Foundation House

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 Outstanding. At this assessment the rating has changed to 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 75 (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.

Staff and leaders consistently described a culture focused on supporting people to achieve their goals, maximise independence and live fulfilled lives. There was a commitment to developing a positive and inclusive culture. Staff told us they felt supported by colleagues and leaders and described good teamwork across the service.

Leaders had actively supported staff through periods of workforce change and took steps to promote integration and inclusion. For example, following an increased recruitment of overseas staff, managers developed practical resources to support communication and deliberately mixed teams to encourage relationship building and prevent division. Leaders told us, “We have had a cultural shift in the recruitment and staffing, and new staff have settled really well” and “I was really conscious I didn’t want there to be a divide, we mix up staff working together and experience working with new people.”

The service sought feedback from people and used this to understand culture and engagement. A cultural enrichment training session had also been held with staff to identify strengths and areas for improvement.

The provider had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and 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.

Leaders were well regarded by people and staff and had established positive relationships within the service. An open-door approach was promoted, and leaders maintained a regular presence within the service through supervisions and day-to-day support. One person told us, “[leader name] is very approachable, [leader name] has got better so I go to them now.”

Staff consistently described leaders as approachable and supportive. Staff told us they felt listened to and that concerns would be acted upon where required. One staff member said they received "a lot of support" whilst others described leaders as approachable and responsive.

Leaders demonstrated commitment to staff development, explaining they would support staff to undertake additional learning and development where appropriate. Staff described receiving support from senior leaders, and acknowledged the contributions of the acting leadership arrangements in maintaining service stability, whilst the registered manager was unavailable. Staff told us, “Management are really helpful and listen to me and are approachable,” “They are approachable and they listen.”

Opportunities were available for leaders to maintain their own skills and access further development prospects including internal and external training opportunities, qualifications and professional forums.

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

The provider promoted a culture where people, relatives and staff were encouraged to speak up and share concerns. Leaders demonstrated an open and transparent approach and described working proactively with people and families to address issues before they escalated into formal complaints.

Staff had access to policies and processes to support whistleblowing and were able to attend regular meetings where concerns and practice issues could be openly discussed. Records showed staff were encouraged to challenge and provide feedback. We saw recorded within supervision records reassurance from leaders there were "no secrets within the management team" and staff were welcome to challenge any decisions.

People had opportunities to share their views through feedback surveys and day-to-day discussions with staff. Feedback from people indicated they knew how to raise concerns and felt complaints would be addressed appropriately. One leader told us, “If they [people] do have a concern we work through it before it becomes a complaint.”

Staff felt comfortable raising concerns with leaders. One staff member told us they were happy to speak with leaders and report issues when needed. Staff feedback recorded in May 2026 identified improvements in communication and support for new staff.

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who worked for them.

Staff were given equal opportunities for recruitment, training, development, and promotion based on their skills and abilities. The service promoted an inclusive culture where everyone felt valued, listened to, and supported. Policies and procedures were in place to prevent discrimination, bullying, and harassment, helping to create a positive working environment. One staff member told us, “Staffing is good, we help each other, we have a good team. Teamwork here is amazing.”

The service promoted workforce equality by providing cultural awareness induction sessions for staff. These sessions helped employees understand and appreciate different cultures, backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences. Leaders informed us a culture training session was planned aimed at strengthening effective communication and cohesion among team members, helping to reduce discrimination. By increasing awareness and understanding, the service created a more inclusive working environment where all employees felt valued, respected, and supported regardless of their background.

Following a growing number of overseas professionals joining the workforce leaders had taken proactive action to implement structured initiatives to support them in providing care to people. One example shared was around a folder with lunchtime meal ideas and simple guidelines on how to prepare these meals to support unfamiliar cultural dietary requests.

Team meetings were held monthly and delivered both face-to-face and virtual to ensure all staff have the opportunity to attend. Minutes were recorded and distributed following each meeting so everyone remains informed of key updates and actions. The service also delivers themed handovers covering important topics such as fire safety, safeguarding, and the Mental Capacity Act. Staff are encouraged to actively participate in these sessions through discussions and question-and-answer activities, helping to reinforce knowledge, promote best practice, and ensure compliance with relevant policies and procedures.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate.

The provider had a system to monitor the effectiveness of this service provision. A programme of scheduled audits, alongside observations, were undertaken to promote best practice and continuous improvement.

There was a leadership and staff structure and staff were aware of their roles and responsibilities and put these into practice.

Leaders regularly visited people’s homes to ensure care delivery was undertaken correctly and in line with the person’s preferences. This created an opportunity to speak with people and make sure they were happy with the care provided.

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.

The service recognised the value of effective partnerships in providing seamless support and ensuring people benefited from a coordinated approach to their care. Positive professional relationships had been made with local practitioners, including pharmacy teams and doctors which encouraged open communication and proactive ways of working.

People were supported to develop meaningful community support networks, helping them build connections and maintain a sense of belonging within their local community.

The provider focused on 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 provider promoted learning and innovation to enhance people's experiences and outcomes. Leaders demonstrated a willingness to listen to feedback and use this to drive change within the service.

The provider was developing new approaches to measuring progress, participation and independence, and the organisation had been recognised externally for its use of digital technology to improve outcomes for people.

The provider actively shared expertise with others and contributed to sector learning. Leaders had worked with specialist teams to develop training resources for education and care providers. Leaders spoke about how through collaboration training materials had been designed for schools and employees who assisted people with additional learning and support needs to better understand real life experiences of what was important to young people accessing these settings.