Bright Opportunities Enabling Services Limited

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 good. At this assessment the rating has changed to outstanding. This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

This service scored 95 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

Managers and staff were 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 experienced exceptionally kind, caring and respectful support from staff who knew them extremely well and were committed to understanding what mattered most to them. Staff had developed meaningful and trusting relationships with people over many years, enabling them to provide highly personalised support that reflected people's preferences, promoted independence and enhanced wellbeing.
Staff demonstrated a strong commitment to understanding what was important to people and finding personalised ways to help them achieve their goals. One person wanted to access local pubs and experience going out at night. However, staff recognised busy environments caused them distress and anxiety. Rather than concluding the activity was unsuitable, the registered manager explored alternative solutions based on the person's individual needs and preferences. The registered manager told us, “They wanted to go out at night in the pub, we took them to 2 different pubs and they got agitated and couldn’t deal with the busyness of them. I knew someone who owned a pub so spoke with them and created the disco for them. Now it has been going 4 years. It was designed, person centred for them, and they love it”. This showed staff went above and beyond to ensure the person could achieve an outcome that was important to them. Their compassionate and creative approach resulted in a lasting opportunity which enhanced the person's wellbeing and quality of life.
Staff recognised subtle signs of discomfort or anxiety and adjusted their approach before distress escalated. They understood people's communication, preferences and routines. Daily records showed staff treated people with dignity and respect and sought consent before providing support. An entry was recorded as, "I knocked on [Name’s] door and could hear them saying, 'Yes' in a happy tone, I went in and asked if they were ready to get up. [Name] said 'Yessss' and followed me through to the bathroom for morning routine."
Staff showed kindness and compassion by taking time to understand people's anxieties and supporting them in ways that reflected their individual needs. One staff member explained, “Sometimes you need to say, ‘Try it and if you don't want to do it, we can go’.” They told us they supported a person who was initially reluctant to take part in a swimming session. Staff encouraged the person to try the activity without pressure and respected their decision when they wanted to leave. They then adapted the remainder of the session to another activity the person enjoyed. This demonstrated staff understood the person well enough to distinguish between anxiety about trying something new and a genuine wish not to participate. Their caring and flexible approach helped the person build confidence whilst ensuring they remained in control of decisions about their day.

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.
Managers and staff regularly reviewed care and shared ideas through team meetings to promote independence, wellbeing and achievement. One manager said, “They [staff] want them to succeed.” Personalised care was embedded throughout the service. Staff demonstrated a detailed understanding of people's communication styles, interests, routines, aspirations and signs of anxiety or distress, and how these differed between the people they supported. A staff member said, “[Name] can express what they like to do. They have a very good understanding of what they like and what they don't like.” Staff understood approaches needed to be adapted for different people, recognising activities or events that one person enjoyed could cause distress for another. For example, a manager told us one person enjoyed seasonal events throughout the year, whilst another became distressed in the lead up to Christmas, meaning support needed to be tailored to their individual needs.
Managers showed a proactive and highly personalised approach when circumstances changed unexpectedly. One relative described how a planned holiday had to be cancelled at short notice. They told us they worked closely with the registered manager and developed a “New alternative plan” to replace the holiday, ensuring the person, “Wasn't left without anything”. This showed staff understood what was important to the person and adapted support quickly to ensure an important experience was not lost.
Staff adapted support to reflect people's individual interests and aspirations. For example, one person noticed a charity bake sale poster because they had a particular interest in cakes and baking. Staff built on this interest by creating opportunities for the person to participate in a ‘charity coffee morning’ by setting one up for the person at their sister company day centre. They were supported to make choices about what they baked and engage with members of the local community. A manager told us, “[Name] is making rocky road today. They will choose and will say their preference.” This meant staff recognised and developed people's individual interests, creating meaningful opportunities that promoted choice, inclusion and positive outcomes.

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.
Relatives gave positive examples of people being supported to lead active and meaningful lives based on their interests and preferences. One relative told us the person had made significant progress since moving to the service and said, “Since they’ve been with Bright Opportunities, they’ve come on leaps and bounds. They’re doing a lot more. They [staff] take them out to new places. This week they went to a Retro Games café, they loved it. They go out a lot!” This meant people were supported to explore new opportunities, develop confidence and maintain interests that were important to them.
Relatives described how staff encouraged people to develop and maintain their independence whilst providing support when needed. One relative told us, “They [staff] encourage them to do as much as they can. If there's something they don't want to do, they share the duties. When cleaning their room, they say to them, ‘I'll make your bed if you do the dusting’. Since they've been there, they have really blossomed.” This meant people developed independent living skills and had greater control over their daily lives.
Staff worked in a way which promoted positive risk-taking and maximised opportunities rather than imposing unnecessary restrictions. One staff member said, “[The managers] do all the risk assessments but every member of staff will have seen a risk assessment. We are always made aware to weigh up risks before doing an activity”. Care records showed staff encouraged people to take part in activities which promoted their wellbeing whilst respecting their right to make choices. For example, staff encouraged one person to spend time outdoors but respected their decision when they chose not to do so.
The registered manager was committed to increasing people's choice and control over decisions about their health. One person had previously received some medicines covertly due to difficulties understanding their treatment. Over several years, staff worked with the person to explain what their medicines were for in ways they could understand. The person developed a greater understanding of their medicines, was able to take tablets instead of liquid medicines and began asking questions about their treatment. The registered manager told us the person now understood why some medicines were prescribed and could make informed decisions when explanations were provided. This meant restrictive practices had reduced and the person had greater involvement and control over decisions affecting their health and wellbeing.

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.
Staff had developed positive relationships with people and understood their individual communication needs. Care records provided clear guidance about people's preferred methods of communication and how they expressed choices, preferences and consent. This helped staff provide support in ways which were meaningful and accessible. For example, one person wanted to listen to a specific music album whilst travelling in a car. When this was unavailable, staff remained calm, offered reassurance and suggested alternative options to prevent the person becoming distressed. Professionals gave examples of staff identifying changes in people's health and acting quickly to secure appropriate support. One professional told us, “For my client they had stomach pain and discomfort, they are largely non-verbal. This was quickly identified by staff and appropriate action taken to get urgent support.”
Staff and managers showed a strong commitment to meeting people's immediate needs during periods of ill health. One person experienced several hospital admissions and required significant support due to anxiety and distress associated with unfamiliar environments and interventions. Staff used their detailed knowledge of the person's needs to help healthcare professionals adapt their approach, including reducing sensory distress, using social stories and providing guidance on how best to communicate with and support the person. Managers supported the person's transfer to hospital to help them remain calm. The registered manager told us, “We fought for them and advocated for them and didn't want to leave them as we had a duty of care for them.” Staff, including managers remained with the person throughout their admissions, including overnight, to provide reassurance, continuity and support. Following the admissions, staff continued supporting the person to understand their health needs and manage new anxieties which had developed as a result of their experiences. This meant the person received timely care and treatment in a way which reflected their individual needs and reduced unnecessary distress.

The provider always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff. They were exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care.
Staff felt valued by the organisation and told us they were encouraged to seek support whenever needed. Staff spoke very positively about working for the service and consistently described the registered manager as supportive, approachable and caring. One staff member said, “I love my job more than anything in the world”. Staff told us they felt able to access advice and guidance whenever required and were supported both professionally and personally. One staff member told us, “They [managers] don't just help service users, they help you as well. I have never had anything like that”.
Managers understood that a small service can create isolation and dependency on a small workforce. They provided accessible support, reflective supervision, safe rostering, debriefs and development linked to people’s needs. Welfare conversations took place alongside formal supervision. Staff could raise concerns without fear and there was evidence that wellbeing support improved continuity and quality. For example, a member of staff in the sister company had completed a mental health champion course and offered to help staff where they could.
Staff said managers gave significant support with wellbeing and health matters. Managers described regular check-ins, social events, gifts, recognition and support with personal difficulties and appointments. A staff member told us, “At Christmas [registered manager] sorts out a big Christmas party, people tend to go home to family so that all staff can go. [They] pay for a free bar, and everyone has a meal. It is [their] way of saying thank you”. They were open to staff swapping shifts as long as shifts remained covered without gaps, promoting flexibility for staff. A manager said they do, ‘random acts of kindness’ and said “I leave chocolate on their [staff members] bed, give them a bag of goodies or Christmas present. If they ask why I say, because you are amazing".
The registered manager provided specific examples of where they had gone above and beyond to support staff experiencing personal difficulties, recognising the impact wellbeing can have on both staff and people they support. A manager said, “If we help them, we get the best of them and we care for them.” The registered manager maintained effective oversight of staff performance and promoted a positive, caring culture throughout the service. This meant staff felt valued, respected and supported to provide high-quality, person-centred care, contributing to positive experiences and outcomes for people using the service.