Horizon Supported Accommodation East Midlands

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Horizon Supported Accommodation East Midlands 1 Horizon Supported Accommodation East Midlands Registered provider: Horizon Supported Accommodation Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

The service registered with Ofsted on 31 October 2023. It provides accommodation for up to 88 looked-after children and care leavers across 46 single-occupancy flats and 20 shared houses.

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provider

At the time of this inspection, 14 children aged 16 and 17 were living in the properties.

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provider

A registered service manager has been in post since 9 February 2024.

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provider

Inspection dates: The inspection was announced on 10 November 2025 and started that day. The inspectors were on site from 12 to 14 November 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

Children feel safe, settled and happy in their homes. They speak positively about the support from staff. All children said they do not want to leave this provider.

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Summary of findings

Staff prioritise children’s skills development, education, training and health needs. Children make good progress.

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Summary of findings

The staff respect children’s cultural needs. They provide support that helps children feel connected and supported in their local and wider communities. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Horizon Supported Accommodation East Midlands 2 Leaders and managers demonstrate strong oversight in most areas of the service. They have a clear understanding of the children’s needs and experiences and know them well. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Horizon Supported Accommodation East Midlands 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children say they have good relationships with staff and receive good-quality support. All children said they wish to remain with this provider when they reach the age of 18.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children access education. Most children are in full-time education, and others are considering, or on the waiting list for, educational and vocational opportunities. Leaders and managers have established volunteering, training and employment opportunities for children with local charities and businesses. One child started employment during the inspection, something they and staff expressed their pleasure about.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff provide a well-being programme that encourages children to consider their emotional, physical and mental health. Children and professionals highlight the positive opportunities this programme offers, including sports and art and craft activities. Children enjoyed being awarded prizes for their efforts.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children’s requests are responded to quickly and appropriately. One child wanted to have their younger sibling spend time with them. This arrangement was safely managed, enabling it to take place on a weekly basis. Another child wants to spend time with their older sibling, and the provider is advocating for this to start.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children are provided with the appropriate equipment they require related to their faith and cultural needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff assist children in registering for universal health services and accessing specialist support services. This helps ensure that the children’s health needs are being met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Some children’s records are not sufficiently personalised or updated. Consequently, they do not always provide an accurate reflection of the children.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff have a good understanding of children’s risks and vulnerabilities. Each child benefits from a well-considered risk management plan. This helps staff know how to respond to children in the most appropriate way.

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How well children are helped and protected

Managers are reflective. They regularly review incidents and take forward learning from them. This helps staff to be alert to recent developments and be able to respond to incidents in an informed way.

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How well children are helped and protected

There have been very few instances of children going missing from their homes. Staff have a clear process in place to establish if children are missing, which they quickly implement. Children are welcomed back and given the opportunity to meet with an independent person to discuss the reasons for being missing. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Horizon Supported Accommodation East Midlands 4 Staff recognise the signs of criminal exploitation in children. They know what to do and how to engage with multi-agency safeguarding arrangements. Staff develop trusting relationships with children, increasing the potential for children to be open about any worries they may have in the community. The service manager has excellent knowledge of the local area, particularly where children are most vulnerable.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff create plans to identify and manage children’s vulnerabilities. This ensures that there is clear safeguarding guidance for staff. Safety plans identify the vulnerabilities of each child and articulate how staff should respond to their behaviour. Staff work well with children to help them manage their anxieties.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered manager has valuable experience and qualifications for the role. She is enthusiastic and instils trust in staff. She has children’s well-being at the centre of her practice, which focuses on supporting positive outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff speak positively about the registered manager and the support they receive to develop personally and professionally. They confidently describe the needs of children and the knowledge and skills that support their practice to achieve positive outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Supervision and appraisals usually take place on a regular basis. In addition, staff benefit from team meetings and ad hoc discussions. However, annual appraisals do not always take place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered manager encourages staff training and development. Staff receive induction training and additional sessions relevant to the needs of children living in supported accommodation. This helps equip the staff to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered manager uses several auditing and monitoring tools to ensure the effective operation of the service. They also monitor the progress and outcomes for children. This information is shared with the child and the professionals who support them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers communicate effectively with other professionals involved in the children’s lives. One commissioning officer said, ‘Horizon has consistently demonstrated strong communication with me and has been very quick to provide key performance indicator data and respond to contract management requirements.’ Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Horizon Supported Accommodation East Midlands 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 ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 18 (4)(c)) 30 January 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that records are accurate and reflect the child’s current needs and progress. The supported accommodation setting’s records for each young person should represent a significant contribution to their life history. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 58)

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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: Horizon Supported Accommodation East Midlands 6

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Horizon Supported Accommodation Limited

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: C/o DWF Company Secretarial Services Limited, 1 Scott Place, 2 Hardman Street, Manchester M3 3AA

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Katherine Burt

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Supported accommodation provider details

Email address: enquiries@horizoncare.co.uk

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Inspectors

Clare Hannah, Social Care Inspector Seka Graovac, Social Care Inspector Shelley Chowdhury, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Horizon Supported Accommodation East Midlands 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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