On Track Care Services LTD

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: On Track Care Services Ltd 1 On Track Care Services Ltd Registered provider: On Track Care Services Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

A private provider operates this service.

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provider

The service offers ring-fenced shared accommodation for up to 16 children in three premises. These properties are in Ealing and Hounslow with the head office based in Grays, Thurrock.

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provider

At the time of the inspection, the service was providing supported accommodation for eight children aged 16 or 17 who were looked-after children or care leavers.

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provider

The nominated individual registered with Ofsted in January 2024 at the same time as the service was registered. The current registered service manager registered in April 2025.

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provider

Inspection dates: The inspection was announced on 1 September 2025 and started that day. The inspectors were on site from 3 to 5 September 2025.

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Outcome

Serious or widespread weaknesses lead to significant concerns about the experiences and progress of children. Leaders and managers must take urgent action to address failings.

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Summary of findings

During the inspection, the inspectors found that decisions have been made to admit a child to the service who was not within the scope of The Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 or the provider’s statement of purpose.

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Summary of findings

The provider was unable to demonstrate that staff had been recruited safely. They could not show that they have a system to ensure that safe recruitment practices are followed. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: On Track Care Services Ltd 2 Limited management oversight during the inspection highlighted a lack of contingency planning on the part of senior management.

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Summary of findings

Children enjoy living in their home and like the support they receive from staff. Staff try to engage with children, but this was not consistent across the service. Care plans and risk assessments were brief and did not address key concerns.

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Summary of findings

Staff liaise with key professionals when serious incidents occur. Staff’s knowledge of safeguarding protocols is varied. Some staff have minimal experience of working with children.

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Summary of findings

Most children are in education, training or employment. When children are not in education, training or employment, staff encourage them to engage in alternative educational activities.

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Summary of findings

Children who speak English as an additional language are offered opportunities to improve their language skills to help them make local connections in the community. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: On Track Care Services Ltd 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Serious concerns about management oversight, recruitment of staff and the admission of children mean the provider is failing to ensure the safety and well- being of children. Leaders and managers have failed to manage the supported accommodation undertaking effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children participate in support sessions with staff. The quality and frequency of these sessions vary across the service. This is more noticeable with children who are harder to engage. Some staff lack the training and experience to work effectively with children. One child had no support sessions recorded in the five months since their arrival.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff do not ensure that support and progress reports are consistent or linked to children’s individual needs. This makes children’s progress difficult to track. Key information was missing from safety plans. This affects staff’s ability to manage these issues effectively. Staff’s use and knowledge of the new monitoring and progress form is limited.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children say that they feel safe and supported within the service. Some children reported having trusted and meaningful relationships with their support workers. Staff showed a willingness to improve children’s outcomes and independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Monthly house meetings ensure that children feel supported, with issues being raised and resolved quickly. Children vote on what monthly recreational activities they would like to take part in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

The three properties are close to colleges, amenities and places of worship. This helps children feel connected to their local community. Some of the properties need renovation and repair. The provider’s process for responding to maintenance issues is not always followed. This makes it hard for the service to consistently ensure that accommodation standards are sufficient.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff support children with their health and education needs. Staff encourage and support children to attend key appointments. Some staff are knowledgeable about children’s needs and the interventions that have taken place. Some staff know what actions to take when supporting children into adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff encourage children who speak English as an additional language to engage in education. Support workers offer reading sessions at home to further improve the children’s language skills. Staff help children with asylum matters with their Home Office and solicitor appointments. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: On Track Care Services Ltd 4

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How well children are helped and protected

The provider was unable to provide assurance that staff had been recruited safely. It could not demonstrate that it has a system to ensure that safe recruitment practices are followed.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff lack knowledge in respect of the vulnerabilities of asylum-seeking children. There is a lack of learning and development opportunities to equip staff with this knowledge. Consequently, the support provided to asylum-seeking children varies.

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How well children are helped and protected

Following recent training on the missing persons protocol, new processes have been put in place. However, awareness of these processes, and how to adhere to them, is not consistent.

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How well children are helped and protected

Recording of children’s specific risks is not effective. This reduces the likelihood that staff will manage risks and address children’s needs in a person-centred way.

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How well children are helped and protected

Some routine processes impinge on children’s freedoms without any risk-assessed justification. Sharp knives are routinely locked away and staff track children’s bathroom visits. These procedures do not help prepare children for independent living.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children know house rules, what to do in emergencies and whom to contact if they had any concerns. Children said that staff intervene promptly and respectfully when incidents occur in the homes.

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How well children are helped and protected

Managers and key professionals are informed of major incidents. Safety plans are put in place when safeguarding concerns arise. Staff promote stability in the homes through positive engagement with specialist services.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The nominated individual was unavailable during the inspection. The residential service manager was only available briefly. Limited contingency planning meant that in their absence the person in charge was unaware of their deputised responsibilities. This meant management of the service was unsafe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers had admitted a child to the service who was not within the scope of The Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023. The child was under 16 and was admitted before referral details had been received.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Records showed significant gaps in staff records and induction training. A significant proportion of the staff are under Certificate of Sponsorship arrangements. The provider was unable to explain what experience and transferable skills some staff members had. Some staff had no experience of working with children before joining the service. Despite this, staff induction is not tailored to meet the needs of these staff. Staff lack clarity about the different protocols for children and adults. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: On Track Care Services Ltd 5 The provider uses a combination of paper and online recording systems. This has contributed to inconsistencies across the service for example the use of old templates by some. Management oversight of significant events is inconsistent, with no formal feedback recorded. This does not sufficiently identify shortfalls.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff feel supported by management. They appreciate the opportunities to learn and develop new skills. Staff say that the deputy manager is approachable and knowledgeable and offers support and guidance. The deputy manager is receptive to learning how to improve children’s outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Regular team meetings update staff about service developments. Staff have supervision to track personal development and caseload progress. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: On Track Care Services 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;

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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. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(a)(f)) 14 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (4), the registered person may only—

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual for the purposes of the provision of supported accommodation, or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work for the supported accommodation undertaking in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work for the supported accommodation undertaking, if the registered person is satisfied that the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). 14 October 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: On Track Care Services Ltd 7 The requirements are that—

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character,

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the experience, qualifications and skills appropriate for the work that the individual is to perform,

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform, and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may permit an individual to start work for the purposes of providing supported accommodation or, as the case may be, for the supported accommodation undertaking, despite the fact that the requirement in paragraph (3)(d) has not been met if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person has taken all reasonable steps to obtain full information about each of the matters in Schedule 1 in respect of the individual, but the enquiries in relation to any of the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of that Schedule are incomplete,

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information in respect of the individual has been obtained in relation to the matters in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Schedule 1,

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the circumstances are exceptional, and

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Requirement Due date

the registered person ensures that the individual is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties, pending receipt of any outstanding information on the matters in paragraphs 3 to 6 of Schedule 1, which is then considered satisfactory by the registered person.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must take reasonable steps to ensure that any individual who is working at premises used as supported accommodation and who does not fall within paragraph (2)(a) and (b) is appropriately supervised while carrying out the individual’s duties. (Regulation 17 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d) (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)) (5)) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in 14 October 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: On Track Care Services Ltd 8 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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work effectively as a team, where appropriate, to meet the needs of children;

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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

implement recruitment practices that ensure staff are suitable to work with children and to keep them safe from harm;

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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

what they can expect from the provision of supported accommodation,

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Requirement Due date

where relevant, their entitlements as a looked after child,

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Requirement Due date

where relevant, their entitlements as a care leaver, and

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Requirement Due date

where necessary, support each child to access those entitlements;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the skills necessary to support children to identify, access and receive their entitlements in a way that helps them to learn to identify, access and receive their entitlements independently in the future. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(g)(h)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(i)) Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: On Track Care Services Ltd 9 The protection standard is that children are enabled to feel safe and that their needs are met.

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation or any other harm, and act to reduce such risk;

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Requirement Due date

work collaboratively with children to help them understand how to keep safe, by offering guidance and support on how to minimise any potential risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the relevant roles and responsibilities assigned to them by the registered person in relation to protecting children. (Regulation 5 (1) (2)(f)(ii)(iii)(vi)) 14 October 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

offer a comfortable, positive and nurturing environment, while respecting children’s need for privacy. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(b)(vii)) 14 October 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 14 October 2025 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: On Track Care Services Ltd 10 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 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. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(k)) The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction. (Regulation 18 (1)(a)) 14 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: On Track Care Services Ltd 11

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: On Track Care Services Ltd

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: First Floor, 4 High Street, Grays RM17 6LU

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Flavia Mbunga

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Supported accommodation provider details

Email address: ayesha@ontrackcareservices.co.uk

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Inspectors

Chris Jay, Social Care Inspector Eileen Bultitude, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: On Track Care Services Ltd 12 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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