A CARE home for young adults with autism has been praised by a health watchdog.

Staff at Orchid House were “passionate” and had a “real drive” to improve quality, the Care Quality Commission said. They gave it an "outstanding" rating.

Care home directors said they were “absolutely delighted” with the positive report.

It follows inspections by the CQC in 2015 - when the home was rated “good” – and 2013, when the home met all standards set out by the watchdog.

Inspectors visited Orchid House on October 25.

They said that residents in the home, which provides care for up to six young adults with autism, were “extremely well supported”.

“The atmosphere in the service was calm and relaxed and staff clearly understood the needs of the individuals they were supporting,” inspectors wrote in their CQC report.

“Relatives spoke of how caring the staff were and staff felt they were given the time and support to offer people care and kindness on a daily basis.”

Leadership at the home was praised. Inspectors said: “The registered manager provided strong leadership and led by example leading to an outstandingly caring and responsive service for people.

“[She] and staff spoke with passion and a real drive to constantly improve the quality of the service in order to meet people’s needs. This was reflected in the staff team, who felt inspired by the manager to constantly achieve the best outcome for the people in the service.”

Congratulating staff at the Whitworth Road home on receiving the glowing report, Rebecca Bauers, head of adult social care inspection at the CQC, said: “To receive an outstanding rating overall is a commendable achievement and the staff and management of Orchid House should be proud of the high quality care they are providing.

“The commitment of staff in treating residents with dignity and respect, whilst also ensuring that their individual, specialised needs are met, was evident throughout the inspection.”

Orchid House is one of two specialist autism homes in Swindon run by Autism Care Wiltshire. Ciderstone House – their other home – was rated “outstanding” by the CQC in May.

Stuart Hook, director of Autism Care Wiltshire, said: “We’re absolutely delighted with the rating – really pleased, very proud and really grateful to the staff team.

“We’ve got two care homes and they’re both now rated as outstanding. For us it’s a huge achievement.”

He said he was particularly pleased that staff at the home were recognised in the CQC report: “We really are a whole team. Everyone pulls together. The staff are really committed and work very hard.”

Staff took a person-by-person approach to caring for young people, he added. Extra-curricular activities included sailing trips.

Mr Hook said: “For us, we just want to keep doing what we’re doing and keep providing the absolute best care for our young people – who absolutely deserve it.”