Life Skills Supporting Accommodation Ltd

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Life Skills Supporting Accommodation Ltd 1 Life Skills Supporting Accommodation Ltd

p.1

Registered provider: Life Skills Supporting Accommodation Ltd

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

provider

This supported accommodation service is owned and managed by a private provider. The service provides up to 19 supported accommodation placements in a shared or group living situation in four premises, which are not limited to accommodating looked after children or care leavers.

p.1

provider

The service manager registered with Ofsted in July 2023.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out in response to concerns shared with Ofsted regarding children’s support, staffing levels across the service and poor management oversight. The inspector visited two supported accommodation premises, spoke to three members of staff, one child, the registered service manager and the nominated individual.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Managers understand their service, including the areas they need to develop, although they are slow to take action on these. Many areas of one of the properties visited look tired and worn. Some parts of the house were unclean and necessary repairs had remained incomplete for a number of weeks. These shortfalls do not provide children with a welcoming or homely environment.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Staff do not receive regular or reflective supervision. Some staff, including deputy managers, have not had supervision for a number of months. This does not ensure that managers have sufficient oversight of staff practice or that staff are able to develop their practice and consolidate any learning. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Life Skills Supporting Accommodation Ltd 2 There are gaps in recruitment records, for example, the identity records for one member of staff could not be located. The manager is aware of this and has been working through staff files to meet regulatory requirements. However, this does not ensure that staff are vetted in line with safe recruitment practices and has the potential to compromise children’s safety.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Managers have completed a quality of support review report to evaluate and assess their service. This report does not include feedback from children or professionals. This is a missed opportunity for the provider to demonstrate how they will use feedback to improve their service.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Children have positive relationships with staff. Staff provide continual support and guidance to children, which helps them to feel valued. One child said they can talk to staff about their worries and they feel safe. This helps children to have a sense of belonging.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Children’s plans show that staff support them to develop skills such as budgeting and cooking. However, the level of detail in these plans does not capture children’s progress or specify the areas where they need additional support. Furthermore, staff do not record the direct work that they carry out with children when addressing concerns, for example, if children struggle to keep their living areas clean.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Children are supported to consider and access education and employment opportunities. Staff encourage children to look at educational courses or employment to suit their needs, skills and interests. Children are attending school or college. This helps them to achieve their potential, creating further opportunities for them in adulthood.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Staffing levels and support offered to children are flexible, to reflect their individual needs. There is always one member of staff available to support children, in line with their plans, with managers available during the day and out of hours if required. This provides children with independence while giving them additional support at times of greater anxiety.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Children’s specific cultural and faith needs are understood by staff. One child was supported to buy religious clothing in preparation for attending the mosque during the month of Ramadan. This support was extended to ensure that the child could access food and other religious items in line with their faith.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Children are supported to travel independently, including those children who are new to the country. This helps children to settle and feel confident in their area and local community. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Life Skills Supporting Accommodation Ltd 3

p.2

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 and the ‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the supported accommodation undertaking that puts children first and prioritises their wellbeing and development.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.3

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work effectively as a team, where appropriate, to meet the needs of children; and

p.3

Requirement Due date

ensure that arrangements are in place for the supervision, training and development of staff. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(b)(g)) 31 May 2024

p.3

Requirement Due date

The accommodation standard is that children experience a comfortable and secure living environment.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.3

Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used as supported accommodation—

p.3

Requirement Due date

are suitable for the purposes of supported accommodation and are accessible, safe, secure and well-maintained;

p.3

Requirement Due date

offer a comfortable, positive and nurturing environment, while respecting children’s need for privacy;

p.3

Requirement Due date

are adequately maintained so as to provide a welcoming and homely environment within both individual and shared living spaces. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(b)(vi)(vii)(viii)) 31 May 2024

p.3

Requirement Due date

The support standard is that children receive individual and tailored support that meets their needs. 31 May 2024 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Life Skills Supporting Accommodation Ltd 4 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.3

Requirement Due date

ensure that plans for support are based on initial referral information, are meaningful and are created in full consultation with the child, taking account of relevant plans for the child;

p.4

Requirement Due date

keep the child’s support under review, taking into consideration the plans for support, and relevant plans, to ensure that the child’s needs continue to be met and that the child is kept safe; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

ensure a plan for support is in place to support the child to develop the resilience and skills required to transition out of supported accommodation when the child is ready to live more independently. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(b)(c)(k))

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.4

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 1. (Regulation 17 (1) (3)(d)) 31 May 2024

p.4

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they undertake a review that focuses on the quality of support provided by the service and the experiences of children living in the each of the provider’s settings, looking at the impact the support is having on outcomes and improvements for children. In particular, seek and consider feedback from children and others. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62)

p.4

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to follow up information received by Ofsted and to ensure that the supported accommodation provider was complying with regulation.

p.4

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Life Skills Supporting Accommodation Ltd 5

p.4

Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Life Skills Supporting Accommodation Ltd

p.5

Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Andrew Ramsey

p.5

Inspector

Shazana Jamal, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Life Skills Supporting Accommodation Ltd 6 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.5

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk.

p.6

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn.

p.6

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6