Essential Living Care Ltd

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Essential Living Care Ltd 1 Essential Living Care Ltd Registered provider: Essential Living Care Ltd

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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. It provides up to two group living premises that are limited to looked-after children and care leavers. The service can accommodate up to 10 children. Children receive daily support, including access to staff members 24 hours a day, seven days a week and with out-of-hours support.

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provider

At the time of the inspection, one 18-year-old was being accommodated. No children aged 16 and 17 years old were living at the accommodation.

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provider

A monitoring visit was carried out at the service on 13 February 2025. The visit focused on the effectiveness of leaders and managers in managing and sharing information on significant events with all safeguarding agencies and Ofsted. The two requirements raised at the visit were reviewed during this inspection.

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provider

The registered service manager, who is also the nominated individual and a director, registered with Ofsted in March 2024.

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provider

Inspection dates: The inspection was announced on 12 May 2025, and the inspectors were on site from 14 May 2025 to 15 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.

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Summary of findings

Most children are happy with the quality of support that they receive. Young adults who have left the home confirm that they enjoy positive relationships with the registered service manager and staff, and they have felt listened to and valued and remain in touch with the service. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Essential Living Care Ltd 2 Children like their accommodation, and they can personalise their rooms. However, some maintenance issues around the accommodation have not been identified or quickly addressed.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers work collaboratively with other professionals and agencies to safeguard children, particularly when they have gone missing.

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Summary of findings

There is some weakness in the monitoring and auditing of the service because the systems are not yet fully embedded.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children are helped to settle into their new home and location, which for some has been at very short notice. The standard of the accommodation provides children with a homely and welcoming place to live. However, some maintenance issues have gone undetected or have not been resolved in a timely manner. This detracts from the homely environment that the management and staff have worked hard to achieve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

There is a consistent staff team, and this means that most children say they have trusting relationships with staff. One young adult who used to live at the accommodation said that staff treated them ‘like a human being’. Some of the young adults remain in touch with the manager and some staff, which is a positive reflection of their experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children are supported to achieve qualifications to improve their employment opportunities. When this is not successful, children are encouraged to complete online learning, such as English and mathematics before the college term starts. Although children are supported to access healthcare services, not all children have been offered access to emotional health services in response to any past and recent traumas that they have experienced, which could be an unmet need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children’s interests are explored with them. They take part in leisure activities based at the accommodation. They also have opportunities to engage in practical activities, such as getting on the bus for the first time, joining the cadets, going to a music concert and visiting new and interesting places. The manager and staff listen to children, and they are granted a wish to make positive memories, which has included a visit to Paris. Listening to children has also resulted in the development of a sensory ‘chill out’ area at the accommodation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children’s cultural and religious needs are supported. They are encouraged to maintain contact with their family and friends, which promotes their sense of identity and belonging. Insufficient efforts have been made by leaders and managers to explore independent services to help individuals with unaccompanied asylum-seeking status to seek assurances, if appropriate, about the safety of family members in their home country. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Essential Living Care Ltd 3 Children know how to make a complaint, and they have access to advocacy support. Children who are reaching the age of 18 do not always have formal transition plans. Children are not always clear about their moving-on plan when they leave this service. Leaders and managers do not raise this as a concern with the local authority. Some children’s unplanned endings have raised questions about the suitability of some placements offered to children.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children feel safe in their accommodation. One young adult who lived at the home previously said, ‘I had no worries when living there; I felt safe.’ Professionals, including the local authority designated officer, raised no concerns about the safeguarding practices at the service.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff receive safeguarding training, which helps them to identify and report any signs of abuse towards children. Staff understand most of the risks that may affect children’s well-being. They work with children to help them understand how to keep themselves safe. Not all the risk assessments are up to date to ensure that staff have the current guidance. The effectiveness of the risk assessments has not been evaluated to determine whether the risks have increased, reduced or can be removed.

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How well children are helped and protected

There is a well-coordinated response between the staff team and other safeguarding agencies in response to children’s risk-taking behaviours. This is particularly notable when the risks have increased and children have gone missing. Staff follow the missing-from-care protocol, and they attend and contribute to strategy meetings so that everyone is working together. However, leaders and managers do not monitor if children are offered return home interviews. This is mitigated by their attendance at strategy meetings and professionals confirming that the interviews have been completed.

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How well children are helped and protected

Checks on fire and health and safety practices help to keep everyone safe. Incidents are managed and monitored effectively. Any new learning following incidents is used to inform practice. Serious incidents have been reported to Ofsted as required since the monitoring visit. This improvement enables Ofsted to monitor the action taken by the provider to protect children.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff are trained in behaviour management, which helps them to defuse children’s challenging and escalating behaviours. This has resulted in very low incidents of restraint since registration. Police intervention has been used only when necessary. This helps to avoid criminalising children.

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How well children are helped and protected

The staff recruitment practices help to minimise children’s access to unsuitable adults. However, maintaining the interview notes with the recruitment information is not common practice, which does not provide a clear audit trail and management oversight to show how staff appointments are determined. Leaders and managers have noted this for action. Poor staff performance leading to complaints has led to appropriate disciplinary action against staff. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Essential Living Care Ltd 4

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

There is some weakness in the monitoring and auditing of the service because the systems are not yet fully embedded. The registered service manager’s failure to take full accountability by not signing off documents and some reliance on members of the management team for information slows down their capacity to identify, monitor and make the required improvements quickly. Furthermore, although the quality of support review was submitted as required after the monitoring visit, it does not meet the regulations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The provider has not submitted an up-to-date and accurate statement of purpose to Ofsted. Medication management information is not included in the document, and an incorrect category of registration is included. The arrangements for the locks on some internal doors and the reason for installing a front door alarm lack transparency because they are not included in the statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have not routinely recorded the decision-making around accepting planned and emergency placements. This is a missed opportunity to reflect on the suitability of children’s placements. The practice of locking away sharp knives for an unidentified length of time without a current risk is not proportionate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Some information about children is not readily available or decisive. For example, one child’s ethnic origin is not recorded accurately. The admission and discharge information does not inform of the addresses where the child has moved from and has been discharged to. The provider has not routinely requested the minutes following strategy meetings and independent reviews. Although the notes taken from these meetings by staff is good practice, not all the notes provide the full name and position of all attendees for future reference.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered service manager is well regarded by the staff and some children who are now living adult lives. They credit the registered service manager for their unwavering support and for providing them with memorable experiences. Positive feedback from professionals about the quality of communication and involvement of the service reflects their satisfaction with the provider.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff feel supported by management. They benefit from regular supervision, which helps them to carry out their role. However, the registered service manager’s own supervisions have not taken place regularly since the service was registered. Generally, the supervision notes do not provide specific updates about the children. There is no accurate reflection about the support provided during significant incidents that were taking place at the time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff training and regular team meetings support staff in their role. Handovers keep staff informed about the children’s progress and any key information. However, on at least one occasion, information has been missed, which caused a child some distress. Leaders and managers accept that service improvements are required so that children have consistently positive outcomes and experiences. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Essential Living Care Ltd 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 registered provider and the registered service manager must, having regard to—

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Requirement Due date

the number of premises used as supported accommodation by,

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Requirement Due date

the number of children accommodated in the premises used as supported accommodation by,

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Requirement Due date

the geographical scope of the premises used as supported accommodation by,

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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)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must improve the management monitoring and review systems to ensure that the service is operated effectively. This includes improving the quality and consistency of all records, to promote consistent practice and improve the quality of all records identified and service delivery. 18 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain a system for monitoring and improving the quality of support provided by the supported accommodation undertaking by completing a review (“a quality of support review”) at least once every six months, which must take into account—

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Requirement Due date

the views of children, including any feedback and complaints received; 30 September Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Essential Living Care Ltd 6 feedback from individual children on the impact the supported accommodation has had on the child’s life, especially regarding how well prepared the child felt for transition into supported accommodation and how well prepared the child feels for transition out of supported accommodation;

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Requirement Due date

feedback from each child’s accommodating authority, staff and any relevant persons;

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Requirement Due date

any relevant research and developments in relation to the way in which the needs of children are best met. (Regulation 32 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The accommodation standard is that children experience a comfortable and secure living environment.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used as supported accommodation—

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Requirement Due date

are suitable for the purposes of supported accommodation and are accessible, safe, secure and well-maintained. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that any maintenance issues raised by children are quickly acted on. 18 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—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that processes are in place to enable children to access support from other organisations and community services, such that they are encouraged and enabled to access a range of services, including those offered by advocacy organisations and training providers;

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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 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; 18 July 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Essential Living Care Ltd 7 ensure that children are supported to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(g)(h)(n))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children have access to emotional health services to help them with past and current trauma, and organisations specialising in asylum matters to help children who have families outside of the UK. In addition, ensure that requests are made for key documents, such as strategy meeting and review minutes from placing authorities, specifically to ensure that they have a full record of attendees.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep records of other information relating to the supported accommodation undertaking set out in Schedule 3.

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Requirement Due date

maintain the records in Schedule 3, which may be kept in electronic form;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date.

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Requirement Due date

A record in the form of a register showing in respect of each child—

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Requirement Due date

the date of the child’s admission to the premises used as supported accommodation,

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the child ceased to be accommodated in the premises,

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Requirement Due date

the child’s address immediately before being accommodated in the premises,

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Requirement Due date

the child’s address on leaving the premises,

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Requirement Due date

the child’s accommodating authority, and

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Requirement Due date

the statutory provision under which the child is accommodated. (Regulation 25 (1) (2)(a)(b)) (Schedule 3 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)) 18 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— 18 July 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Essential Living Care Ltd 8 keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it, and

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Requirement Due date

notify the CIECSS of any revisions and send the CIECSS a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 9 (3)(a)(b))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff take reasonable precautions and make informed professional judgements based on children’s individual needs, circumstances and level of autonomy when identifying a particular risk or following a particular course of action. In particular, staff should ensure that children’s risk assessment documents are up to date and monitor the effectiveness of the measure in line with their own documentation. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 21)  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 young people accommodated in the setting. In particular, the registered service manager’s supervision should take place

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Recommendations

regularly, and the supervision notes should provide specific updates about the children and the support provided to the management and staff during significant incidents. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 51)  The registered person should ensure that staff engage with other professionals, including the accommodating authority, to make sure the agreed plan for progression is followed, ensuring the young person is supported for leaving the care system. Joint planning should start early and should involve the young person throughout so that transitions are managed effectively and according to the young person’s development needs. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 41)  The registered person should ensure that when making decisions about a child’s placement, that they, and the accommodating authority, have regard to the

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Recommendations

Equality Act 2010. In particular, the registered person should ensure that children’s ethnic origin is made explicit in their plans to promote their identity. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 17)  The registered person should ensure that staff work closely with the accommodating authority to review the ongoing suitability of the placement or arrangement and assess the evolving circumstances of the young person to ensure the service continues to provide them with high-quality support that meets their needs and keeps them safe. In particular, review the practice of locking Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Essential Living Care Ltd 9 away sharp knives in the office if no current risks exist. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 35)

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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: Essential Living Care Ltd 10

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Essential Living Care Ltd

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: 6th Floor Amp House, Dingwall Road, Croyden CR0 2LX

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Kevin Jongou

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Supported accommodation provider details

Email address: info@essentiallivingcare.co.uk

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Inspectors

Jacqueline Malcolm, Social Care Inspector Phyllis Dyer, Social Care Inspector (Shadow) Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Essential Living Care Ltd 11 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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