The Rowans

The Rowans is a small residential care home providing support for up to five adults with autism spectrum disorders, learning disabilities, and related needs. During a recent inspection, the service was found to maintain a high standard of person-centred support within a clean, comfortable, and family-like environment. Although the home has recently gone through a transition period following a new provider taking over, all necessary information remained fully accessible, and the team continues to focus on helping residents build independence, enjoy meaningful routines, and feel genuinely at home.

When it comes to safety, the home maintains robust procedures with properly managed risk assessments, secure medicine storage, and frequent financial checks. Staff are well-trained in safeguarding and health and safety, and lessons are learned when incidents occur, such as the introduction of a new panic alarm system following an emergency health issue.

The service is highly effective in assessing needs and tailoring support, featuring smooth transition periods for new residents and knowledgeable staff trained in areas like epilepsy and positive behaviour management. While the indoor spaces are well-adapted with specialist furniture and quiet rooms, the garden was in need of work at the time of the visit, though management had already put plans in place to address this.

Residents experience a caring and compassionate atmosphere where staff demonstrate genuine affection, respect personal privacy, and encourage individuals to make their own choices. Staff use picture boards and daily interactions to involve residents in household tasks like preparing vegetables, and they actively support individuals through major life changes.

Care is notably responsive to individual preferences, offering a wide range of personalised activities such as trampolining, art therapy, and trips to the local supermarket. When one resident felt too anxious to attend college, staff arranged for a tutor to visit the home until their confidence returned, and rooms are thoughtfully decorated to reflect personal hobbies and daily routines.

Leadership within the home is strong, approachable, and highly respected by both staff and relatives, fostering an inclusive and open culture. Although the management and team were busy transferring care records from electronic systems to paper files during the provider transition, robust quality audits were actively monitored and acted upon without causing disruption to daily life.