EpicUK Ltd

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: EpicUK Ltd 1 EpicUK Ltd Registered provider: EpicUK 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 two children living in one shared living service in premises used to accommodate only looked-after children or care leavers.

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provider

At the time of this inspection, the service was providing support for one child aged 17.

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provider

The service has a registered service manager and nominated individual. Both have held these roles since the service was registered with Ofsted.

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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

Children have not been supported to achieve good progress and to work towards independence.

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Summary of findings

Some children’s needs have been outside of what the home can accommodate, as stated in the statement of purpose.

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Summary of findings

One serious incident had not been notified to Ofsted.

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Summary of findings

Children are supported by a team of skilled and well supported staff. Staff are trained to a high level and have specialist courses to improve their work. Children are supported to access services they need, and staff are confident in working with children. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: EpicUK Ltd 2 Staff are competent in safeguarding children, and risks are being managed sensibly for children.

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Summary of findings

Children live in a well-maintained and decorated home.

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Summary of findings

Staff and children celebrate cultural events and identities.

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Summary of findings

When children succeed, their achievements are recognised and shared with their network. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: EpicUK Ltd 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children live in a pleasant house that they feel at home in. The home has a welcoming feel and reflects children’s cultural backgrounds. Part of the kitchen displayed information about a child’s country and had a QR code link to a playlist of music from a child’s place of birth. Children enjoy spending time in their bedrooms that are personalised and display flags that reflect their heritage. A child has made an area in their room for making video calls to friends and family with a special light. A child said, ‘I like here; my room I like.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff capture children’s views and decisions effectively. Staff consistently involve children in discussions using an imaginative approach. They take time to ensure that children understand what is being discussed. When needed, staff use translation services to provide information to children in their own language. Key-work sessions are used effectively to discuss any issues, answer children’s questions or to talk about their daily experience, feelings and wishes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children are supported by staff to access education and work towards achieving their goals. Staff are skilled at engaging children to overcome any barriers that can affect their attendance or performance and use encouragement and appropriate incentives to motivate children. This has had a positive impact on children’s education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Some children are admitted to the service with needs higher than staff can meet or needs in excess of what can be provided by the service. However, managers have demonstrated good learning. Processes to assess and match children’s needs to the service have been changed and improved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children receive individualised support that reflects their unique characteristics and celebrates their differences. Staff have a good understanding of how each child thrives and how they like to be supported. Staff celebrate children’s achievements and share their accomplishments with their network. This improves children’s social skills, resilience and sense of worth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children are supported to take steps towards independence when they are ready. This has helped some children to have positive outcomes and experiences.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children feel safe and ask for support from their staff. Children have access to specialist services when they need them. Staff have been skilled at referring children to other agencies. When children have experienced challenges around substance misuse, staff have consistently upheld rules while sympathetically supporting children. Leaders and managers have acted promptly when children experienced difficulties, and staff were supported to help children through challenging times. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: EpicUK Ltd 4 When children go missing, the staff manage this effectively. Children who had a history of going missing are supported to communicate effectively with staff while in the community. Staff work closely with children’s family and friends to be able to confirm their location and then facilitate the child’s return home. Staff consistently follow the correct protocol to report and share information with other agencies. This

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How well children are helped and protected

has reduced a child’s missing-from-home episodes and kept the child safe.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff use a therapeutic model of support to build trusting relationships with children. This has helped children to build emotional resilience and better manage their emotions.

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How well children are helped and protected

There has been a reduction in incidents, and children are supported to understand the rules of the house. When children break the rules, staff use appropriate consequences and empathetic support to try and engage children.

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How well children are helped and protected

Safe recruitment records are kept centrally and reviewed by senior staff. Only properly vetted individuals work at the home and provide support for the children.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children are supported appropriately by adults who can keep them safe. They are trained in key areas before they start working with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers engage in regular monitoring of the service, and feedback from staff and children is used to make improvements. Leaders have implemented a positive and supporting culture with the service, and professionals have fed back positively about their experiences of working with the service. They have expectations that children are supported to a high standard and receive a safe service, and this vision is shared by the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff receive regular and effective appraisal and supervisions. Managers receive therapeutic supervisions from an independent person to aid their practice. Staff feel valued and listened to. They reflected on how the supervision process improved their work. Leaders and managers have worked with children’s entire support networks to ensure that children can access specialist services, such as with a Home Office application.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

There is an effective training and development plan that has given staff the opportunity to learn and develop in their roles. Staff have access to essential courses as well as specialist tailored training. One staff described the benefit of training around children arriving in the UK from a specific country or origin. This means that staff’s skills are constantly being improved to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have made decisions about developing the services that are not in line with ‘The Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023’. This calls into question their understanding of the regulations. These decisions have had a negative impact on children’s experiences in supported accommodation. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: EpicUK Ltd 5 Leaders and managers record children’s safeguarding concerns and share them in a timely manner with social workers. However, leaders and managers failed to notify Ofsted of a serious event that occurred. This affects Ofsted’s oversight of how the provider responds to safeguarding situations to protect children from harm. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: EpicUK Ltd 6

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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. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(a)) 31 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify the CIECSS and any relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 27 (3)(f)) 31 July 2025

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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: EpicUK Ltd 7

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Rachael Kumar

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Inspector

Stephen Challis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: EpicUK 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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