Simple Settings

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Simple Settings 1 Simple Settings Registered provider: Simple Settings Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

This supported accommodation provider was registered on 1 October 2023, initially with one group-living home for up to four children. The provider was new to the sector.

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provider

The new service manager registered with Ofsted on 8 February 2025.

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provider

The provider can accommodate up to 30 children across six group-living homes. Two of these homes are used to accommodate only looked-after children or care leavers.

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provider

At the time of the inspection, 17 children aged 16 and 17 were living in the provider’s shared ring fenced and non-ring-fenced supported accommodation, including seven unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

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provider

Inspection dates: The inspection began on 10 February 2025 when we announced the inspection. The inspector was on site from 12 to 14 February 2025.

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Outcome

Consistently strong service delivery leads to typically positive experiences and progress for children. Where improvements are needed, leaders and managers take timely and effective action. The next inspection will be within approximately three years.

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Summary of findings

Children shape the service that they receive. They have positive experiences and make progress across many areas of their lives. They develop life skills and look forward to their futures.

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Summary of findings

Positive relationships between staff and children underpin effective safeguarding. The nurturing environment and staff’s collaboration with other professionals leads to an increase in children’s safety. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Simple Settings 2 Leaders and managers take swift action when weaknesses come to light and ensure that the service continues to improve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

All seven children spoken to had only positive things to say about their experiences of support. They talked warmly of the staff. All children said that there was nothing more that the staff could do to support them better.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff establish positive relationships with all children. They relate to children with patience, sensitivity and empathy. This approach builds trusting relationships and enables children to talk more about their experiences. Two children talked about mutual respect being one of the things that they like about the way the staff treat the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

The children say they feel listened to. There are numerous examples of how children’s views and wishes have changed the service. For example, children have fridges in their bedrooms, the communal bathrooms are better for sharing and QR codes on display at the premises to make it easier for them to instantly make suggestions or complaints.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

When considering the support needs of unaccompanied asylum seekers, staff are acutely aware of the emotional and practical impact of unresolved immigration matters. Staff reassure children and ensure they access the appropriate legal support. They also ensure children access health services and help them to make informed choices about their well-being. For example, staff use interpreters to explain issues and encourage those children who are worried about being vaccinated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff typically work well with children from a variety of religious and ethnic backgrounds. They ensure that children have information about the local places of worship and can practise their religion if they choose to do so. Children enjoyed a recent culture day to celebrate Caribbean ethnicity. However, staff are not curious enough to explore how they can better support the identity of children with dual or multi-heritage backgrounds.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children are in education or training or are actively seeking work. Staff support children by sending them reminders on their phones, advocating for them in education meetings, connecting them with potential employers and liaising with community projects to support unaccompanied asylum seekers to integrate.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children have fun and enjoy having hobbies, such as playing football, kickboxing, drawing, making music, dancing and fashion. Taking part in these activities helps children to develop social skills and friendships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff encourage children to think positively about their futures. Staff use a structured independence programme to support children to develop their life skills in areas such as budgeting, cooking and cleaning. Children understand the next steps they Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Simple Settings 3 need to take on their journey to being fully independent. They talk realistically about their readiness for adulthood and look forward to it.

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How well children are helped and protected

All children say they feel safe. They are confident that they can recognise risks and know how to keep themselves safe online and in the community. The children appreciate staff checking in on them and understand the reasons for it. Each child said that if they are worried about anything they are comfortable to speak to staff about the issue.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff have created a positive and nurturing environment for children. Children receive emotional support that helps them to build self-esteem and feel more secure. One child said that she was glad to be, ‘where it is so calm.’

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How well children are helped and protected

The rules and expectations are clear. The staff and social workers work jointly to decisively address any issues that arise, while offering increased support. Children do not smoke, vape or misuse substances in their homes and there are signs that the children are reducing these behaviours when they are out.

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How well children are helped and protected

Positive relationships and the staff’s proactive approach to communication and safeguarding mean that there have been very few serious incidents. The frequency of children going missing and the risks of exploitation are reducing over time. The exploitation lead for the host local authority works closely with the staff to ensure that there is an effective multi-agency response to safeguard children who may be at risk. The local police provide training to the staff team and staff ensure there is a grab pack for each child if needed.

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How well children are helped and protected

Appropriate health and safety arrangements ensure that the physical environment is well maintained and kept safe.

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How well children are helped and protected

The leaders and managers ensure that most required and relevant pre-employment checks are completed before staff start to work with children. However, overseas checks are not carried out. Making recruitment decisions without full information carries the risk of employing people who are not suitable for their roles. During the inspection, the leaders and managers immediately began to take action to rectify this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Oversight by the registered service manager and the leadership team is effective. Regular management meetings and daily team briefings ensure that managers and staff have up-to-date knowledge about the children. The leaders and managers use information from a continual flow of planning, reviewing and reflecting to improve the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The team has a shared vision for the service and staff are united in ensuring that children receive individualised support. Staff are also supportive of each other. They Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Simple Settings 4 work flexibly together to ensure that tasks are always completed in a timely manner. For example, one staff member said, ‘Everyone is more than happy to help each other out, ensuring deadlines are always met.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The leaders and managers invest in their staff and are keen to establish a learning culture. The managers continually upskill the staff and offer face-to-face and online training to meet the specific support needs of children. For example, staff who work with transgender children complete relevant training to help them to be more aware and raise understanding of gender diverse experiences. The staff induction programme is comprehensive and includes training on a wide range of safeguarding topics. All staff who have completed their induction are automatically enrolled on a course leading to a relevant qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff speak highly of their managers and the support that they receive. Monthly supervision meetings provide safe spaces for reflecting on practice and reviewing children’s progress. Staff’s personal well-being and professional development are also always part of the discussion.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Social workers receive weekly reports on their children’s progress. The leaders and managers are aware that the quality of record-keeping is an area for improvement and in October 2024 introduced a new recording system. The children’s written records do not always reflect practice. For example, the voice of the child is not included in the written support plans or summaries of the conversations with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The leaders and managers are committed to providing a service in line with the provider’s statement of purpose and the conditions of registration. They have a thorough admissions procedure, based on careful matching. They understand the difference between care and support. They advocate for children to be appropriately placed and to receive the level of support that they need to prepare them for adult life. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Simple Settings 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

implement recruitment practices that ensure staff are suitable to work with children and to keep them safe from harm. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, this relates to obtaining overseas checks for staff for whom this is relevant. 1 April 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff provide more nuanced support to children with dual and multi-ethnic heritage in their development of a sense of self and identity. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 39)  The registered person should ensure that staff record-keeping better reflects the child’s voice, in particular in support plans. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 47)

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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: Simple Settings 6

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Simple Settings Ltd

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: Flat 405, Oxford House, 2 Dean Path, Dagenham RM8 2FA

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Rowshanara Haque

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Supported accommodation provider details

Email address: enquiries@simplesettings.co.uk

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Inspector

Seka Graovac, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Simple Settings 7 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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