Supported Living

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Supported Living 1 Supported Living Registered provider: Dynamis Enterprises Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

This supported accommodation is operated by a private provider in the northwest of England. They can accommodate up to two individuals in self-contained units where the accommodation is for the sole use of one person. They can also accommodate up to nine individuals in five shared or group living homes that are not limited to accommodating looked after children or care leavers. The provider also offers one individual accommodation in supported lodgings.

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provider

At the time of the inspection, four individuals were being accommodated. All four were looked after children aged 16 or 17.

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provider

The service manager has been registered with Ofsted since the organisation was registered in March 2024.

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provider

Inspection dates: The inspection was announced on 11 November 2024 and started that day. The inspectors were on site from 13 to 15 November 2024.

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Outcome

Inconsistent quality of service delivery adversely affects some children’s experiences, and this may limit their progress. Leaders and managers must make improvements. The next inspection will be within approximately 18 months.

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Summary of findings

Children like where they live and enjoy living in their accommodation. Staff have developed good relationships with some children, which has helped them feel supported.

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Summary of findings

Staff help children to develop the skills needed to prepare for adult life, however, this is not consistent for all children.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers have a clear focus on employment, education and training for children. Staff support children well with this. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Supported Living 2 Staff do not have the experience or skills to meet some of the children’s needs. They are also unclear on how to access children’s records and documents. This means that staff do not understand all children’s support needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children said that they liked their accommodation and the area in which it is located.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Some children receive good support from staff. One child said, ‘I got so much support. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing at first and can count on staff, doesn’t matter what time, I can contact [name of registered manager and name of staff member].’

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Some children are making good progress in developing independence skills. Staff provide support using a variety of workbooks and practical skills. This means children develop life skills and are confident in being able to live independently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff are aspirational for children around education, employment and training. They provide children with opportunities through online training and a variety of educational routes. As a result, one child has secured their first job.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff support children to access activities in the community. For example, one child received funding to attend kick-boxing classes. Taking part in activities helps children to develop their hobbies and interests while also developing their social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff help children to register with health services and to access specialist support. This means that children receive good support for their health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Some children spend time in their accommodation with friends and family. However, one child is currently not allowed to have visitors due to concerns around anti-social behaviour. There is no clear plan to review this decision for the child. This adversely affects the child’s relationships with their friends and family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Leaders and managers advocate well for children to receive their leaving care entitlements. They provide interim funding for children when there are delays with payments. This means that children do not experience any financial difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

The standard of accommodation is inconsistent. Staff ensure that damage to the property is quickly repaired. However, staff do not check children’s bedrooms as part of their health and safety checks, as they are uncertain of the process that they need to follow. This means that children’s bedrooms are not consistently clean or tidy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

One child currently has a high level of supervision in place. However, the child said that they find this overwhelming. As a result, the registered manager discussed this Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Supported Living 3 with the child’s local authority and there is now a plan to reduce supervision, in line with the child’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff do not help children to access an independent advocate. This is a missed opportunity for children to receive independent support to express their views, wishes and feelings about their lives.

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How well children are helped and protected

Physical interventions are rare, but there have been occasions when staff have used physical intervention to keep children safe. The registered manager reviews these interventions and speaks with the child following an incident. This helps children to share their views and reflect on their behaviour.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff do not record missing-from-home incidents effectively. They inform the police and local authorities when children are missing from home, however, they do not ensure that children receive an independent return home interview. Therefore, staff do not fully understand children’s experiences when they have been missing from home.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff do not consistently report safeguarding incidents within agreed timescales to the regulator, registered manager or professionals working with the child. This affects the regulator’s ability to have sufficient oversight of the service and to ensure that children are safe. As a result, responses to children’s safeguarding needs are sometimes delayed.

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How well children are helped and protected

One child has been involved in several incidents of anti-social behaviour in their accommodation. Staff have attended multi-agency meetings to discuss the child’s needs and plans. Incidents have reduced due to improved multi-agency working and planning with the child.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers complete support and risk assessment plans for children. Children’s plans contain children’s known vulnerabilities, with clear strategies for staff to follow. This helps staff to promote children’s needs and reduce their risks.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children generally feel safe and settled in their accommodation. They access support from staff when they need it and know how to access on-call support in emergency situations.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff do not routinely check visitors’ identification badges or ask them to sign in. This means that staff may allow people into children’s accommodation who are not known to children or staff. This may put children at risk of harm from unknown adults.

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How well children are helped and protected

The registered service manager carries out safer recruitment checks when employing new staff. However, they do not always explore the reasons for gaps in candidates’ employment history. This means that the manager cannot be certain that some people are suitable to work in the service. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Supported Living 4

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The nominated individual and registered service manager are both suitably experienced. They are aspirational for children and have daily oversight of the support provided. Children said they felt supported by the registered service manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff also feel supported by leaders and managers. One member of staff said, ‘I also appreciate that management is always available 24/7 to support staff with any urgent matters, which provides an added layer of reassurance and security.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers provide staff with regular supervision. This gives staff the opportunity to reflect on their practice and consider their well-being. However, managers do not hold regular team meetings. This is a missed opportunity for staff to come together and share their experiences and reflect on practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff training is inconsistent and mostly takes place as part of new staff’s induction. Managers do not ensure that staff’s skills enable them to meet the needs of children, such as in relation to criminal exploitation or domestic abuse. This means that staff do not have all the skills required to support children with specific needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered service manager and deputy manager update and review children’s plans. However, staff working directly with children do not contribute to this process. This does not support staff development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers do not fully assess children’s needs when they move into the accommodation. They do not document how their decisions have been made regarding children’s suitability, or how staff have the skills to meet children’s needs. This has adversely affected some children’s experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have not reviewed the organisation’s statement of purpose since registering with Ofsted. The service is now providing 24-hour staff support for some children. The statement of purpose does not reflect this model of staffing. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Supported Living 5

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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.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the supported accommodation undertaking in a way that is consistent with the ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the undertaking’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills appropriate for the work that they are to perform;

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Requirement Due date

implement recruitment practices that ensure staff are suitable to work with children and to keep them safe from harm;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that arrangements are in place to manage referrals of children to the supported accommodation undertaking and admissions of children to premises used as supported accommodation, including, where relevant, emergency referrals and admissions;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that arrangements are in place for the supervision, training and development of staff;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the skills necessary to support children to identify, access and receive their entitlements in a way 27 December Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Supported Living 6 that helps them to learn to identify, access and receive their entitlements independently in the future. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(g)(h)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff have the skills to meet children’s needs. Furthermore, the registered person must ensure that safer recruitment of all staff takes place.

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Requirement Due date

The protection standard is that children are enabled to feel safe and that their needs are met.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar and act in accordance with child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation or any other harm, and act to reduce such risk;

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Requirement Due date

work collaboratively with children to help them understand how to keep safe, by offering guidance and support on how to minimise any potential risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

work collaboratively with other professionals and agencies, and share information where relevant to keep children safe;

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Requirement Due date

support children to maintain appropriate and safe relationships with family, friends and other people who are important to them;

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Requirement Due date

understand the relevant roles and responsibilities assigned to them by the registered person in relation to protecting children. (Regulation 5 (1) (2)(f)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff have the skills to identify risks for children and report these as required. 27 December

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Requirement Due date

The support standard is that children receive individual and tailored support that meets their needs. 27 December Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Supported Living 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that children are encouraged and enabled to take a lead role in determining the support they receive and to participate in and influence how the supported accommodation operates;

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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. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(a(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children are consulted and have a role in drawing up their support plans.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the following matters in respect of the supported accommodation undertaking—

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Requirement Due date

its purpose, including its ethos, core aims and function;

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Requirement Due date

the category or categories of supported accommodation it offers;

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Requirement Due date

the services it provides for children it accommodates and supports.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the statement of purpose is reviewed and updated when the service delivery model changes. 27 December

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify the CIECSS and any relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation or child criminal exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child and the registered person considers that incident to be serious; 27 December Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Supported Living 8 there is an allegation of abuse against the supported accommodation undertaking or a person working for it;

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry);

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Requirement Due date

there is an incident involving the use of a measure of restraint of a child;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 27 (3)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the regulator has oversight of safeguarding incidents without delay.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that there is a policy relating to entering children’s bedrooms, and that staff ensure that children are managing their own spaces. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 30)  The registered person should ensure children know what the role of an advocate is and how they can access this service. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 41)  The registered person should ensure that all missing-from-home incidents are reviewed and that all children can access a return home interview with someone independent. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 55)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with The Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Supported Living 9

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Dynamis Enterprises Limited

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: 2 Exeter Close, Manchester M12 4AW

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Supported accommodation provider details

Nominated individual: Babajide Alafiatayo

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Joel Igenoza

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Supported accommodation provider details

Email address: j.alafiatayo@dynamis.co.uk

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Inspectors

Tracey Sykes, Social Care Inspector Sue Garner, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Supported Living 10 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 children looked-after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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