Safe Dwellings Ltd

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Safe Dwellings Ltd 1 Safe Dwellings Ltd Registered provider: Safe Dwellings Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

The supported accommodation service is operated by a private provider in London. It provides accommodation for up to 10 looked-after children and care leavers in two shared or group-living homes.

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provider

At the time of this inspection, nine individuals were accommodated, six of whom were looked-after children aged 16 or 17.

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provider

The provider and the service manager registered with Ofsted on 5 September 2023.

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Inspection dates: 8 to 10 October 2025

The inspection was announced on 6 October 2025 and started that day. The inspector was on site on 8 and 9 October 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 in approximately three years.

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Summary of findings

Children feel safe, heard and supported in their journey towards independence.

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Summary of findings

The registered service manager and staff prioritise children’s safety and well-being.

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Summary of findings

Decisions for children to move in are fully considered. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Safe Dwellings Ltd 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children say they like where they live and are safe. One child said, ‘I like it here. It is nice and peaceful, especially at night.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children are positive about their experiences and what they have achieved. One child said, ‘I’ve learnt to cook and clean since being here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff assist children with personalising their bedrooms according to their tastes and interests. This enables children to express themselves and promotes a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff and managers know the children well. Children say they feel listened to. A social worker said, ‘Staff make sure that [name of child]’s voice is shared and listened to.’ This ensures that children’s voices are heard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff encourage children to express their views and wishes through conversations, surveys, informal and focused one-to-one sessions and activities. This enables children to develop their skills in making informed choices.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff understand children’s needs and help them build life skills, gain emotional stability and engage in education and employment. One support worker said, ‘I explain to them that this is the learning ground before they transition to adulthood.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children progress their education or employment. Staff work closely with education and virtual school services. For children who have not accessed education, staff actively support them in finding suitable alternatives, such as tutoring, work experience, or football or boxing programmes. Staff support children with their homework, give them access to a laptop, and help them produce CVs and make applications.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children know how to raise concerns and complaints. They say they get along well with staff and would talk to them if they have any concerns. This means children have trusted adults they can speak with.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children access social and recreational opportunities that support their identity and community engagement. Staff support children in experiencing a plethora of activities and making memories. For example, children go on day trips to the beach, attend award ceremonies, participate in communal meals and celebrate faith-based activities.

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How well children are helped and protected

The registered service manager and staff ensure that children are safe, and their health and well-being are promoted. A virtual school officer said, ‘I find the placement very proactive and put the child’s safety and well-being in the forefront.’ Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Safe Dwellings Ltd 3 Staff help children contribute to their support plans and encourage them to participate in one-to-one sessions and meetings. This ensures that children contribute to plans and decisions about their lives.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff work closely with a range of agencies. They coordinate children’s access to specialist services and information, such as independent advocacy, child and adolescent mental health, youth justice, immigration, education and virtual school services. Community police visit to speak with children and staff about topics such as exploitation and substance misuse. This ensures that tailored support is provided for children.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff are proactive in managing situations when children go missing. Support plans include known risks and demonstrate how staff will work to minimise them. A social worker said that a child they are working with has not gone missing since using this service and described this as ‘an extremely positive sign’.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff receive training that helps them provide safe and effective support to children. Training has helped staff understand children’s risks and vulnerabilities and meet their needs. Trauma-informed training is provided, and opportunities to put learning into practice are supported through supervision and team meetings. As a result, staff are able to provide children with sensitive support when they most need it.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered service manager has established a stable workforce, which provides consistency for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered service manager provides reflective supervision, which enables staff to learn from their experiences and improve their practice and provide support to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered service manager uses effective monitoring systems, which involve regular auditing of the health and safety checks carried out by staff. This provides oversight of the quality of the accommodations and ensures that maintenance work is carried out in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The service uses a tracker system to monitor children’s progress. This provides a visual overview that identifies achievements and where further development is needed in the child’s journey towards independence. This helps the manager to track and influence individual children’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

A social worker described the service as ‘very child centred’. The registered service manager is hands-on and models best practice. Staff are extremely positive about their experiences of working for the service and the support they receive from the manager. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Safe Dwellings Ltd 4 Decisions for children to move in are made with full consideration of past experiences, risks, support needs and plans, as well as the impact on those already living in the accommodation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The accommodation is well maintained. However, the communal areas do not have a homely feel, and there is limited space in these areas for visitors and privacy. The registered service manager has responded to children’s feedback with plans to erect a facility in the garden for children’s privacy and leisure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered service manager demonstrates a commitment to drive forward improvements in the service, such as staff development in writing case records directly to the child. This enables children to access their records more readily. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Safe Dwellings Ltd 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the supported accommodation settings are homely, welcoming, nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of children and young people. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 29)

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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: Safe Dwellings Ltd 6

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: Charlwood Lodge, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge UB8 3PN

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Debby Marshall

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Supported accommodation provider details

Email address: Debby.marshall@safedwellings.co.uk

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Inspector

Phyllis Dyer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Safe Dwellings Ltd 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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