Supported Living

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Supported Living 1 Supported Living Registered provider: Dynamis Enterprises Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

This supported accommodation is operated by a private provider in North West England. The provider can accommodate up to 2 individuals in self-contained units where the accommodation is for the sole use of one person. It can also accommodate up to 9 individuals in 5 shared or group living homes that are not limited to accommodating looked-after children or care leavers. The provider also offers accommodation for one individual in supported lodgings.

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provider

At the time of the inspection, 6 individuals were being accommodated. All 6 were looked-after children aged 16 or 17. There have been no children living in supported lodgings since registration in March 2024.

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provider

The service manager has been registered with Ofsted since the organisation was registered in March 2024.

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provider

Inspection dates: The inspection was announced on 9 February 2026 and started that day. The inspector was on site on 11 and 12 February 2026.

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Outcome

Inconsistent quality of service delivery adversely affects some children’s experiences, and this may limit their progress. Leaders and managers must make improvements. The next inspection will be within approximately 18 months.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers have made significant progress in developing their service since the last inspection.

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Summary of findings

Risk assessments and support plans are effective in helping some children safely reach their potential. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Supported Living 2 Most children have a say in the support they receive from staff and are positive about the provider. They enjoy living in their homes and are eager to attend college, training, or work.

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Summary of findings

Some children’s progress has been limited, and staff have struggled to keep them safe in supported accommodation.

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Summary of findings

One child has difficulties in managing their emotions and is not ready for independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Most children make progress in developing their independence skills. Staff support them to build practical and social skills that prepare them for adulthood. However, one child who has been supported by staff for over a year is not prepared for greater independence. This child has complex needs and finds it difficult to manage their emotions and behaviour. Staff do not demonstrate a consistent approach to the child. There are low expectations for behaviour, which limits progress to independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children’s views, wishes, and feelings are taken seriously. Leaders and managers listen to complaints, respond appropriately, and investigate impartially. Staff encourage children to access independent advocacy. One child has an advocate to represent their views to different agencies, which makes them feel listened to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff give advice on education, training, and employment. Children attend short courses of their choice and have shown renewed commitment to college. Staff support children to apply for employment with their preferred roles and working hours. The provider has a training company, and children are encouraged to attend for taster sessions. One social worker said: ‘It is positive that they have helped [name of child] by getting a paid job. I haven’t seen that in a provider before.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff support children to meet their own health needs. Leaders and managers recognise that children living at the service have had frequent placement moves, leading to delayed access to services. Staff encourage children to look after themselves and attend doctors’ appointments. All children are supported to register with the local health centre.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff support children to maintain and develop relationships with people who are important to them. All children have mobile phones and access broadband in the premises. Friends and family members can visit children’s accommodation if appropriate and safe to do so. Staff check that visitors have identification and consult children’s parents or guardians before they stay at the home. Staff demonstrate a sensible, proportionate approach, and some individuals have had overnight stays. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Supported Living 3 Children enjoy living in their homes. They have large bedrooms, some with en-suite bathrooms. Leaders and managers consider carefully whether children can live alongside others; however, none of the children currently share.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff have good relationships with children and offer paid activities as an incentive to spend time together. Some children do not want to remain in their accommodation due to them not feeling at home in the local area. Leaders and managers have supported these children to move to premises in an area of their choice. Staff still consistently offer regular support from the provider in the new premises.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Leaders and managers have not assured themselves of the health and safety of premises. Fire safety assessments have not been regularly reviewed. Staff hold keys for main emergency exits of children’s accommodation. However, there are concerns that individuals will not be able to evacuate in an emergency.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff record serious incidents which involve children. Leaders and managers ensure that there is an on-call manager available for support. Children’s plans contain their known vulnerabilities and guidance for staff to help them. Managers provide additional input if children or staff need space or a debrief after a challenging incident. Staff and children feel supported.

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How well children are helped and protected

In one child’s accommodation, staff always lock kitchen knives away securely. This is an institutional practice and interferes with meal preparation for children who are trying to improve their cooking skills. Restrictions are not related to the likely risk of harm.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff access children’s current risk assessments and a monthly progress report in the home. A flowchart of child protection procedures is also available for reference. Training resources, including instructional videos, help staff to reinforce safeguarding protocols, such as those relating to children who go missing from home.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff have training in managing children’s behaviour. They understand why children get upset and talk calmly with children, so they feel less frustrated. However, some children are unable to regulate their emotions. As a result, some children damage their property and possessions to communicate. This has led to a higher level of staffing which is not appropriate for children becoming independent.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers have a safer recruitment policy and maintain staff records. This demonstrates that due diligence is carried out to recruit staff who can offer safe support to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers are motivated to improve the lives of children. They have made significant progress and improved children’s support plans and risk Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Supported Living 4 assessments. Staff record daily logs of children’s activities and share this information as part of a handover to other staff starting their shift.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have allocated all children a key worker to oversee the support provided. The deputy manager has a group supervision meeting with key workers of different children. However, they do not have individual supervision sessions to identify any areas of personal or professional development. Other members of staff have individual supervision but do not attend team meetings. This prevents an opportunity for staff supporting the same child to share practice and consistent ways of working.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Communication with agencies involved with children has improved. Leaders and managers attend care planning and review meetings. Staff contact social workers by phone and send them direct messages. There are plans in place to send local authorities a monthly overview of the child’s progress; however, this practice has yet to be embedded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers complete quality of support reviews. The registered service manager has developed a tool for tracking children’s progress. However, there are missed opportunities to gather feedback from children, staff or other stakeholders or use views to identify areas for development and make changes to the service. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Supported Living 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 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 work effectively as a team, where appropriate, to meet the needs of children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff have regular team meetings so that staff to have consistent ways of working with children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 22 March 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 premises used as supported accommodation—

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Requirement Due date

are designed, furnished, and maintained to remove avoidable hazards which could pose a health and safety risk to children. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(b)(x)) 22 March 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Supported Living 6 In particular, the registered person should satisfy themselves that the premises are assessed for fire safety.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain a system for monitoring and improving the quality of support provided by the supported accommodation undertaking by completing a review (“a quality of support review”) at least once every six months, which must take into account—

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Requirement Due date

the views of children, including any feedback and complaints received;

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Requirement Due date

feedback from individual children on the impact the supported accommodation has had on the child’s life, especially regarding how well prepared the child felt for transition into supported accommodation and how well prepared the child feels for transition out of supported accommodation;

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Requirement Due date

feedback from each child’s accommodating authority, staff, and any relevant persons. (Regulation 32 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 22 March 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that any decisions to limit a child’s access to knives are short term and made only where this is intended to safeguard the welfare of a child or any other person. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment and kept under regular review. (‘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: Supported Living 7

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Dynamis Enterprises Limited

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Supported accommodation provider details

Nominated individual: Babajide Alafiatayo

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Joel Igenoza

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Supported accommodation provider details

Email address: j.alafiatayo@dynamis.co.uk

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Inspector

Sue Garner, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Supported Living 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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