Foundation House

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last assessment we rated this key question Outstanding. At this assessment the rating has changed to Good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care.

This service scored 85 (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 was exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion and in how they respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff always treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

People consistently described staff as caring, supportive and respectful, and there was a strong culture of valuing people as individuals. People told us staff were kind and friendly, and relatives spoke positively about the care and support their family members received. People told us they had chosen to live at the service because of the positive atmosphere and the supportive relationships they had developed with staff commenting, “I’m very happy”, “They are very kind” and “I chose to live here staff are friendly, nice atmosphere. Staff are really supportive.” A relative told us staff “respect [person’s] privacy”, and another said, “Foundation House was the answer to my prayers.”

We saw staff supporting and engaging with people in a kind, caring and unrushed manner. When we approached people, staff would stand back to ensure people were at the forefront of their interactions and had full opportunity to lead the conversation. Staff would offer support when indicated it was needed and referred back to the person throughout these engagements. All staff we spoke with were respectful in their references to people and contributed examples highlighting their knowledge of people’s preferences routines and interests.

Staff demonstrated a deep understanding of people’s histories, interests and aspirations and were passionate about helping people achieve positive outcomes. We saw examples of staff supporting people to access meaningful activities, maintain important relationships and pursue opportunities that enhanced their quality of life. Staff spoke warmly about people and described them as being “like a family”, while remaining focused on promoting people’s rights, wellbeing and individual goals. One staff told us, “Amazing team. Residents are permanent, it’s a home for me, can talk to residents and they are like a family. I ask questions all the time about the residents. I want to know about them now as I worked on campus when they were students.”

Staff consistently demonstrated remarkable levels of compassion, kindness and genuine warmth. We spoke with staff about things they had done to enhance people’s lives, and they showed a deep understanding of the need for people to be active agents within their environments’ which impacted positively on people’s wellbeing. One person with significant communication and physical support needs was enabled by staff to participate in music and gaming activities through bespoke technology solutions tailored to their abilities and interests. One staff member spoke proudly about this person and how these small changes had impacted this person so they could reconnect with their surroundings again and improve their quality of life

The provider fostered a culture where people were treated with respect and encouraged to live fulfilling lives, resulting in positive experiences and strong, trusting relationships between people, relatives and staff. People told us, “Staff help me to go shopping for clothes in Cardiff or Bristol, to go on holiday in Scotland. We’re going to see ‘Annie’ in Cardiff in a few days’ time.” Another person said, “I like living here because the town’s not far from here. I have friends here and the staff are nice and you can do whatever you want within reason.”

The provider treated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. The provider took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

There was an outstanding commitment to treating people as individuals, with support consistently adapted to meet their specific needs and wishes. We found many examples where this was evident and heard how people were supported to achieve outcomes that were important to them. People and their relatives told us, “You can go on trips. We can sign up”, “They go on trips. [Person] and they [staff] arrange to see Rugby Gloucester play or concerts. If they want to go somewhere they will organise” and “Supported to go out most days in the city, including visiting the pub for drinks and lunch. A trip to Weston Super Mare soon.”

Staff and leaders meticulously planned and supported an overseas holiday for one person, ensuring every aspect of the trip was accessible and tailored to the person’s individual needs. This person was able to experience enriching opportunities whilst exploring historical and cultural interests and new environments. This gave the person a meaningful memory that greatly benefitted their wellbeing and sense of purpose.

Another person had been supported to fulfil an ambition of making a trip to enjoy riding rollercoasters. Detailed planning had been undertaken by staff, which involved working with health professionals due to the person’s complex healthcare needs to ensure any risks were managed safely. Staff were dedicated in ensuring the trip was a success for this person. This included researching and mapping suitable changing facilities along their route and ensuring full staffing support for medicine administration times.

People were supported to pursue their interests, faith, employment and community involvement. One person had been significantly impacted by the pandemic leaving them with reduced confidence, poor mental health and an addiction-related dependency. Staff spent time supporting this person with the help of their peers to rebuild and find ways to manage and channel these feelings into more positive outcomes. During this journey the person discovered comfort and meaning through their faith and built a new community network of support and belonging that has renewed their sense of self. Staff have been critical to this journey supporting the person to attend their place of worship and participate in a meaningful religious ceremony reflecting their personal beliefs and wishes.

There were clear examples within the service where leaders and staff had responded flexibly and proactively to meet people’s needs. One person had previously demonstrated some behaviours they had struggled to manage within the setting. Staff showed incredible insight in recognising this person’s needs were important and finding suitable solutions appropriate for everyone. This person was made to feel heard, valued and respected in a situation that could have been overlooked due to its delicate nature. Staff employed sensitive and skilled support reaching out to source a professional the person could engage with and writing guidelines and care plans to meet this person’s needs and ensure staff were aware of how to respectfully proceed. One leader told us, “It was important to us that [person’s name] needs are met and not swept under the rug as can be done with [specific] needs and especially in care. This has helped him loads and manage these frustrations, seen a decrease in inappropriate behaviours and we are proud of this as he has a need. Allowing him to express himself has made him calmer.” The professional support had also provided some training sessions for staff to increase awareness of how to provide individualised support to this person.

Staff knew people well and took time to understand what mattered most to them. Care and support were tailored to individual preferences, strengths and goals, enabling people to live meaningful and fulfilling lives. People were supported to develop assistive technology, participate in music groups and contribute to training programmes using their lived experience. One person told us, “I go to the Beacon in Bristol for a weekly jam session with a group called [group name] as a keyboard player.” Another person mentioned that they had recently been appointed as student advisor at National Star college and felt proud to hold this role.

Staff recognised and celebrated people’s individuality and ensured support was centred on their personal goals and ambitions. Staff told us, “[name of person] is a talented musician and goes out independently and he is going to main site today to support leadership team with interviews. They love music sessions and will volunteer and met the King at Buckingham palace and performed in an infant school the other day, they are very active.”

The provider was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

People were supported to make decisions about their daily lives, pursue personal goals and take positive risks whilst receiving the support they needed to remain safe. Staff adopted a wholly person-centred approach which focused on enabling people to exercise maximum choice and control over their lives. One staff member told us, “We promote independence, encourage choices and enable people with disabilities to fulfil their true potential. We do this by always using person centred approach and treating everyone as individuals. We help the residents to set their goals and work towards them. Encourage them to take responsibilities, try new experiences. We adapt environment where possible and use assistive technologies to enable them to be as independent as possible.”

People we spoke with said they were actively involved in decisions about meals, activities and daily routines. People described a wide range of independence, including shopping independently, preparing snacks, travelling in the community and choosing how they spent their time. People told us, “I go on day trips, and to the cinema I wheel myself. I’m independent in Gloucester”, “I do go out and buy snacks, drinks etc. My favourite is fish and chips” and “I eat out on Mondays and Wednesdays at [Restaurant name].”

Written documentation provided clear evidence people were supported to maintain and enhance their independence. Care plans reflected a strengths-based approach, focusing on what individuals could do for themselves and encouraging choice, autonomy, and self-determination. Where people's needs meant they were unable to complete some tasks independently, documentation showed they were still actively encouraged to participate and be involved in tasks, activities, and decision-making to the fullest extent possible. One staff told us, “By letting them [people] know what the plan is beforehand, give choices and allow time for them to decide and ask questions that they may have.”

Innovative use of technology had significantly helped people become more independent and develop confidence. Staff worked creatively with specialist teams to identify technological solutions that increased people’s independence and participation. One person had expressed a wish to do more independently but had been limited by their specific health condition. This person was supported by staff to use smart technology to control their television, lights and blinds, manage emails, shop online and access banking services. This had a meaningful and beneficial impact on the person's life, building confidence, reducing anxiety and empowering them to maintain greater control over their day-to-day life.

Other people were supported to adapt their gaming equipment and communication technology, so they could continue enjoying activities that were important to them. Staff spoke positively of the increased benefits this had brought to people, as they were encouraged to retain aspects of their life they valued most. One staff member commented, “Getting to know them [people], spending time with them and people close to them, talking to them. By communicating and providing information to them in a way and format they can understand. Involving them in meetings to discuss their care and making decisions.”

Staff consistently supported people to develop skills and achieve their aspirations, improving both their confidence and quality of life. One person had continued to work in their chosen employment for many years in which they travelled to and from independently increasing their independence and control over their life. We saw in another person’s care plan it recorded how they wished to follow their own set activities designed to maintain and improve their daily living skills and independence. Staff spoke respectfully about supporting this person to achieve this and how they reminded them to use their communication technology to connect and have impact on their wider environment independently.

Staff did not always respond to people’s needs in the moment or act to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

When we spoke with people there was a consistent theme of concerns raised about the call bell system. People told us, “The call bell system is a nightmare, if they’re not logged on they can’t hear us”, “My buzzer is not OK, I keep buzzing it”, “The new call system hasn’t got an emergency button, not good, takes 5 minutes for personal care” and “They respond but need to be quicker.” We saw that in a recent resident meeting in May 2026; this had also been raised.

Three people spoke to us about staff needing to be logged into the system in order to hear the call bells. Leaders confirmed that staff were reminded daily at handover to log in and said that the new system the provider was implementing soon would address these concerns.

Staff familiarity with people allowed them to recognise and respond promptly to any deterioration in health or wellbeing. People told us staff provided attentive support when they were unwell and responded quickly to any changes in their health. One person told us, “I get ill sometimes: the staff are good at reassuring me.”

Relatives felt confident staff would respond appropriately and ensure people received necessary help in an emergency. One relative described how staff were tuned in to their family member and able to proactively recognise signs ahead of a potential deterioration. The relative told us, “The staff know him very well. They can detect stress.” Health and social care professionals working with the service also praised staff for their timely response in acting on behalf of people with one professional commenting, “If I state a need in my professional capacity, they arrange a review immediately.”

The provider cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

The provider had invested in an employee wellbeing advisor role and range of employee benefits including an employee helpline, life insurance and medical cover, subsidised transport, free use of sports facilities and employee discounts.

Observations identified a culture of mutual respect, teamwork and inclusion, with staff working closely alongside people to achieve positive outcomes. There was a strong sense of teamwork across the service, and staff were consistently observed encouraging, celebrating and supporting people’s achievements.

Staff were supported if they were struggling at work. In the last few years, the provider had introduced and expanded the Mental Health First Aider network across sites. This had a positive impact on the care staff delivered to people.

Leaders spoke about being accessible and available to staff when they needed with one commenting, “It’s an open door policy, anyone can come and chat to me and that extends to the chief executive officer.” Individual circumstances were taken into account with flexible working requests considered and a prayer room for staff that may need this facility.