This is a significant achievement for everyone involved working and involved with You First Support Services CIC. The report reflects the dedication, compassion and professionalism shown every day by our teams, and we want to extend our sincere thanks to all staff, families and partners who contributed to this outcome.
What the CQC Highlighted Positively:
Across the report, the CQC recognised strong values, skilled practice and consistently positive experiences for people.
A few examples include: People feel safe, respected and well supported. People and relatives repeatedly described feeling safe and listened to. One relative said their family member “feels safe and knows that carers support her” . Another person told inspectors, “I like the staff; they are the best I’ve had.”
Staff understand people exceptionally well. Staff were praised for anticipating triggers, de‑escalating distress and supporting autistic people and people with learning disabilities with skill and empathy. A professional described the team as “very skilled at identifying triggers” .
Care is person centred and effective‑centred and effective. Care plans were described as “one of the best [seen] in a learning disability service” because they clearly captured communication needs, routines and support strategies .
A strong learning culture. Inspectors highlighted a “no blame culture” where incidents are used as learning opportunities, and managers were “on site immediately” after serious incidents to support staff and people .
Outstanding medicines practice: Medicines optimisation was rated Outstanding, with professionals describing the work as “amazing” and praising protocols as “beautifully completed” .
Visible, supportive leadership. New managers were described as approachable, supportive and more visible than before. Staff said, “Everyone is warm and friendly… you can work anywhere with any of the staff and feel welcomed.”
These findings reflect the heart of You First: We are a values led organisation committed to dignity, independence and inclusion.
Acknowledging the Challenges – and Our Commitment to Improvement: The CQC also identified areas where further work is needed. These align with what many of you have already shared openly and constructively.
Communication: Communication between managers, staff and families has not always been consistent, especially during periods of organisational change. Some people did not always know who to contact, and information was not always shared in a timely way .
Workforce Wellbeing: Frequent changes in managers and team leaders created instability and affected morale. Staff described feeling unsettled during transitions, though they also recognised improvements in visibility and support from the new leadership team .
Embedding Governance and Stability: Governance has strengthened significantly, but the CQC emphasised the need to continue embedding consistent systems, communication channels and leadership stability to maintain progress .These are not criticisms, they are opportunities. They confirm that the work already underway is the right work.
Our Next Steps - Over the coming months, we will continue to:
This is not a tick box exercise. It is part of our long term commitment to delivering high quality, inclusive care that reflects our values and the needs of the people we support.‑box exercise. It is part of our long‑term commitment to delivering high‑quality, inclusive care that reflects our values and the needs of the people we support.
This GOOD rating is a testament to the resilience, compassion and professionalism of our teams. It reflects the trust placed in us by the people we support and their families, and it shows that, even through significant change, our values remain strong.We should be proud of this moment and energised by the work ahead.Together, we will continue to strengthen our culture, our communication and our commitment to delivering the very best support.
Creating Community -Based Housing with Places For People
Since 2015, E has been living independently with support from You First Support Services and thriving. As an Avon Make up Community Representative, E enjoys meeting customers, delivering orders, and staying active in her community.
Our team delivers person-centred support that empowers adults with learning disabilities, autism, and mental health needs to live full independent lives.
