TD Supported Living Services

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: TD Supported Living Services 1 TD Supported Living Services

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

This service is owned and operated by a private provider. It offers accommodation and support for up to 24 children living in self-contained units and shared accommodation for looked-after children and care leavers across 16 premises.

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provider

At the time of this visit, the service was accommodating eight children aged 16 and 17.

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provider

The service manager, who is also the nominated individual and the director, registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

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This monitoring visit

On 19 December 2024, Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit and identified significant regulatory breaches with regards to the safety and protection of children and the leadership and management of the service. Following the visit, a notice restricting accommodation, to prevent new admissions, was issued. In addition, four compliance notices were issued.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to monitor compliance with the notice restricting accommodation and to review progress in relation to one compliance notice relating to the premises.

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This monitoring visit

No children have been admitted since the notice restricting accommodation was served. However, the provider continues to accommodate several children whose needs are beyond the scope of supported accommodation.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has failed to make sufficient progress towards improving the standard of children’s accommodation. Although some improvement is noted, such as Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: TD Supported Living Services 2 replacing broken furniture and providing beds and mattresses for children who did not have these previously, some accommodation still has damaged kitchen units, missing toilet seats and broken electrical sockets. A redecoration programme has started but is not yet complete. As a result, children’s accommodation is still not homely, well maintained and safe.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has developed a system for monitoring fire safety matters and has addressed the concerns that were highlighted at the last visit relating to fire exits. However, this process has not yet been embedded across the organisation, and fire safety arrangements continue to present a potential risk to children. For example, staff using a key to lock a fire exit door because the thumb turn lock was broken. This would prevent children from safely leaving the building in the event of a fire.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has completed an audit of each premises and developed an action plan of remedial works. However, in completing this audit, the manager has failed to identify several issues of concern. These issues include sharp broken tiles in a kitchen and significant mould and damp in a cellar where the mains electrical systems are located. Neither the manager nor staff have recognised the health and safety risks to children.

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This monitoring visit

A maintenance worker has been appointed and a system is in place to enable staff to report maintenance concerns. However, this system has not yet been implemented effectively, and although concerns have been reported, these are not always addressed in a timely manner. For example, a damaged door was reported and removed from a child’s bedroom but was not replaced for several days. This left the child without a bedroom door, compromising the child’s rights to privacy.

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This monitoring visit

Cleanliness in children’s accommodation has improved. A programme of support has been developed for each child. Staff have helped children to clean their accommodation, which has gone some way to improving their living conditions. In addition, essential kitchen equipment, such as plates, cups and pans, is now being provided.

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This monitoring visit

Although some progress has been made, Ofsted reissued the compliance notice following this visit. This will be kept under review along with the three other compliance notices. The notice restricting accommodation, to prevent new admissions, remains in place. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: TD Supported Living Services 3

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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

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(1);

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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 each child is fully aware of their entitlements throughout the duration of their placement in supported accommodation, including—

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Requirement Due date

what they can expect from the provision of supported accommodation, 16 February 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: TD Supported Living Services 4 ensure that staff have the skills necessary to support children to identify, access and receive their entitlements in a way that helps them to learn to identify, access and receive their entitlements independently in the future. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(b)(c)(e)(f)(g)(h)(i))

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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

ensure that the effectiveness of child protection policies is kept under review and ensure that, where appropriate, those policies are revised;

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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

understand the relevant roles and responsibilities assigned to them by the registered person in relation to protecting children. (Regulation 5 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(c)(f)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)) 16 February 2025

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Requirement Due date

*The accommodation standard is that children experience a comfortable and secure living environment. 7 March 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: TD Supported Living Services 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used as supported accommodation—

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Requirement Due date

provide stability and consistency of accommodation for children;

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Requirement Due date

are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child individually and all children collectively;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

are adequately maintained so as to provide a welcoming and homely environment within both individual and shared living spaces;

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Requirement Due date

are designed, furnished and maintained to remove avoidable hazards which could pose a health and safety risk to children;

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Requirement Due date

comply with all relevant statutory provisions dealing with health and safety or fire safety matters;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each child is provided with basic items such as bedding, towels, personal hygiene products and kitchen equipment, where the child does not have access to such items. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(b)(i)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(e))

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Requirement Due date

*The registered provider and the registered service manager must, having regard to—

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Requirement Due date

the category or categories of supported accommodation provided by the supported accommodation undertaking concerned, carry on or manage that undertaking with sufficient care, competence and skill. (Regulation 13 (1)(e)) 16 February 2025

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— 16 February 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: TD Supported Living Services 6 the individual has the experience, qualifications and skills appropriate for the work that the individual is to perform,

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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)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) in relation to each child accommodated by the supported accommodation undertaking which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 2,

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 16 February 2025

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a notification made under this regulation— 16 February 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: TD Supported Living Services 7 includes details of—

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Requirement Due date

any other individuals or organisations who or which have been notified;

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

is made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 27 (3)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)(f) (4)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: TD Supported Living Services 8

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: Victory House, 400 Pavillion Drive, Northampton Business Park, Northampton NN47PA

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Tonderai Dhliwayo

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Inspector

Beth Forster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: TD Supported Living Services 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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