Starlight Support Services

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Starlight Support Services 1 Starlight Support Services

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Registered provider: Starlight Support Services

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

This supported accommodation is owned and managed by a private provider. The service provides up to five non-ring-fenced group living services.

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provider

At the time of this monitoring visit, this service provided supported accommodation for 12 children aged 16 and 17.

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provider

The service manager registered with Ofsted in April 2025.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was in carried out in response to concerns raised about the help and protection of children, and the leadership and management of the service.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector spoke to the registered service manager and reviewed the children’s records and the records relating to the leadership and management of the service.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that all children’s needs fall within the supported accommodation regulations, as some children require a high level of support and are not ready for supported accommodation when they move in. One child requires 24-hour supervision from a minimum of one staff member. The child’s safety plan does not allow them to access the community without the supervision of staff to meet their complex needs and to manage known risks to their safety. Other children’s risks include criminal exploitation, physical and verbal aggression and significant self-harm. In agreeing the placements of children with complex needs, the registered person is operating this supported accommodation undertaking outside the scope of the regulations. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Starlight Support Services 2 The registered person is working with the children’s placing local authorities to

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This monitoring visit

support children whose needs surpass the scope of supported accommodation to move on to other suitable living arrangements.

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This monitoring visit

When children have complex medical conditions, for example foetal alcohol syndrome and epilepsy, staff are not routinely provided with the necessary training to ensure they understand how to support each child’s individual needs. Instead, the registered person implements a blanket approach to teach staff how to manage behaviours that challenges others. As a result, staff do not have the bespoke skills to understand or help children manage their medical conditions, which may expose children to the risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

The registered person shares information with relevant agencies when children are involved in serious incidents and when they are at risk of harm. However, he has failed to consistently notify Ofsted about these incidents. These incidents include children involved in road traffic accidents in stolen motor vehicles, and children attempting to take their own lives. Consequently, Ofsted is unable to monitor the safety of children or the provider’s response to children when they are at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

When children move into the service who have high levels of independence and can keep themselves safe, they settle quickly and begin to make progress towards adulthood.

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This monitoring visit

The registered person has good oversight of the service and knows the children well. When risks to children increase, the registered person works collaboratively with the child’s placing local authority and other agencies to develop effective safety plans. These safety plans help children to learn new skills and identify support from specialist agencies to help children become increasingly safe. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Starlight Support Services 3

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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 staff have the experience, qualifications and skills appropriate for the work that they are to perform;

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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

(Regulations 4 (1) (2)(c)(f)) 26 September

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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; 26 September Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Starlight Support Services 4 a child protection enquiry—

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

any other individuals or organisations who or which have been notified;

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 27 (3)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)(f) (4)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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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: Starlight Support Services 5

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Starlight Support Services

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Inspector

Beth Forster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Starlight Support Services 6 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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