Progression Care Limited

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: 4a Water Lane 1 4a Water Lane Registered provider: Progression Care Limited

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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. It can accommodate up to 10 children in four shared or group-living homes that are 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 five children aged 16 and 17.

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provider

The service has one individual who holds both the registered service manager and nominated individual roles. They have held both these roles since the service 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 on 18 and 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 within approximately 18 months.

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Summary of findings

Children live in clean and well-decorated homes. Children and staff take pride in their homes and aim to maintain a homely and welcoming environment.

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Summary of findings

A skilled and nurturing staff team supports the children, assisting some of them in developing independence and settling into their homes. However, inconsistent admission processes have necessitated increased monitoring of some children and, in some cases, resulted in placement breakdowns.

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Summary of findings

Arrangements are made for children to attend education and apply for jobs in the local area. Staff support and encourage regular attendance. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: 4a Water Lane 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children’s bedrooms are not only individually personalised and child-centred, but they also reflect their unique characters and backgrounds. For example, one child has displayed framed t-shirts of his favourite football club on his bedroom walls, strongly representing his interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children are supported by a friendly and motivated staff team that inspires them to take pride in themselves. Staff carefully identify appropriate skills and support children in developing these as part of preparing for adulthood. One child proudly showed the inspector her progress chart and said, ‘I have never felt so supported as I do now.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children

However, the matching process for children moving into the home lacks sufficient scrutiny. Although some children make progress and develop positive relationships with staff, this process is undermined when leaders and managers accommodate children who are not yet ready to live in supported accommodation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children are encouraged to develop independent living skills. Due to some children’s limited experience, staff have implemented individualised plans to guide them through tasks such as cooking, using public transport independently, budgeting, shopping, and self-medicating. As a result, children acquire essential skills for adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff diligently promote children’s educational and employment aspirations. Managers and staff ensure that children access planned in-house private tutorials and attend college, allowing them to gradually build confidence and reintegrate into education and employment.

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How well children are helped and protected

Although risk assessments are in place, some have not been reviewed in a timely manner and do not reflect children’s current risks or progress. They also lack managerial oversight. As a result, they are not effective tools for staff to use in keeping children safe.

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How well children are helped and protected

Incidents of children going missing have decreased. Staff engage in in-depth discussions with children and help them understand the risks they may encounter in the community. Children access the community independently and return home safely. Clear protocols are in place to guide staff when a child is missing from home.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children benefit from secure and consistent relationships with staff. This enables them to openly discuss their emotions and feelings. When children struggle with their emotions and display self-injurious behaviours, staff work alongside mental health professionals and other agencies to explore effective support measures. Staff respond in a nurturing and compassionate way while ensuring that the environment remains safe during unsettled periods. However, some actions taken by staff may Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: 4a Water Lane 3 hinder children’s development of adult skills and emotional resilience. This includes locking doors unnecessarily and restricting free access to kitchen knives. Incidents are clearly recorded, but these lack management oversight.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers record children’s safeguarding concerns and share them promptly with social workers. However, they fail to notify Ofsted of serious incidents that occur. As a result, Ofsted has not been able to review the provider’s actions and responses.

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How well children are helped and protected

Recruitment procedures are extremely thorough. Leaders and managers carefully recruit and select staff who can support children and keep them safe.

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How well children are helped and protected

Fire arrangements are not effective. Leaders and managers have not carried out an appropriate fire risk assessment for each home. External doors in all the homes have deadlocks, and evacuation plans fail to guide a safe exit from the homes in the event of a fire.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The organisation is led by a committed leadership team. Leaders and managers are nurturing and have a child-focused vision to ensure that children are supported and their needs are met. This creates an environment where staff recognise the importance of children having positive experiences and outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff and managers receive regular supervision and appraisals. Staff informed the inspector that supervision sessions are very effective. Leaders and managers implement well-structured probation plans to guide and support new staff effectively when they commence employment. As a result, staff feel well supported and valued by the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff receive a range of relevant training that enables them to respond effectively to children’s needs. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: 4a Water Lane 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

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 each child is fully aware of their entitlements throughout the duration of their placement in supported accommodation, including—

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Requirement Due date

what they can expect from the provision of supported accommodation. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(f)(h)(i)) 24 July 2025

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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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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; 24 July 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: 4a Water Lane 5 comply with all relevant statutory provisions dealing with health and safety or fire safety matters. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(b)(vi)(x))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a behaviour management policy setting out—

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Requirement Due date

the approach to supporting children to maintain a reasonable standard of behaviour that reduces the risk of harm to, and supports the welfare and protection of, children and other individuals;

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Requirement Due date

the expectations of children in relation to their behaviour, what will happen if those expectations are not met, and how the registered person will ensure that children know what those behaviour expectations are;

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the premises providing supported accommodation. (Regulation 22 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 24 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

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation or child criminal exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child and the registered person considers that incident to be serious. (Regulation 27 (3)(a)(b)) 24 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: 4a Water Lane 6

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Progression Care Limited

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Supported accommodation provider details

Nominated individual: Elizabeth Dashwood

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Elizabeth Dashwood

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Supported accommodation provider details

Email address: enquiries@progressioncareltd.com

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Inspectors

Alphie Khumalo, Social Care Inspector Karen O’Neill, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: 4a Water Lane 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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