3Hive Limited

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: 3Hive Limited 1 3Hive Limited Registered provider: 3Hive 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 offers accommodation for up to ten looked-after children and care leavers in three shared or group-living homes.

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provider

At the time of this inspection, the service was providing accommodation for nine children aged 16 and 17.

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provider

The provider and the service manager registered with Ofsted in January 2024.

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Inspection dates: 17 to 19 September 2025

The inspection was announced on 15 September 2025 and started that day. The inspectors were on site on 17 and 18 September 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.

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Outcome

The next inspection will be within approximately three years.

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Summary of findings

Children make good progress from their starting points. Staff supporting children know them well. Staff build meaningful and positive relationships with children. This gives children the confidence to navigate their journey into independence.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers are visible and present, and staff feel valued and supported. Staff receive comprehensive training, enabling them to support children well. This means that children feel confident that adults know how to support them and respond to their needs. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: 3Hive Limited 2 Children, staff and external professionals speak highly of the positive impact the service has on children’s progress and development. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: 3Hive Limited 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children receive support from a caring team of staff who know them well. Children told the inspectors that they have trusting relationships with staff and feel that they listen to them. One child talked about how they feel confident sharing their location with staff when they are in the community, knowing staff will help them stay safe while respecting their privacy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff are skilled and experienced. One member of staff discussed how they use food to create and build stable relationships with children. For example, they use pancake making as a tool to engage with the children. The team receives training and monthly reflective practice from a psychotherapist, using a trauma-informed approach. This helps them to tailor their responses to meet children’s needs more effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

The team of staff are confident in their roles and use their knowledge to help children overcome previous experiences of neglect and trauma. This enables children to make progress and develop confidence. One professional said that a child they placed is more settled and shows greater confidence in talking about their feelings and experiences. They said that the child has developed independence skills, such as budgeting, keeping to a curfew and managing daily routines.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff have high aspirations for children’s education, training and employment. They work with children to identify their goals and assist them in applying for and accessing courses they are interested in. Children spoke to the inspectors about the support they have received from staff to access training and college courses and to remain at college.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children live in homes that are welcoming and homely. The homes are decorated and furnished to a high standard, and there is space for children to socialise and relax indoors and outdoors. Children are proud of their homes. One child said, ‘This feels like my home.’ This means that children feel valued and comfortable in their home and have a safe and secure environment from which they can progress.

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How well children are helped and protected

When recording information in children’s records, staff use positive language that is addressed directly to the child. Support plans are written with the child, and their views are incorporated into all records. Risk assessments are comprehensive and referred to as ‘safety and stability’ plans. This means that children feel involved and central to decisions made to keep them safe, and they will be able to understand their story should they wish to read their records in the future.

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How well children are helped and protected

There have been no complaints or allegations. When children go missing, leaders and staff act promptly to ensure their safe return. Children with risks of exploitation are supported safely by staff who know their needs and how to keep them safe. There is good evidence of collaboration with other agencies, and plans to mitigate potential harm are managed effectively. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: 3Hive Limited 4 Children speak positively about their relationships with staff. They told the inspectors they feel safe and happy in their homes, and this view is shared by professionals involved with the children. Professionals say that children are provided with security and good foundations for future success through consistent and reliable staff support. Professionals said they are confident in the service’s ability to safeguard children and manage risk.

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How well children are helped and protected

Although fire safety measures are in place, some fire risk assessments have not been updated in accordance with the provider’s policy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers demonstrate a real passion and commitment to improve the outcomes of children. Leaders invest in external therapeutic and quality assurance support to ensure that they provide continuous improvement to outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Clinical supervision, reflective practice and training are provided by a psychotherapist, and an experienced social worker provides safeguarding training. There is a genuine therapeutic approach threaded throughout the organisation. This is demonstrated in the children’s records and through conversations with staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

An independent quality adviser supports leaders and managers in creating high-quality support that helps children develop their independence. They say that the service has responded positively to suggestions for development, including enhancing staff supervision and working on regulatory improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff feel valued and supported by leaders and managers. Staff said it is rewarding to see children make progress and to know that they are contributing to their journey. A staff member said:

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

‘What I appreciate most is the culture of care and respect that runs throughout the organisation. There is a genuine commitment not only to meeting safeguarding standards but also to building trusting relationships with the young people.’ Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: 3Hive Limited 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that risks to fire safety are regularly reviewed. This specifically relates to ensuring that fire risk assessments for each property are reviewed in a timely manner to comply with all relevant health and safety and fire safety legislation. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 26)

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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: 3Hive Limited 6

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: PKF Francis Clarke, Towngate House, 2 to 8 Parkstone Road, Poole BH15 2PW

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Kellyann Murray

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Inspectors

Karen O’Neill, Social Care Inspector Stephen Challis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: 3Hive Limited 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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