Prefer Homes Ltd

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Prefer Homes Ltd 1 Prefer Homes Ltd

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Registered provider: Prefer Homes Limited

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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. The service can accommodate up to 17 children in two shared-living premises which are not limited to looked-after children or care leavers.

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provider

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

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provider

The manager, who is also the nominated individual, has been registered with Ofsted since the organisation registered in July 2024.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted carried out a full inspection from 12 to 16 May 2025. The inspector found serious and widespread weaknesses leading to significant concerns about children’s safety and their overall experiences and progress. Following that inspection, Ofsted issued two compliance notices regarding the safety and protection of children and the leadership and management of the service. In addition, Ofsted issued a notice restricting accommodation.

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This monitoring visit

On 4 July 2025, Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit to review the progress against the compliance notices and compliance with the notice restricting accommodation. The inspectors spoke with leaders, managers and staff and reviewed documents and records.

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This monitoring visit

No children have been admitted since the notice restricting accommodation was served. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Prefer Homes Ltd 2 Leaders and managers have taken timely and effective action to improve safeguarding practice in the service. They have implemented a new child protection policy and provided staff with training to ensure that they understand their individual responsibilities relating to the policy. Staff demonstrated that they have a good understanding of the new expectations from leaders and managers. Additionally, the manager and her deputy have undertaken a range of safeguarding training to ensure they have the skills to carry out their role and responsibility as the designated safeguarding leads for the organisation. This ensures that when children are at risk of harm, the staff and managers understand what action they must take to keep

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This monitoring visit

The manager reviews children’s support needs and assesses the effectiveness of their support arrangements. For some children, she has assessed that their needs are beyond the scope of supported accommodation. For these children, she has worked with the placing authority to seek alternative arrangements that better suit the children’s needs. As a result, several children have moved into alternative arrangements where their needs are better met.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have implemented a new admissions policy. The policy focuses on seeking information from agencies that know the child and are actively involved in their support to ensure that the service fully understands children’s individual needs before agreeing their placement. Equally, the policy does not allow children to move into the accommodation until the manager has received all relevant records regarding their needs. Due to the current restriction of accommodation served by Ofsted on 16 May 2025, Ofsted is unable to assess the effectiveness of the new procedures. However, Ofsted is assured that the manager will only admit children whose needs are aligned with the service’s offer.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has reviewed the staff training programme, which has led to positive changes. Staff have undertaken a newly implemented mandatory training programme which covers the broad needs of looked-after children. In addition, staff who have specialist roles within the organisation have undertaken further training to ensure they have the skills to carry out their specific job responsibilities. The new training platform helps the manager to assess staff’s understanding of each training course. Leaders and managers also embed reflective practice sessions into team meetings and supervision sessions. This provides the manager with an opportunity to understand and explore any gaps in staff knowledge.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have reviewed existing staff’s recruitment checks. Where shortfalls in records have been identified, they have sought additional information to assure themselves that staff are safe and suitable to work with children. They have revised their recruitment policy to ensure that new staff are safely vetted before they begin their role in the organisation. At the time of inspection, no new staff members had been recruited. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Prefer Homes Ltd 3 Monitoring systems in the service have been formalised. The manager and her deputy are now responsible for monthly monitoring audits to assess the safety of children and the effectiveness of children’s support. The system enables leaders and managers to have better oversight of the service. Additionally, better use of the electronic recording system has led to managers being promptly alerted to serious

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This monitoring visit

incidents involving children. As a result, managers have shared information with other agencies and Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this monitoring visit, Ofsted concluded that the compliance notices regarding the protection of children and the leadership and management of the service had been met. The notice restricting accommodation was lifted on 4 July 2025.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements raised at the full inspection were not fully reviewed at this monitoring visit and are repeated. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Prefer Homes 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

ensure that arrangements are in place for the supervision, training and development of staff;

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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

where relevant, their entitlements as a looked after child.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 4 (1) (2)(g)(h)(iii)) 4 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 children are encouraged and enabled to take a lead role in determining the support they receive and to participate in and influence how the supported accommodation operates;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that plans for support are based on initial referral information, are meaningful and are created in full 4 July 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Prefer Homes Ltd 5 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 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;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that children are supported to access education, training or employment.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 7 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(g)(h)(k)(m))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) in relation to each child accommodated by the supported accommodation undertaking which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 2,

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure a copy of plans and reports from the placing authority or other agencies involved in supporting children are held on record. 4 July 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Prefer Homes Ltd 6 They must ensure children’s support is provided in line with the placing authority’s agreed plans.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to follow up information received by Ofsted and/or to ensure that the supported accommodation provider was complying with regulation.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Prefer Homes Ltd 7

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Prefer Homes Limited

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Sharon Taylor

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Inspectors

Beth Forster, Social Care Inspector Shelley Chowdhury, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Prefer Homes 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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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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