AMJ Support Services LTD

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: AMJ Support Services LTD 1 AMJ Support Services LTD Registered provider: AMJ Support Services LTD

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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.

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provider

The service can accommodate up to eight children and young people in self- contained accommodation for the sole purpose of that child. At the time of this inspection, this service was providing supported accommodation for eight children.

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provider

The service manager has been registered with Ofsted since the provider was registered in May 2024.

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provider

Inspection dates: The inspection was announced on 16 June 2025 and started that day. The inspectors were on site from 18 to 19 June 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 in approximately 18 months.

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Summary of findings

Staff are skilled in supporting children to progress with their independence in preparation for adult life. Staff form positive relationships with children and become role models. However, the quality of the experiences and progress children make is variable.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers accept some referrals for children who are not ready for supported accommodation. As a result, safety plans are ineffective in helping keeping children safe. These children require high levels of care and supervision over a sustained period. This is not in keeping with the provider’s statement of purpose and the ethos of supported accommodation. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: AMJ Support Services LTD 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children enjoy living in the accommodation, which has a welcoming and homely feel. The provider has decorated and furnished the accommodation to a good standard. Staff support children to clean their home, but staff have responsibility for any maintenance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff undertake ‘soft searches’ of children’s bedrooms due to safeguarding concerns. Children are not aware of the arrangements for staff entering their bedrooms to check on their safety.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff speak to children with warmth and affection. They genuinely care about the children they support. This helps build children’s confidence and self-worth. One social worker said, ‘Staff put time into building a positive relationship with [name of child] and support their mental health.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff spend time with children to help them develop their practical life skills. They do tasks together such as cooking, cleaning and doing the laundry. Staff record activities in a diary, and children track their own progress towards independent living. It also helps develop a supportive relationship between staff and children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children know how to make a complaint and access advocacy services. Staff use the welcome guide to inform children of their rights and entitlements. Children speak to staff if they are worried about anything and feel reassured that they are listened to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff support children to register and make appointments with doctors and dentists. Staff have links with mental health professionals from the statutory and voluntary sector. Children’s emotional and physical health is a priority.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff encourage children to access education, employment and training opportunities. Staff offer help with career advice and job and college applications. Some children do not feel able to be present in the learning sessions, and this limits their progress.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff record serious incidents that involve children and update children’s risk assessments accordingly. Children’s plans contain their known vulnerabilities, with clear strategies for staff to follow. However, some children are not ready for supported accommodation and their plans are ineffective as their needs cannot be met.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff follow an appropriate procedure for dealing with allegations. When concerns arise, they liaise with the local authority designated officer and other agencies to ensure that children are safeguarded while the concern is being investigated. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: AMJ Support Services LTD 3 Staff communicate with police and social workers when children go missing from home. Staff check on children’s well-being by phone and contact their friends, family and acquaintances. On children’s return, they are offered support with their emotional well-being. Leaders and managers are alert to any repeated missing-from- home episodes so risks can be identified and support provided.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff are trained to support children when there are risks in the community. When risk of harm becomes apparent, such as drug misuse and risk of exploitation, prompt action is taken to identify suitable training for the staff. The provider has good links with harm reduction agencies and complex safeguarding teams, which supports a multi-agency response. Managers also support children and staff to reflect on challenging incidents. This helps staff to reduce children’s vulnerabilities.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers have a safer recruitment policy and maintain staff records. This demonstrates that due diligence is carried out to recruit staff who can offer safe support to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered service manager has many years’ experience working with children and young people. Similarly, the nominated individual is a confident and competent social care leader. They both know the children well and are child centred in their approach. Leaders and managers are receptive to suggestions for improvements and service development. This ensures that children are likely to receive the best outcomes in the future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers do not obtain all the relevant information about children before accepting them into the service. The registered manager has a well- intentioned approach to provide homes for children. They request further information from local authorities following referrals, but this rarely alters decision- making. Some children move into the accommodation with a high level of need, and they are unlikely to reach independence in supported accommodation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers do not effectively advocate for a change in plan when children’s needs escalate beyond the scope of supported accommodation. Children remain in placement with unmet care needs and a high level of supervision. As a result, children are at an increased risk of harm when seeking independence. One child was moved between three different premises within the service before it was decided her needs could not be met. This led to feelings of instability and rejection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Managers recruit staff with significant knowledge and experience of working with children. Staff bring much needed confidence to their role. There is an induction plan and mandatory training that is relevant to supporting children’s needs. Leaders and managers have a plan to retain and develop the staff team. Staff are offered professional development and help to acquire relevant vocational qualifications. One staff member said, ‘Support is the best thing the company offers me.’ Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: AMJ Support Services LTD 4 Staff have regular supervision with a member of the management team. Supervision is confidential and is regarded as a safe space to give feedback about the service. Staff and managers consider the difficulties of lone working. This offers an opportunity to reflect on practice with children. Staff value supervision, and they find they can freely discuss any concerns. Monthly house meetings and whole-team

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

meetings provide opportunities for further discussions of children’s support needs. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: AMJ Support Services 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 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 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. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(a)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must only accept children at the point of referral who are suitable for supported accommodation. 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

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, 18 July 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: AMJ Support Services LTD 6 enable staff to make representations, to the accommodating authority or relevant person with a view to ensuring that the child’s needs are met. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(h))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children are informed that their bedroom will be searched when staff believe that there is a risk to the child or a health and safety concern. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 30) Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: AMJ Support Services LTD 7

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: AMJ Support Services LTD

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: 300 St. Marys Road, Garston, Liverpool L19 0NQ

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Supported accommodation provider details

Email address: mark.downey@amjsupportservices.co.uk

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Inspectors

Sue Garner, Social Care Inspector Amanda Cooper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: AMJ Support Services LTD 8 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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