Cedar Hope Care Services Ltd

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Cedar Hope Care Services Ltd 1 Cedar Hope Care Services Ltd Registered provider: Cedar Hope Care Services Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

This service is owned and managed by a private provider. The provider can accommodate up to 13 children living in three shared or group-living homes that are not limited to accommodating looked-after children and care leavers.

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provider

At the time of this inspection, the service was providing support for eight children aged 16 and 17.

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provider

The service does not have a registered nominated individual or registered service manager. The service is currently being managed by the director. The director has appointed a new nominated individual and new registered service manager, who are in the process of applying to Ofsted to be registered.

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provider

Inspection dates: The inspection was announced on 19 May 2025 and started that day. The inspectors were on site from 21 to 22 May 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

Children build positive relationships with staff and see them as trusted adults. This helps them to develop their independence and confidence.

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Summary of findings

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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Summary of findings

Most children attend college and are making good progress with their studies. Staff support and encourage them to do so. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Cedar Hope Care Services Ltd 2 Equality, diversity and inclusion are integral to the whole service.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers have not effectively monitored and reviewed the support that children and staff receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children’s accommodation is not consistently well maintained, welcoming or homely. The quality of the furniture and furnishings across the homes is variable. Communal areas lack personalisation. Some parts of the accommodation require immediate maintenance work to be carried out. Leaders and managers took immediate action in response to the concerns raised, including removing trip hazards and repairing fire safety closures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children experience stability in their lives because they are supported by staff they know well. Children appreciate the support that they receive to develop practical skills, and as a result become more independent. All the children spoken to were positive about the staff’s support and guidance. This contributes to children’s sense of belonging and confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff can explain children’s needs well. However, leaders and manager have not ensured that children’s support plans, risk assessments and targets provide staff with all the information and strategies they require to consistently support children’s current and changing needs. This has the potential to impact on children’s progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children’s cultural and language needs are identified and well supported. For example, leaders and managers carefully consider children’s cultural backgrounds before agreeing if they are suitable to live in a group setting. This increases the likely success of these placements. Similarly, staff use a range of alternative methods to communicate with children whose first language is not English. This helps children to settle into their home and to understand the expectations of the service provider.

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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.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers have maintained effective links with local authorities, local authority designated officers and other safeguarding agencies. There is good communication about safeguarding concerns. Records of these concerns, including independent investigation reports, are well maintained. Reports detail the actions taken in response to concerns and how they contribute to keeping the children safe.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children rarely go missing or engage in high-risk activities. Leaders, managers and support staff work closely with specialist services, including the police, to develop individualised procedures for reporting children if they do go missing. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Cedar Hope Care Services Ltd 3 Leaders and managers adhere to safer recruitment processes. They complete well- conducted recruitment processes and checks for both international and local staff.

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How well children are helped and protected

When staff are unable to meet the diverse cultural needs of children, leaders and managers reach out to the wider community who can offer the specific cultural support. This ensures that children are supported safely by suitable role models.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Since registration, a new leadership team has been appointed. The new proposed nominated individual and proposed registered service manager are applying for registration. Since their appointment, children and support staff have benefited from a stable, experienced and child-focused management team who are visible and approachable.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Monitoring and reviewing systems are in place but are not effective. Weaknesses identified relate to management oversight and the reporting and recording systems. There were weaknesses in children’s daily records and the records of staff meetings and supervisions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The new leadership team is aware of the areas where the service must improve. They recognise that work is required to improve their oversight and monitoring of children’s records. This will help to demonstrate the progress that children make because of the child-centred approach that staff take.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff said that they are well supported by the new management team and they feel valued and listened to. Staff are provided with a broad range of online training opportunities that help them understand and respond to children’s changing needs. Despite this, a small number of staff have not embraced or prioritised these learning opportunities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

External professionals speak positively about the support children receive. They say that the support staff are skilled and resilient. One professional said, ‘We are particularly pleased with the provider’s commitment to promoting cultural awareness and diversity.’ Another professional said, ‘Young people in this placement have shown good progress in developing life skills, engaging with education and building more confidence in managing daily responsibilities.’ All professionals have commented positively about the leaders and managers’ excellent communication and their attendance at meetings. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Cedar Hope Care Services Ltd 4

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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;

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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)(e)(g))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that internal monitoring systems support managers to evaluate and continually develop the service.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that arrangements are in place for the supervision, training and development of staff. 11 July 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— 11 July 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Cedar Hope Care Services Ltd 5 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

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)(k))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the supported accommodation is a homely and welcoming environment and that systems are in place to ensure children are helped to maintain a clean, tidy and well-organised living space. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 29)  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)  The registered person should ensure staff are familiar with the supported accommodation provider’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording, in particular, when recording

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Recommendations

daily events, key-work sessions and interactions with children. (‘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: Cedar Hope Care Services Ltd 6

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Cedar Hope Care Services Ltd

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: Office 27, 4 th Floor, the Blade, Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BE

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Nominated individual:

Email address: office@cedarhopecare.co.uk

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Inspectors

Sharron Escott, Social Care Inspector Alphie Khumalo, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Cedar Hope Care Services Ltd 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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