Athena Supported Accommodation (North-East) Limited

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: ForeverCare (North- East) Limited ForeverCare (North-East) Limited

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Registered provider: ForeverCare (North-East) Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

This supported accommodation service is owned and managed by a private provider. The service provides up to 20 placements in self-contained units which are available for the sole use of one person and are limited to accommodating looked after children and care leavers.

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provider

At the time of this visit, the service was providing supported accommodation for 13 children aged 16 and 17.

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provider

The service manager registered with Ofsted in September 2023.

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This monitoring visit

On 8 April 2024, the registered service manager notified Ofsted of the death of a child. As required, a safeguarding notification was submitted to Ofsted under Regulation 27 of The Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted is aware that other agencies, including the police and the child’s placing authority, are carrying out investigations. On 9 April 2024, Ofsted served a notice restricting accommodation at this supported accommodation provision while investigations continue, to ensure that no further children are admitted.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to ensure that children living in this supported accommodation provision are suitably placed and receive appropriate support that meets their individual needs. In addition, to ensure that managers and staff understand all potential risks to children’s safety and that these risks are well Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: ForeverCare (North- East) Limited managed. This visit included the review of documents in children’s properties and at the provider’s office. Discussions were also held with the registered service manager, nominated individual and staff. Inspectors identified significant shortfalls relating to the protection of children and oversight by managers and senior leaders.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers do not ensure that the needs of all children placed can be met in line with the supported accommodation regulations and that their placements are suitable on admission. For example, at the time of this visit, 10 of the 13 children placed required a minimum of two members of staff on admission to meet their complex needs and to manage known risks to their safety. These risks include criminal exploitation, physical and verbal aggression and significant self-harm. In agreeing the placements of these children, leaders and managers operated this supported accommodation undertaking outside of the scope of the regulations. As a result, children were at risk of significant harm.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers do not consider risks to children’s safety before their placements are agreed. For example, inspectors found that the registered service manager did not carry out pre-admission risk assessments until less than 24 hours before some children were admitted. This was despite children’s placing authorities providing relevant information in the weeks before admission. On occasions, these risk assessments were not carried out until after placements were agreed. Furthermore, these risk assessments are of poor quality and do not reflect the information provided by the placing authorities. As a result, some of the children’s needs are not met and some of the risks to children are not known, and therefore their placements are not suitable to protect them from harm.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers adopt a blanket approach to reducing staffing levels as a rationale for agreeing placements for children that are not in line with the supported accommodation regulations. For example, all children are subject to ‘reduction plans’ to reduce their level of staff support and provide them with more independent time. Managers were unable to demonstrate how they determine the content of these reduction plans, or how they have considered the identified risks to children’s safety. For example, when children are known to be experiencing emotional and/or mental health issues or other issues that increase their risk of self-harm, these reduction plans are implemented despite this resulting in less support for children during periods of trauma. These plans include staff remotely monitoring the exits to some children’s properties, using audio and visual closed-circuit television. However, the

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This monitoring visit

reduction plans provide no evaluation of how this response supports children’s safety.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers do not ensure that all staff receive suitable training to meet children’s needs. Systems in place to report on staff training attendance are inconsistent. For example, inspectors found that only six of the 78 staff currently working for the supported accommodation service have received self-harm training, despite this factor being a risk for several children. Criminal exploitation training has only been included in the training schedule in March 2024. This is despite the provider placing a child in June 2023 where the placing authority confirmed that Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: ForeverCare (North- East) Limited support staff need to have extensive knowledge and skills regarding child criminal exploitation to meet the needs of this child. This failure to ensure that staff are equipped with the skills that they need places children at risk of significant harm.

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This monitoring visit

Managers do not have sufficient oversight of the service to ensure that children’s needs are met. Managers do not know and understand some children’s needs or the risks to their safety. For example, the registered service manager and nominated individual were unable to tell inspectors which staff work with which children, or if these staff know and understand children’s needs and if they have the skills to meet these.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of the significant regulatory breaches identified at this visit, Ofsted issued a notice suspending the registration of the provider and a notice suspending the registration of the service manager. Ofsted will keep these notices under review. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: ForeverCare (North- East) Limited

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

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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. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(a)(c)(f)) 17 May 2024

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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

have their individual needs met. 17 May 2024 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: ForeverCare (North- East) Limited ensure that staff—

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

work collaboratively with other professionals and agencies, and share information where relevant to keep children safe. (Regulation 5 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(f)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

only use devices for monitoring or surveillance in communal areas and then only if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(c)(i)) 17 May 2024

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Requirement Due date

The support standard is that children receive individual and tailored support that meets their needs.

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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

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;

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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

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Requirement Due date

engage and work with the accommodating authority if the registered person has concerns or if the child’s support needs to be changed, including where that change may mean that the child requires more intensive support. 17 May 2024 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: ForeverCare (North- East) Limited (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(b)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (5), the registered person must ensure that the supported accommodation undertaking is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 9 (4)) 17 May 2024

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Requirement Due date

An individual may only be registered as a registered service manager if—

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Requirement Due date

the number of premises used as supported accommodation;

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Requirement Due date

the geographical scope of the premises used as supported accommodation;

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Requirement Due date

the supported accommodation undertaking’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

the number of children accommodated by the supported accommodation undertaking; and

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Requirement Due date

the category or categories of accommodation provided by the supported accommodation undertaking,

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate skills to manage the supported accommodation undertaking effectively. (Regulation 12 (b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)) 17 May 2024

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: ForeverCare (North- East) Limited

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: ForeverCare (North-East) Limited

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: Hallgate House, 9 Grange Terrace, Sunderland SR2 7DF

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Gavyn Rodgers

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Inspectors

Jennifer Fenlon, Social Care Inspector (lead) Beth Forster, Social Care Inspector Susan Garner, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: ForeverCare (North- East) Limited 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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