Listening differently: How Kingdom House helps every person shape their own support

At Kingdom House in Sheffield, personalised care is reflected in everyday conversations, thoughtful observation, attention to small details, and a belief that every person has a voice worth hearing. 

The service supports people with a range of needs and, rather than taking a one‑size‑fits‑all approach, the team work hard to understand each person as an individual; what matters to them, what helps them feel safe, what they enjoy, and how they communicate best. At the time of writing, five people live at Kingdom House, each supported in ways that genuinely reflect who they are.  

What defines the service is not one specific approach or tool, but a shared culture: one where people are listened to patiently, where systems exist to make sure important information is not lost, and where the team are encouraged to act thoughtfully rather than wait for permission. 

For Registered Manager Andrew Sharp, that means creating a culture where nothing important gets lost. 

“We don’t want comments, ideas or concerns to just disappear. If something matters, we capture it and we act on it. This happens through practical planning boards used across the service. Alongside day-to-day organisation, the team keep person-centred action boards where ideas, preferences, goals and concerns can be recorded and revisited properly. It might be someone mentioning they would like to visit an airport one day. It might be a new hobby. It might be a concern raised by a team member.” 

That approach runs through the whole service. 

Listening beyond words 

Listening differently at Kingdom House means recognising that communication is not always spoken and that behaviour, anxiety, routine and preference often communicate far more than words. 

For people who communicate verbally, the team truly hear their voice but do not always rely simply on their spoken word, understanding that people can choose to share their needs, wants and desires in lots of different ways too. Such culture of opportunity and creativity is taken further for those who don’t communicate verbally. One person Kingdom House support has begun typing and writing her own thoughts, directly contributing to her support plan. Another who is mostly non-verbal, is supported through a picture-based exercise. The team use printed images showing tasks such as brushing teeth, getting dressed and making the bed, he is then able to show clearly which things he would like to do independently, and where he would like extra support. 

The results are support plans built around choices, not assumptions. 

“Behind someone being non-verbal is still a person who knows what they want” Team Leader Oliver Shaw said. “The question is: how do we hear that voice and how do we capture what they tell us?” 

Moving to an electronic care planning system at Lifeways was seen as an opportunity. It’s created consistency in capturing everything they see and hear into assessments and plans, improving oversight and making it easier for everyone involved to see the same picture.  

A positive, inclusive culture 

Strong leadership at Kingdom House is defined not by close control, but by clarity, trust and accountability. The team believe they do their best work when they feel safe to raise concerns, share ideas, challenge respectfully and contribute openly. That culture naturally carries through to the support provided, creating a service where people are not simply cared for, they are genuinely involved. 

Kingdom House recently achieved a Good CQC rating across all areas, for Andrew, success is also measured in quieter, everyday moments: 

“Someone trying a new place for the first time, someone writing words nobody knew they could write, someone reconnecting with their family, a new team member feeling confident enough to speak up. For Kingdom House, personalised care isn’t something written down after the fact, it’s something built with people, every single day.” 

That sense of mutual respect, between leadership, team members and the people supported creates an environment where concerns are raised early, ideas are acted upon and learning is continuous. 

What “listening differently” really means 

Listening differently at Kingdom House means not assuming communication is absent just because speech is limited. It’s capturing small signs, hints and comments before they get lost, allowing people to shape support at their own pace and trusting the team to act when something matters. 

It also means recognising that progress is not always dramatic. Sometimes it is quiet: fewer anxious moments, more confident interactions and plans that reflect the person behind them.