caring, responsive and well led, and outstanding overall. People were supported by a dedicated staff team, who knew people’s needs extremely well. People were kept safe, in an environment which was inclusive for their individualised needs. Medicines were safely managed. The service had a warm, welcoming and homely feel. Care plans were robust, and person centred, to enable staff to follow up to date guidance about how to support people, in line with their needs, wishes and preferences. The service was extremely well led, staff were happy and supported in their roles, and without exception, people, relatives and staff told us the service was well led.

People's experience of the Service

People were supported in an environment which was individualised to them and provided them with privacy and safe space to express themselves. People and relatives were very happy with their care and support. The service had enabled some people to move from more secure services and live more freely in the community. Without exception, people told us they were cared for by staff who were kind and treated them well. One person said, “I am very happy here. I can come and go when I want. Staff are friendly and respectful and give me my privacy. When I have a bad day, I say things that are not nice. The staff understand and try to distract me by playing games and dancing. I am involved in my care and can say when I am not happy. I go out every day. I would rate this place more than 10 out of 10.” And a relative said, “It's brilliant. They (staff) understand [Name’s] needs well. The staff are great. The staff come and pick me up from the station and drop me off, so I can visit. All very friendly. [Name] is happy, and I love them to bits.”