- Care home
Foundation House
Assessment report published 5 October 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 6 July 2026 to 16 July 2026. The service is a home care service supporting people with learning disabilities, autistic people, younger adults, people with physical disabilities and sensory impairments.
We assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.
Although the service was providing good outcomes overall, we identified some areas for development. Opportunities remained to strengthen the personalisation of some records, improve staff understanding of the distinction between the home care service and the associated care home, and ensure future planning and end of life preferences were consistently explored and recorded. These issues did not have a significant impact on people’s safety or outcomes but were discussed with leaders, who demonstrated a commitment to ongoing improvement. Overall, the culture of the service was inclusive, person-centred and focused on helping people achieve their goals and live fulfilled lives.
People received good quality, person-centred care from staff who knew them well and were committed to promoting their independence, choice and wellbeing. People told us they felt safe, valued the continuity of support and trusted the staff who assisted them. One person described the provider as offering a high standard of care and said they had chosen to remain with the service because of the positive experiences they had received. The service formed part of a wider group of National Star services assessed at the same time, and there were shared staffing arrangements and systems across the service.
People were protected from abuse and avoidable harm through effective safeguarding systems, robust risk management processes and safe recruitment practices. Staff received regular training and demonstrated a good understanding of people's needs, risks and how to support them safely.
Medicines were managed safely, infection prevention and control measures were effective, and people told us staff supported them in a respectful and safe manner. Staff worked collaboratively with healthcare professionals to ensure people received coordinated care and positive health outcomes. Care plans reflected a strengths-based approach and people were encouraged to make decisions, pursue goals and maintain independence wherever possible. People spoke positively about the kindness, compassion and flexibility shown by staff, and we observed warm and respectful interactions throughout the assessment.
The service demonstrated a positive culture led by approachable and supportive leaders who promoted openness, inclusion and continuous improvement. Governance systems were effective and provided oversight of quality and safety. People and staff felt able to raise concerns and were confident these would be listened to and acted upon.
People's experience of this service
Although feedback was mostly positive, people identified some areas where their experience could be improved. One person told us occasional delays could occur when staff were supporting people in other parts of the organisation and said, “I have to explain to new staff that this is different to the care home, I have a great working relationship with most staff.” People also told us communication between staff was not always consistent, although this had not impacted on their overall confidence in the service.
People had a positive experience of the service and spoke highly about the support they received. People told us they felt safe, listened to and respected by staff who knew them well and understood their individual needs and preferences. One person explained they had chosen to remain with the provider because of the quality of support, telling us, “I wanted to stay under National Star as was a student and didn’t want another provider as I have tried and the standard wasn’t as good.” People described staff as caring, supportive and respectful in their approach.
People were encouraged to maintain their independence and have choice and control over their daily lives. They were involved in decisions about their care, activities and routines and were supported to achieve goals that were important to them. One person described the support they received positively, saying, “I’m really, really happy, they are so supportive, I’d be lost without them.” People told us staff respected their preferences and supported them to access activities, maintain friendships and participate in the local community.
People felt comfortable raising concerns and were confident they would be listened to. One person told us, “I know how to raise a complaint, and they know I’m not frightened to do this.” They knew the management team well and said leaders were approachable and accessible. People also told us they felt reassured knowing support was available in an emergency, with one person commenting, “Here they know me and are here 24/7.”
Overall, people experienced kind, person-centred support from staff who promoted their independence, respected their choices and helped them live fulfilling lives. The atmosphere was positive, inclusive and supportive, and people consistently spoke about feeling valued, listened to and treated with dignity and respect.