Horizon Supported Accommodation West Midlands

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

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

A private provider owns and operates this supported accommodation service. The service provides up to 55 single-occupancy supported accommodation premises and up to 33 shared premises that are not limited to looked-after children and care leavers.

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provider

At the time of the inspection, the service provided accommodation across 32 single- occupancy and 29 shared accommodation premises. There were 43 children living in the accommodation.

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provider

The service registered with Ofsted on 8 October 2023. Since this time, there have been 3 registered service managers in post. The last one left in May 2025. Shortly after this, the nominated individual left, in June 2025.

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provider

A new proposed nominated individual was appointed in July 2025, and a new service manager was appointed in January 2026. They have applied to Ofsted for registration.

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Inspection dates: 26 to 29 January 2026

The inspection was announced on 26 January 2026 and started that day. The inspectors were on site from 28 to 29 January 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. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Horizon Supported Accommodation West Midlands 2

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Summary of findings

Children have positive relationships with staff and are happy where they live.

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Summary of findings

Most children are engaged in education, employment or training. However, some staff do not fully explore the challenges to engagement that some children face.

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Summary of findings

Children have continued access to staff support and feel safe where they live.

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Summary of findings

Premises are homely. Some children choose to remain with the provider after they turn 18 years of age.

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Summary of findings

Staff speak highly of the support they receive from leaders and managers.

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Summary of findings

Staff do not consistently keep accurate records to ensure children’s support plans and risk assessments are up to date and correct.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children describe positive working relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Most children are in education placements, with some children either in work or apprenticeship arrangements. For a small number of children who do not engage in any education, employment or training, the staff have missed an opportunity to engage with these children to explore what the challenges are, so that these barriers can be overcome.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff take the time to help children make informed choices. When children are engaged in planning for their futures, staff support them to make decisions about their education and employment opportunities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children have access to staff support 24 hours a day. This is particularly important for those children who live in solo properties.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children like the locality of their homes and the access they have to the community. The premises are homely and children want to spend time there.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff support children to have their health needs met, accessing local services and amenities. Children have talked with staff when they have struggled with their emotional health resulting in self-harm, or when they have felt bullied. Staff have listened to the children and responded appropriately so that children’s emerging needs are met. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Horizon Supported Accommodation West Midlands 3 Children are supported to maintain contact with their family and friends. Staff work with family members to support children in times of need. This support has enabled a family to attend their child’s hospital admission.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children are supported to take age-appropriate risks. Support workers continually discuss the strategies that children can use so that they learn from their mistakes. Children now understand the importance of maintaining friendship groups and having a good sleep routine.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children’s views are not always clearly recorded in their support plans and key-work sessions. However, their views are sought on the service they receive as they are encouraged to complete feedback forms for the provider.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children receive information in the children’s guide and in their agreement, so they know how to make a complaint. However, as this information is not retained by children, they could not confidently explain this process.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children have trusting and supportive relationships with staff. Having consistent support staff enables children to develop positive relationships with staff.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers promptly notify Ofsted of serious incidents. This enables Ofsted to ensure that the provider has taken the necessary actions to keep children safe. As many children live in solo properties, initial safeguarding information is received from other agencies, such as hospitals. The provider has demonstrated a quick and appropriate response to this information.

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How well children are helped and protected

Some staff clearly know the children’s risks and vulnerabilities. However, insufficient information has been provided by some children’s placing authorities. This means some children’s known risks are not fully assessed and incorporated into their support plans and risk assessments. This oversight prevents leaders and managers from identifying how staff will support children during times of crisis, and leaves gaps in staff’s knowledge.

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How well children are helped and protected

A suitable, experienced and safe staff team support children as leaders and managers consistently follow safer recruitment processes. Leaders and managers monitor staff’s conduct and take effective action when staff do not meet their standards of practice.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children are supported to raise complaints with external agencies, such as their social workers. Leaders and managers guide them throughout the investigation process, ensuring the child is kept updated on the outcome.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers take effective action when complaints about staff are made. Reflective supervision sessions are used to explore the specific issues raised, Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Horizon Supported Accommodation West Midlands 4 supporting staff practice and helping to maintain positive working relationships with the children.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children are not supported sufficiently when they go missing from their homes. Leaders and managers do not implement the widely used police missing-from-home procedure to ensure that staff understand their roles in these events.

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How well children are helped and protected

One child has been supported successfully by an independent advocate to resolve a personal situation. However, other children are not being supported to understand how they can access these services as this information is not readily available to them.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children’s support plans and risk assessments do not reflect the individual needs of children sufficiently. The lack of detail limits staff from fully understanding the children’s needs and how they should support the children. This has hindered some children with planning for their move to independence.

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How well children are helped and protected

Mothers who care for their own children are supported by the provider. While parents have been complimentary about the support that they receive from staff, staff do not have specific training to undertake this area of work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Since registration in October 2023, there have been several changes to the senior management team. The proposed nominated individual took up post in July 2025 and the proposed registered service manager took up post in January 2026. Both have applied for registration with Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have developed and maintained a stable staff team, so agency staff are not required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Children are supported well by staff. Staff receive a detailed induction, so they understand the service and the needs of children. Staff benefit from shadowing opportunities and receive face-to-face and online training before they work independently with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The current leaders and managers are child focused. They understand the service and have identified areas so that services for children, and the consistency of record-keeping, improve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Managers do not consistently ensure that they receive all the relevant documents from the child’s local authority before a child moves in. When the manager has requested this, they have failed to escalate this when they have not received a response. This means that some children’s records, including their support plans and risk assessments, are not fully informed. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Horizon Supported Accommodation West Midlands 5 Staff are positive about the senior managers and the support they provide. Annual appraisals take place, which acknowledge the strengths and areas for development for staff. However, staff do not receive regular supervision sessions so they can reflect on their practice and discuss the needs of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers meet regularly with staff to promote a culture of openness and transparency. Staff speak positively about these meetings, which, for example, have been used to discuss the quality of children’s records and how best to support mothers and their children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have missed an opportunity to upskill their workforce so that all staff know who the local area designated officer is and when they should contact them. This oversight prevents staff from understanding how they can further support children so that their welfare is prioritised. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Horizon Supported Accommodation West Midlands 6

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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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that arrangements are in place for the supervision, training and development of staff. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(c)(g))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure staff receive the necessary training to work with mothers and their babies and that all staff receive regular supervision sessions. 2 April 2026

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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 enabled to keep themselves safe. (Regulation 5 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s risk assessments contain all relevant information 2 April 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Horizon Supported Accommodation West Midlands 7 and are updated after significant events. Children should know what their individual risks are and be supported to manage these.

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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 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. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all children’s support plans include information from the placing authority to inform the current placements and transition plans. 2 April 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

before a child arrives or upon a child’s arrival, ensure that the child is given a written guide, in an accessible format, containing information about—

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Requirement Due date

what advocacy support or services are available, how the child may access that support or those services, and any entitlement the child may have to independent advocacy;

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Requirement Due date

how to make a complaint or representation in relation to the support and accommodation provided and how any such complaint or representation will be dealt with. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(j)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure all children know how to access advocacy support and know how they 2 April 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Horizon Supported Accommodation West Midlands 8 can make a complaint against all staff, including the management team.

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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 West Midlands 9

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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: Charlene Warren

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Supported accommodation provider details

Email address: enquiries@horizoncare.co.uk

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Inspectors

Clare Hannah, Social Care Inspector Rachel McIntyre, Social Care Inspector Leah Stannard, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Horizon Supported Accommodation West Midlands 10 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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