Home from Home Support Services Ltd

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.

This is the first assessment for this service. This key question has been rated 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 82 (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 very clear shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and an exceptional understanding of the challenges and the needs of people and their communities.

Staff at all levels had a well-developed understanding of equality, diversity and human rights, and they prioritised safe, high-quality, compassionate care.

Staff told us they enjoyed a strong sense of teamwork and shared values. They said the working environment was supportive. A staff member said, “I genuinely enjoy being part of the team.”

A further staff member told us, “The service is genuinely person-centred, and staff work hard to support people with dignity, respect and compassion. There is a strong team culture, and staff are encouraged to do their best for the people they support.”

The provider had exceptionally 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 always did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

All feedback we received from people and their relatives, external professionals and staff praised the management team for being supportive and professional. A staff member told us, “I can honestly say it is the best place I have worked. Home from Home is where I truly belong. It provides asafe, well-managed environmentwhere both staff and people are valued.”

Staff told us management were very supportive and approachable and always accessible to address concerns or receive feedback, whether related to people, staff, or administrative issues. A staff member told us, “In my experience, the management has provided timely interventions to address any concerns raised, demonstrating a transparent and responsive policy.”

Throughout this assessment process the provider engaged with us professionally but with warmth and they demonstrated compassion for the people using their service and the staff team.

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

People and their relatives were given information when they started to use the service about how to raise a concern and told us they knew how to make a complaint.

The provider had developed processes to support staff to speak up. These included supervision meetings, team meetings, annual appraisals and a whistle-blowing policy.

Staff said they knew about the provider’s whistle-blowing policy and that they would not hesitate to use this to benefit both people using the service. Staff had also received training in safeguarding to reinforce their understanding and their responsibility to speak up.

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.

The provider had an up-to-date recruitment policy and employed a diverse staff team. Human resource processes were in place to help and support staff to understand their rights as employees.

The provider had policies promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion, and protecting staff from discrimination and harassment.

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 maintained strong oversight of day-to-day operations and demonstrated a solid understanding of safeguarding processes, and statutory notifications were submitted accurately and on time.

Feedback from people using the service, relatives, staff, and external professionals was positive. Staff at all levels understood their roles and responsibilities. People, staff, and external professionals expressed confidence in the leadership of the service.

An external professional told us, “The provider demonstrates strong compliance with contractual obligations and operational standards.” They went on to say, “Incidents are reported promptly, typically within 24 hours, ensuring transparency and timely follow-up.”

There were effective systems in place to monitor service quality, and actions were taken promptly when audits identified areas for improvement.

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 provider made sure everyone worked together as a team so things ran smoothly for the people they were supporting. They shared important information with external partners so they could learn and make things better for people.

They also talked to external health professionals, such as doctors and specialist nurses, to check what people needed. The provider listened to feedback and, where necessary, amended policies and procedures to promote effective communication and partnership working.

The managers and staff spent time with people and the community to learn new things and keep improving the support they provided. Staff said they worked well with other health workers, and the manager said they had good relationships with many professionals.

An external professional told us, “Management has been accessible and open to professional challenges. They share information transparently, participate in multi-agency meetings and are willing to reflect and learn from incidents. In my view, there is a clear leadership presence and an active effort to improve the service.”

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.

Staff told us management were always aiming to make improvements to the service to benefit people and they enjoyed being part of this and felt consulted and involved.

A staff member told us that the management had encouraged and supported their career progression. They told us, “I would highly recommend Home from Home Support to clients seeking person-centred care and support and to aspiring professionals looking to build a career in the care sector, as it is an ideal employer.”

Learning lessons and outcomes were discussed at team meetings and there was a whole team approach. The culture was an open one in which staff could ask questions and was supported to reflect on their experiences.

The model of care was in line with current best practise guidance, ’Right support, right care, right culture’. The management team worked with people their relatives and staff to build a culture that focused on enabling people.

Staff expressed pride in working for Home from Home Support and the care and support they provided. A staff member told us, “The workload is well-balanced, and I never feel overworked, which allows me to focus on providinghigh-quality, person-centred care. Management is approachable and supportive, and any concerns are addressed promptly. Overall, it is a very positive place to work, and I feel proud to be part of the team.”