Upwards Care Solutions

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Upwards Care Solutions Upwards Care Solutions

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Registered provider: Upwards Care Solutions Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

This supported accommodation service is owned and managed by a private provider. The service can accommodate up to 91 children in 26 group-living homes for the use of looked-after children and care leavers. The provider operates in North East Yorkshire and Humber and the North West area.

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provider

At the time of the inspection, the service provided support for 44 children aged 16 to 17 years.

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provider

The service registered with Ofsted in May 2024. The registered service manager post has been vacant since August 2025, and the nominated individual post has been vacant since October 2024. Ofsted are currently assessing the suitability of the new nominated individual.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted carried out a full inspection from 12 to 14 November 2025. The inspectors found serious and widespread weaknesses leading to significant concerns about the experiences, safety and progress of children. Following that inspection, Ofsted issued two compliance notices, regarding the safety and protection of children and the leadership and management of the service. In addition, Ofsted issued a notice restricting the accommodation.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted carried out this monitoring visit to review the progress made against the compliance notices and accordance with the notice restricting accommodation. The compliance notice regarding the protection and safety of children and the leadership and management of the service had been met. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Upwards Care Solutions Positively, the provider has reviewed their current business structure and made the decision to reduce the number of premises they operate. They have made this decision to ensure that they have the correct resources to provide good and safe support to children in their care. They have reflected on the recent full inspection and recognise that the new systems they are developing in their organisation require time and effort to become embedded in practice. They believe that reducing the size of the service will help them to achieve this and improve the outcomes for children.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has written and implemented a new statement of purpose, and this now aligns with the organisations policies and procedures and the support available to children in the service. Importantly, the revised statement of purpose, now reflects that children who can safely live in the service must have high levels of independence and an ability to keep themselves safe in the community. As a result, the statement of purpose now aligns with The Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has undertaken a review of their admissions policy. The policy now requires two managers to gather information about the child’s needs from a range of professionals, agencies and others, who know the child well. This considers the child’s current circumstances, vulnerabilities, needs and history. The information must be evaluated and agreed by both managers before the child’s placement can be agreed. Additionally, there is now a significant focus on seeking the child’s views during the admissions assessment. Due to the notice restricting accommodation, Ofsted has been unable to assess the effectiveness of the new admissions procedure in practice. As a result, Ofsted will continue to monitor the safety and the effectiveness of the service.

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This monitoring visit

When risks to children increase or new risks emerge, staff now carry out direct work with children to educate them about personal safety. A range of sessions have been introduced, that help children to develop and learn independence skills and these sessions equally focus on personal safety. Staff have undertaken training from an independent consultant to help them understand how to structure meaningful direct work with children and how they should record the sessions. Children are now encouraged to comment on their records and reflect on the value the session had for them. This helps staff to consider their own practice and make changes where necessary.

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This monitoring visit

Monitoring systems to ensure that leaders and managers have good oversight of the service has been implemented. The system, which is data led, enables senior leaders and directors to understand patterns and trends in geographical areas and individual premises. It captures information about children’s safety and highlights when risks to children increase. This allows managers to explore these changes with the support staff and develop new strategies to help children to become increasingly safe. However, the monitoring system does not provide leaders and managers with a detailed understanding of children’s progress. As a result, they are currently unable to identify when children’s progress is not in line with their expected targets or what barriers are hindering children from making progress. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Upwards Care Solutions Additional training has been implemented to the staff and managers. This has

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This monitoring visit

focused on the areas of need observed to mostly affect the children living in the premises. It has included a range of safeguarding areas, for example, child exploitation. Equally, the provider has arranged courses to upskill the workforce in their mandatory training areas. However, not all staff have completed this learning. The provider has set clear deadlines for the completion of training in the near future.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this monitoring visit, Ofsted concluded that the compliance notices regarding the protection of children and the leadership and management of the service have been met. The Notice restricting accommodation will end on 9 January 2026.

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This monitoring visit

The other requirements raised at the full inspection were not reviewed at this monitoring visit and are repeated. Additionally, Ofsted has raised a further requirement relating to leaders and managers understanding children’s progress. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Upwards Care Solutions

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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. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(c)) 8 March 2026

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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 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; 14 February 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Upwards Care Solutions engage and work with the accommodating authority if the registered person has concerns or if the child's support needs to be changed, including where that change may mean that the child requires more intensive support;

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Requirement Due date

in the event that the registered person or a member of staff considers that an accommodating authority or a relevant person is failing to provide the support set out in a child's relevant plans, make representations, or, as the case may be, enable staff to make representations, to the accommodating authority or relevant person with a view to ensuring that the child's needs are met. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(f)(h))

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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

(concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); (Regulation 27 (3)(a)(d)(ii)) 14 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") in relation to each child accommodated by the supported accommodation undertaking which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 2. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)) 14 January 2026

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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 location of the premises used as supported accommodation is suitable for the category or categories of supported accommodation provided, by—

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Requirement Due date

reviewing the appropriateness and suitability of the location of each of the premises used as supported accommodation ("a location assessment"), and in doing so, consulting and taking into account the views of each relevant person; 14 January 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Upwards Care Solutions ensure that the premises used as supported accommodation—

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Requirement Due date

are suitable for the purposes of supported accommodation and are accessible, safe, secure and well-maintained;

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Requirement Due date

are adequately maintained so as to provide a welcoming and homely environment within both individual and shared living spaces;

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Requirement Due date

comply with all relevant statutory provisions dealing with health and safety or fire safety matters;

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Requirement Due date

only use devices for monitoring or surveillance in communal areas and then only if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children,

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to each child's need for privacy. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(a)(i)(b)(vi)(viii)(x)(c)(i)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep records of other information relating to the supported accommodation undertaking set out in Schedule 3.

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Requirement Due date

maintain the records in Schedule 3, which may be kept in electronic form;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are accessible to children, the CIECSS and each accommodating authority;

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 25 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 14 January 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Upwards Care Solutions

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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: Upwards Care Solutions

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Upwards Care Solutions Limited

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: Suit 1, 4th Floor Building, 1 Wilson Business Park, Monsall Road, Manchester M40 8WN

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Inspector

Beth Forster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Upwards Care Solutions 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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