Elysian Field Limited

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Elysian Field Limited 1 Elysian Field Limited Registered provider: Elysian Field Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

This supported accommodation service is operated by a private provider in the West Midlands. They can accommodate up to 42 individuals in two single-occupancy premises, eight shared or group-living premises that are limited to accommodating looked-after children or care leavers and four shared or group-living premises that are not limited to accommodating looked-after children or care leavers. At the time of the inspection, 18 looked-after children aged 16 or 17 were being accommodated.

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provider

The service does not have a registered manager. The previous registered manager left the service in November 2024. The service is managed by an interim manager who intends to apply to Ofsted to be registered.

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provider

The service was registered on 27 February 2024.

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provider

Inspection dates: The inspection was announced on 10 February 2025 and started that day. The inspector was on site from 12 to 14 February 2025.

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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

Staff know the children well and are ambitious for them.

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Summary of findings

Children’s plans are comprehensive and respond to their changing needs. However, at times, leaders and managers try to remove risks from children rather than supporting them to learn how to manage them. This practice does not help children prepare for independent living. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Elysian Field Limited 2 Leaders and managers do not always protect children well. They sometimes fail to notify local authority safeguarding agencies following incidents. They also use systems that unnecessarily affect children’s privacy.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers do not notify Ofsted of all serious events that relate to children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children living in this supported accommodation are making progress. Staff teach children independent living skills in planned support sessions. For example, a staff member and a child watched a video on online safety together and this helped the child to better understand online harms. Leaders and managers review both the quality and frequency of this support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children’s plans are comprehensive and up to date. They enable children and staff to identify goals, and the progress made towards them. Staff produce bespoke plans to meet children’s needs. For example, staff developed a specific risk assessment for a pregnant child. They have helped the child to identify items she may need to buy and to understand welfare benefits. This has helped the child prepare for parenthood well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff support children to establish links with cultural and religious communities. This helps children to develop a sense of belonging in their new surroundings. Some children speak English as an additional language. Staff use a range of resources to help children understand information and communicate effectively. They arrange interpreters if required. However, children would benefit from having the children’s guide printed in different languages.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff support children to register with dentists, doctors and other health services. They support children to attend health appointments. As a result, children’s health needs are being met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Most children attend college and are making good progress with their studies. Staff support and encourage them to do so.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff visit each home late every night. They enter the home and knock on each child’s bedroom door. If children do not reply, staff enter the room, often when children are asleep. This affects children’s privacy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children do not always move on from the service in a planned and well-managed way. One child was told by staff that they would be moving out of their accommodation the following day. The child was not told where they would be moving to. This means that children are not always well prepared or equipped for the next stage of their lives. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Elysian Field Limited 3

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How well children are helped and protected

Children said that they feel safe and receive good support. They know how to seek help from a trusted adult outside of their support sessions.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children’s accommodation is well maintained and provides them with a secure environment. Children said that they understand their rights and know how to make a complaint.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children take part in key-work sessions with staff. This helps them to learn how to identify and manage risks. Sessions include subjects such as radicalisation, smoking and vaping, online safety, fire safety and grooming. However, staff do not consistently help children to reduce their vulnerabilities. For example, staff in one shared home stay awake overnight. This does not help children prepare for the responsibilities of independent living.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff take prompt action to protect children when they go missing from home. There is a well-coordinated response to reduce the risk of harm. This includes notifying the police and the child’s placing authority. Staff meet with children when they return, to discuss why they went missing from home. Children are offered return interviews by an independent service. As a result, children feel cared for and welcomed back to the home.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers understand children’s behaviour. They use their skills and knowledge to de-escalate incidents and prevent the need for any use of physical restraint. Staff say they receive a wide range of safeguarding training to learn how to protect children.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers do not always share child protection information with relevant agencies. This includes allegations of staff misconduct. The failure to respond to significant concerns affects children’s safety and well-being. Leaders and managers have recognised this failing and staff have now completed relevant training.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers do not always keep children’s personal information safe. For example, information is sometimes shared unnecessarily with third parties.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The provider has not taken effective action to ensure that there is a registered service manager in post. The provider also failed to clarify how their interim arrangements would maintain effective management oversight of the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers do not consistently comply with the conditions of their registration. They do not notify Ofsted of all the premises in which they accommodate children. They also do not notify Ofsted of all serious events that relate to children. This prevents Ofsted having oversight of the service. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Elysian Field Limited 4 Leaders and managers do not have sufficient oversight of operational practice. They were unaware that staff entered children’s bedrooms at night to check on their welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers do not record and review all incidents effectively. For example, an incident which involved a pregnant child was not well recorded. Leaders and managers do not take all opportunities to use learning to inform practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers seek children’s views about the quality of the support they receive. However, they do not always tell children what action they have taken in response. In addition, staff do not keep records of children’s house meetings. This limits the effectiveness of these meetings and is a missed opportunity to record children’s wishes and feelings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers understand the plans for the children. They monitor children’s progress and use visual tools to do so. Children can see the progress that they have made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers ensure that staff receive regular and effective supervision. Supervision is focused on children’s experiences, needs and plans. Staff say they find supervision positive, child focused and supportive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Agencies involved in children’s lives are positive about the support that children receive from the service. They recognise how children benefit from the support and encouragement that staff provide. One social worker said, ‘They are genuinely good at trauma-informed practice.’ Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Elysian Field Limited 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 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

work collaboratively with other professionals and agencies, and share information where relevant to keep children safe. (Regulation 5 (1) (2)(a)(f)(i)(iv)) 28 March 2025

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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. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(a)) 28 March 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Elysian Field Limited 6 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

ensure that the premises used as supported accommodation—

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Requirement Due date

offer a comfortable, positive and nurturing environment, while respecting children’s need for privacy. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(b)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff do not unnecessarily enter children’s bedrooms, affecting their privacy. 28 March 2025

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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 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. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(a)) 28 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint an individual to manage the supported accommodation undertaking if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered service manager in respect of the undertaking, and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the supported accommodation undertaking. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)) 28 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify the CIECSS and any relevant person without delay if— 28 March 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Elysian Field Limited 7 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. (Regulation 27 (3)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must give notice in writing to the CIECSS, as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, if any of the following events take place or are expected by the registered person to take place—

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Requirement Due date

the premises of the supported accommodation undertaking are significantly altered or extended, or additional premises are acquired for use as supported accommodation.

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Requirement Due date

If premises are no longer used, or intended to be available for use, as supported accommodation by the supported accommodation undertaking, the registered person must give notice in writing to the CIECSS no later than 10 working days after the registered person becomes aware of the decision to cease use of the premises.

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Requirement Due date

Where additional premises are acquired, commissioned or arranged, or the supported accommodation undertaking intends to acquire, commission or arrange additional premises, and the supported accommodation undertaking intends to provide supported accommodation at those premises, the registered person must give notice in writing to 28 March 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Elysian Field Limited 8 the CIECSS as soon as it is reasonably practicable to do so, of the following—

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Requirement Due date

the characteristics of the children for whom it is intended the supported accommodation undertaking will provide accommodation at the premises, including the age range, number and sex of the children;

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Requirement Due date

the category or categories of supported accommodation to be provided at the premises.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must give notice in writing to the CIECSS within 72 hours of the supported accommodation undertaking—

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Requirement Due date

accommodating a child for the first time in any premises which were not referred to in the registered person’s application for registration;

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Requirement Due date

accommodating a child in premises for the first time after the premises are brought back into use, after the undertaking temporarily ceased to use the premises as supported accommodation. (Regulation 34 (1)(g) (2) (3)(a)(b)(c) (4)(a)(b))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff are familiar with information- sharing requirements relating to the children that they care for and act in accordance with these arrangements. They must ensure that children’s information is not shared inappropriately. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 58)

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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: Elysian Field Limited 9

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Elysian Field Limited

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: 4 Bloors Lane, Rainham, Kent ME8 7EG

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Supported accommodation provider details

Email address: hello@elysian-field.co.uk

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Inspector

Steve James, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Elysian Field Limited 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 looked after children looked-after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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