CQC report explained · a residential care home
What the CQC found at Freeman College
Rated Good: inspectors found the home performing well and meeting their expectations.
- Safe?
- Good
- People told inspectors they felt safe. Risks were assessed, staffing levels were considered sufficient, medicines were recorded accurately and staff knew how to report abuse.
- Effective?
- Good
- Care plans reflected people's needs and goals. Staff had relevant training, people had access to health services and the service followed the Mental Capacity Act principles.
- Caring?
- Good
- People were treated with kindness, respect and compassion. Staff listened to people's views and supported them to make choices and develop independence.
- Responsive?
- Good
- Support plans were personalised and detailed people's choices. People were supported with communication, daily living skills, activities, voluntary work, employment and courses where this matched their wishes.
- Well-led?
- Good
- Inspectors found an open and inclusive culture. Managers sought feedback and worked with families and other professionals, although the new manager was still registering with CQC.
What inspectors found, September 2022
Freeman College is rated Good; inspectors found safe, kind and person-centred care, with a new manager still registering with CQC.
Inspectors visited on 13 and 21 July 2022. They spoke with seven people using the service, five relatives and 21 staff. They also reviewed care records, recruitment files, training information and management records.
The home supports up to 20 people with learning disabilities, mental health needs or autism. At the time, 18 people were using the service. Inspectors found people were safe, treated with kindness and supported to make choices, build skills and take part in activities.
All five areas were rated Good: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This means inspectors found consistently good care and management at the time of the inspection. The report says this was the first inspection of the newly registered service.
Choice and independence
The home encouraged people to take positive risks, make choices and develop practical skills. Inspectors found that the setting supported people to live as independently as possible.
“The model of care and setting maximises people's choice, control and independence.” from the report
Kind and respectful staff
People described staff as supportive and good listeners. Inspectors found that staff knew people well and used language that people understood.
“People received kind and compassionate care from staff who used positive, respectful language, which people understood and responded well to.” from the report
Meaningful activities
People could try activities suited to their interests and were supported to build skills. The home also encouraged voluntary work, employment and vocational courses where appropriate.
“People told us they took part in a wide range of activities which were tailored to their interests and gave them the chance to try new things.” from the report
Good safeguarding and risk management
Staff knew how to recognise and report abuse. Individual risks were assessed with people and families where appropriate, while people were still supported to take part in activities.
“Individual risks to people had been assessed with the involvement of the person and their family members where appropriate.” from the report
Open culture
People, relatives and staff felt able to raise concerns. Inspectors found that the provider used feedback and worked with other professionals to improve support.
“People, relatives and staff told us, they felt confident in raising concerns and complaints.” from the report
Manager registration
minorThe registered manager had left before the inspection. A replacement had been appointed but was still in the process of registering with CQC.
“At the time of the inspection the registered manager had left the service.” from the report
- 01What is the current position with the new manager's CQC registration?
- 02How will you assess and review my relative's individual risks while still supporting their choices and activities?
- 03How will you support my relative to develop independence, daily living skills and meaningful activities?
- 04How will you communicate with us if there is a safeguarding concern, incident or change in support?
- 05If my relative uses the shared lives scheme, what parts of that arrangement were covered by this inspection?
This inspection looked at the residential college's premises and care, and at personal care and support in the shared lives scheme, but not the premises used by shared lives carers. This explanation was written from the published report of 14 September 2022 by an AI system and checked against the report text: every quoted line appears in the report. It is a guide to the report, not a substitute for it. Read the full report on cqc.org.uk.
Every inspection of Freeman College
3 rated inspections over 6 years: the service has held its Good rating throughout.
- September 2022Goodcurrent ratingstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- June 2019Goodstayed GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: OutstandingWell-led: Good
- November 2016GoodSafe: GoodEffective: GoodCaring: GoodResponsive: GoodWell-led: Good
- August 2020
Registered with the Care Quality Commission on 14 August 2020.
Ratings and report dates from the Care Quality Commission, Open Government Licence v3.0. A home can also be visited without a new rating being published, so the timeline shows published inspections.
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90 live-in carers within about an hour of Sheffield
These are self-employed carers on PrimeCarers, the introductory agency that runs this directory. Each has a profile with their own rates and reviews from families, and you choose who to talk to.
Most charge £1,020 to £1,270 a week. 76 can care for a couple. 11 years' experience on average.
“Carla has been a god send with the implementation of bringing mum back home from respite care.”
“Beatrice was a talent dementia carer whose professionalism and dedication allowed mums wishes to remain in her own her come true.”
Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them. Carers set their own rates, and who is free changes week to week.