Safe Hands Care & Support Services

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Safe Hands Care & Support Services 1 Safe Hands Care & Support Services

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Registered provider: Safe Hands Care & Support Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

This supported accommodation service was registered on 16 December 2024 and is operated by a private provider in the north-west of England. It can accommodate up to 22 individuals in 5 shared or group-living premises that are limited to accommodating looked-after children or care leavers and 7 single occupancy premises.

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provider

At the time of the monitoring visit, the service was providing support and accommodation for 2 looked-after children.

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Inspection date: 12 January 2026

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Safe Hands Care & Support Services 2

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted conducted a full inspection between 29 September and 3 October 2025 and found serious concerns in leadership, management, and safeguarding. A notice restricting accommodation and two compliance notices were issued. Following a monitoring visit on 28 October 2025, the restriction notice was lifted.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit was carried out on 27 November 2025 to consider the 2 compliance notices. Leaders and managers had not fully addressed the shortfalls in the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Before this latest monitoring visit, Ofsted was made aware by an anonymous source of serious safeguarding concerns. Ofsted shared the information with the police and the local authority.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of this visit, 2 children were living on their own in separate group-living homes. Leaders and managers devise support plans from the information received from placing authorities. They have completed risk assessments of children’s specific vulnerabilities.

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This monitoring visit

There have been delays in leaders and managers informing Ofsted of serious safeguarding incidents. This means that the regulator does not have effective oversight of the service.

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This monitoring visit

Nine children have recently left the service and moved into other homes. Leaders and managers do not always agree for children to move to alternative placements when this is assessed as being in their best interests. This means that some children are unsettled in their new homes.

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This monitoring visit

A small team of staff offer support to children in the premises. Leaders and managers offer an on-call service for children when staff are not available in the supported accommodation.

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This monitoring visit

The compliance notices and requirements were not considered and will be reviewed at a future monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

Following this visit, and as a result of a police investigation, Ofsted issued notices suspending the registration of the provider and the registration of the service manager. Ofsted will keep these notices under review. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Safe Hands Care & Support Services 3

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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 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

are familiar and act in accordance with child protection policies;

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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

work collaboratively with other professionals and agencies, and share information where relevant to keep children safe;

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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) (a)(i)(ii)(iii)(f)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 1 February 2026

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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 1 February 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Safe Hands Care & Support Services 4 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 have the experience, qualifications, and skills appropriate for the work that they are to perform. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(a)(c)) This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 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 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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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)(b)(c)(f)(k)) This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 1 February 2026

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Safe Hands Care & Support Services 5 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Safe Hands Care & Support Services 6

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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: Safe Hands Care & Support Services 7

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Safe Hands Care & Support Services Limited

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Carmen Nosegbe

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Inspectors

Sue Garner, Social Care Inspector Helen Fee, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Safe Hands Care & Support Services 8 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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