Liberty ILS ltd

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 can accommodate up to three children in self-contained units where the accommodation is for the sole use of the child.

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provider

At the time of this monitoring visit, this service was providing supported accommodation for three children aged 16 and 17 years old.

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provider

The service manager registered with Ofsted in February 2024.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted carried out a full inspection from 10 to 14 February 2025. The inspector found serious and widespread weaknesses leading to significant concerns about children’s experiences and progress. Following that inspection, Ofsted issued three compliance notices, regarding the safety and protection of children, the leadership and management of the service and the notification of serious events. In addition, Ofsted issued a notice restricting accommodation.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to consider the progress made against the compliance notices and to ensure that leaders and managers have adhered to the notice restricting accommodation. The inspectors spoke with leaders and managers, staff, children and external professionals, and reviewed documents and records.

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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 one child whose needs are beyond the scope of supported accommodation.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have failed to review the admissions policy and the statement of purpose. These documents continue to confirm that children whose needs are complex and exceed the scope of supported accommodation can be admitted to the service. Additionally, the pre-entry admissions assessment places emphasis on children assuring leaders and managers that they are ready to live in supported accommodation. This policy does not describe if or how the registered service manager will assess if the service can meet children’s individual needs or keep them safe. As a result, Ofsted is not assured that leaders and managers will only admit children whose needs are within the scope of The Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 if the notice restricting accommodation is lifted.

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This monitoring visit

The registered service manager has sourced a range of training courses to help staff to understand the needs of children and how to keep them safe. These include safeguarding children, child criminal and sexual exploitation and adverse childhood experiences. However, not all staff have completed this training. This leads to inconsistent practice and support for children and means that some staff do not have sufficient skills or knowledge to keep children safe or meet their individual needs.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has developed a new system for recording risks to children. These safety plans now reflect known risks to children. These documents describe strategies for staff to use to ensure that risks to children are managed. Additionally, twice weekly team discussions give staff and managers an opportunity to discuss any emerging risks that impact on children’s safety.

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This monitoring visit

When serious incidents occur, leaders and managers now share this information with Ofsted in a timely manner. As a result, Ofsted can monitor the safety of children and the effectiveness of the provider’s response to serious incidents when children are at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Although some progress has been made, Ofsted has reissued the compliance notices regarding the protection of children and the leadership and management of the service. The notice restricting accommodation remains in place.

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This monitoring visit

The requirement raised at the full inspection relating to the support standard and the recommendation relating to formal supervision for managers and staff were not fully reviewed at this monitoring visit and are repeated.

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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

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. (Regulation 5 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(f)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff receive training that enables them to understand child exploitation and have the skills to take sufficient action to reduce these risks for children. 2 May 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— 2 May 2025 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;

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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. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(f)(g))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure the service is operated in line with the statement of purpose and only admit children who are ready to gain further skills in preparation for adult living. They must ensure they implement training to ensure that staff understand the needs of children.

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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;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

in the event that the registered person or a member of staff considers that an accommodating authority or a relevant 21 March 2025 person is failing to provide the support set out in a child’s relevant plans, make representations, or, as the case may be, enable staff to make representations, to the accommodating authority or relevant person with a view to ensuring that the child’s needs are met;

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Requirement Due date

ensure a plan for support is in place to support the child to develop the resilience and skills required to transition out of supported accommodation when the child is ready to live more independently. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(b)(c)(f)(h)(k))

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the registered service manager, receive supervision of their practice from a suitably skilled and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children accommodated in the setting. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 51)

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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.

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: Arms Evertyne House, Quay Road, Blyth NE24 2AS

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Darrell Lewis

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Inspector

Beth Forster, Social Care Inspector 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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