Stepping Stones to Independence

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

Well-led – this means we looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.

At our last assessment we rated this key question good. At this assessment the rating has remained good.

This meant the service was consistently managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 71 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider had a shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities.

The vision and values of the service focused on the uniqueness and potential of individuals and aimed to empower people to reach their full potential by helping them build skills and confidence to live with greater independence and self-determination.

The management team were very passionate about the service, and staff at all levels were proud to work for Stepping Stones to Independence. Staff told us managers were available and approachable. We saw ways in which they led by example, for example by covering visits, reviewing people’s needs and joining activities.

The values of the service extended to staff, and the registered manager was keen to meet the diverse needs of the team and tackle any barriers or inequalities faced by them.

The provider had very inclusive leaders who understood the context in which they delivered care and support. They embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

The registered manager had been in post for several years, and they received ongoing support and development opportunities to ensure they continued to be able to lead effectively.

Staff told us they felt members of the management team had appropriate knowledge, experience and skills for their roles. Members of the management team knew people and staff well and often delivered support to people who used the service. One relative told us, “[Management team] have consistently worked hard to make everything right. We have a very good relationship, we can talk about changes and challenges. They are open, not guarded.”

The registered manager understood their responsibilities under the duty of candour, which is a legal requirement for health and social care providers to be open and transparent when things go wrong.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people and staff felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.

Staff felt they were able to speak up, however some felt action had not been taken when they did this. However we saw actions had been taken in response to the concerns shared by staff. A staff survey had recently been completed and responses were positive overall. The registered manager was addressing issues which had been highlighted in the surveys. The registered manager hoped the current role restructure and recruitment would aid open communication and feedback within the service.

Systems were in place for people and relatives to speak up and raise concerns or make suggestions. Relatives said the provider sought their feedback about their family member’s care and took their views into account.

The provider strongly valued diversity in their workforce. They had an inclusive and fair culture which had improved equality and equity for people who worked for them.

The registered manager outlined examples of ways in which they supported staff who required flexible working arrangements or reasonable adjustments to be made. This showed the unique needs of staff were considered on an individual basis to enable them to carry out their roles.

The provider ensured staff were able to mark religious observances and access services such as telephone counselling and they encouraged job applications from people with diverse needs and backgrounds.

The provider did not always have clear systems of accountability or effective governance. They did not always act on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes. They shared information securely with others when appropriate.

Although governance frameworks and quality assurance processes were in place, these had not always been consistently followed in the period up to the inspection. This meant there had been poor oversight of some areas. For example, gaps in training compliance and care record reviews. The shortfalls were identified by the registered manager when they compiled information for this inspection, and they took immediate action to make improvements. Actions included developing a more robust schedule of checks and audits and recruiting to additional posts to support the effectiveness of the service. These actions will improve the effective monitoring of the service and aid future development.

Other checks had been consistently carried out, for example monitoring staff visits and task management via the electronic systems and completing spot checks with staff to observe standards and quality of care.

The registered manager understood their regulatory responsibilities. Notifications were submitted as required to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and referrals made to local authority when concerns arose.

The provider delivered a good standard of sustainable care and support. Contingency plans were in place to ensure care could continue in circumstances such as staff sickness or adverse weather conditions and these had been tested.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership so services worked seamlessly for people. They shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement.

Relatives told us the service had worked closely with other agencies and local organisations to ensure their family member’s needs were fully met. Staff had a good knowledge of facilities which could support people in the wider community. The management team and staff shared information with others to improve outcomes for people and keep them safe. Referrals were made to other services or local groups as relevant.

Professionals told us Stepping Stones to Independence worked with them in a joined-up way to ensure people received the best service possible. Professionals felt the service provided a good standard of care. One professional told us staff worked well with other agencies for the benefit of people they supported and added, “They go above and beyond and are creative in their approach."

The provider valued continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. They actively contributed to safe, effective practice and research.

The management team were open and transparent during this inspection. There was a commitment to developing the service and the registered manager was open to suggestions and feedback.

There had been some shortfalls in staff training and supervision compliance, although the management team addressed this before the end of this inspection process.

The registered manager was actively involved in service development schemes and local provider forums. They had recently invested in improvements such as electronic systems and had plans to further develop the service. This helped ensure they both shared and gained experience to continue developing and improving the service.