Episode 1

Another beautiful morning at Beacon Fold, Mid-Ulster’s premier private domiciliary care facility. A worn-out Francis shows colleagues Fidelma and Cyril the video of Clive, their last team lead, having a nervous breakdown and quitting mid-shift. Francis begs them to help the new team lead last the day. And of course, give client Cal a good birthday and survive the latest inspection from social worker Nicola.

New team lead Sinead arrives, prepped and ready for the first day of the job she’s spent three years studying social care for. Sadly, Beacon Fold is a little more run-down than the pictures on the brochure. Sinead meets her new team – hard-edged Fidelma and pathological small-talker Cyril – and tries to give them a motivational pep talk, but they’ve seen enough new hires crash and burn on their first day to know not to pay any attention.

As for the clients: Martina hasn’t left her room in days and has declared a hunger strike after seeing photos of her ex getting engaged. Joe’s acting out after a visit from his alcoholic mum, while it’s Cal’s birthday, which is always one wrong move away from disaster.

As Francis gives Sinead the grand tour of the facility, she realises it’s a long way from the glossy brochure. Meanwhile, social worker Nicola has news for Sinead when she drops in for a surprise inspection and tells her that Beacon Fold is going into special measures. Six months to turn it around, or the staff lose their jobs and the clients lose their care. Sinead, always a fan of a challenge, says she can do it in three months, an offer that Nicola happily accepts. And if Sinead doesn’t want her colleagues to quit right now, she recommends keeping the imminent closure a secret.