Step Ahead Services Ltd

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Step Ahead Services Ltd 1 Step Ahead Services Ltd Registered provider: Step Ahead Services Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

The service can accommodate up to 36 children and young people in their 20 premises consisting of single occupancy, ring-fenced shared accommodation and non-ring-fenced shared accommodation.

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provider

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

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provider

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

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provider

Inspection dates: The inspection was announced on 4 August 2025 and started that day. Two inspectors were on site from 6 to 8 August 2025.

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Outcome

Consistently strong service delivery leads to typically positive experiences and progress for children. Where improvements are needed, leaders and managers take timely and effective action. The next inspection will be within approximately three years.

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Summary of findings

A child-centred approach is integral to the whole service. Children experience tailored support plans that are individualised to their strengths, needs, and interests and which enhance their life skills.

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Summary of findings

Staff work closely with professionals to safeguard children.

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Summary of findings

Experienced staff who can support children safely and effectively as they move towards independence underpin the culture of the service.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers want the best for children and are committed to continued improvement across the service. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Step Ahead Services Ltd 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children receive thoughtful and effective support that recognises their individual needs. They gain access to services that will benefit them, such as mentoring, advocacy and therapeutic support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff are ambitious for children to engage with education, training, and employment. They provide support by accompanying children on their first day of a course, support children to access online training and work with them on career goals. With staff support, one child’s attendance increased from 40% to 80% at college and the child has plans to progress to university.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children are encouraged to spend time with people who are important to them. Friends and family members often visit the home, which shows that children have a sense of pride in where they live. Staff also encourage children to engage in extra- curricular activities, with several being enrolled at the local gym. Children go ice skating and to the cinema and participate in music studio time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff provide a home-like environment for children. Children personalise their bedrooms to reflect their individuality and spend time in the communal areas. On Sundays, staff and children prepare meals and eat together. This promotes a sense of community and enhances independent living skills. During a recent house meeting, children requested that one Sunday a month the meal be a takeaway, which staff have begun ordering. This shows that staff value seeking and implementing children’s views.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff work closely with other professionals to support children. One social worker stated that staff ‘prioritise the voice of the child by actively involving them in professional meetings, advocating on their behalf, whilst praising children’s strengths, highlights and progress made.’ Another social worker noted that staff ‘don’t give up’ when supporting children. Professionals also say that staff are professional, maintain firm boundaries and are warm, resilient, and passionate.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children are supported to develop practical independent living skills, such as cooking, laundering, cleaning, and budgeting. Staff work with children’s strengths and build on these towards achieving independence and increasing self-esteem. Children actively engage in the monitoring of the development of their own skills. One child commented: ‘I have been supported by staff in cooking for myself, which I was not doing before I received support.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children

The provider has several shared accommodation and single occupancy flats which children might be able to move to when they are ready for a step-down service as they continue to work towards independence. This allows for staff to work with some children and young people for several years, creating continuity for children in the support they receive. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Step Ahead Services Ltd 3

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How well children are helped and protected

Children say that they are safe. There is a stable staff team which provides consistency of support and allows for staff to build strong relationships with children. All children have an allocated direct worker. However, children know they can approach any staff member, including managers, for support or to raise concerns at any time. This enhances children’s sense of security.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children’s safeguarding is prioritised and there is a coordinated, multi-agency working approach to managing risks. Incidents of going missing are high; however, there has been a reduction in going missing for most children. Staff often talk to children about the risks associated with going missing.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff receive effective training on safeguarding issues, including in de-escalation skills, exploitation, compassion fatigue and active listening. Leaders and managers arranged for staff to receive training from an outside consultant on drug awareness.

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How well children are helped and protected

Serious incidents within the homes are rare. Staff have received training in trauma- informed practice and are proactive in helping children regulate their behaviours and feelings. Staff know the children well and this helps them understand children’s triggers and assist in de-escalating situations. The service initiates a practice when new children move in by giving them a ‘coded safe word’ that can be used to alert staff if they are in danger.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff manage safeguarding concerns well and share these in a timely manner with the children’s social workers. They set clear and consistent boundaries that contribute to children feeling safe. However, leaders and managers have failed to notify Ofsted of some serious events, such as police involvement, that have occurred. This prevents Ofsted’s timely oversight of how the provider responds to these situations to protect children from harm.

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How well children are helped and protected

The provider has safer recruitment systems. However, the application form only requests information on the current or most recent employment. This limits the ability of the leader and managers to identify gaps in employment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The nominated individual and the registered service manager posts are held by the same person. She brings to the roles a wealth of skills and experience. They are a dedicated individual who continually strives to provide children with high-quality support to help them gain the necessary skills to live independently.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered service manager is an effective and inspirational leader who leads the team by example, creating a positive ethos and culture across the service. A member of staff commented: ‘The organisation is very supportive and passionate about supporting young people to reach their potential.’ Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Step Ahead Services Ltd 4 The registered service manager receives support from an organisation that provides guidance to supported accommodation providers. However, regular supervision from a suitably skilled and experienced professional does not take place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers are strong in workforce development, enhancing staff skills, providing training opportunities and sustaining retention. Staff turnover is low, and many staff members have worked for the provider for several years, which provides continuity for children. One member of staff commented that working for the provider ‘is a positive experience,’ adding that ‘I am very happy to work with this company. Our good work and efforts are always being recognised and appreciated.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Feedback from staff was overwhelmingly positive about the management team. One staff member stated that they ‘look after their staff.’ The staff are confident that they ‘make a difference in young people’s lives’ and feel listened to when putting forward suggestions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff receive regular and effective supervision that considers and prioritises children’s needs. Staff receive ongoing training to strengthen their knowledge and skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers are forward thinking and have plans to enhance the leadership and management training, supervision and reflective practice for leaders and managers. Leaders and managers are aware of their service development needs. They have plans to enhance the written monthly reports and external relationships and to convene meetings with neighbours to support community mindedness. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Step Ahead 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the supported accommodation undertaking or a person working for it;

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry);

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Requirement Due date

there is an incident involving the use of a measure of restraint of a child;

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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)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)(f)) 1 September 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person must have systems in place so that the registered service manager receives supervision of their practice from a suitably skilled and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Step Ahead Services Ltd 6 needs of the children accommodated in the setting. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards,’ page 51)  The registered person should ensure that recruitment practice demonstrates that managers have sufficiently explored staff suitability and fitness to work with children and that they have the relevant skills, qualifications, and recent experience to meet the needs of children. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards,’ page 16)

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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: Step Ahead Services Ltd 7

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Step Ahead Services Ltd

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Delores Coombs

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Inspectors

Phyllis Dyer, Social Care Inspector Julie Cresswell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Step Ahead 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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Inspectors

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