Nylah Homes Leicester

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Nylah Homes Leicester 1 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Registered provider: Nylah Homes Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

This supported accommodation service is operated by a private provider in the East Midlands. It offers accommodation for up to 71 individuals in 18 shared or group living homes that are limited to accommodating looked-after children or care leavers.

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provider

At the time of the monitoring visit, 37 looked-after children and care leavers aged 16 or 17 were accommodated.

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provider

The service manager registered with Ofsted at the same time as the organisation in June 2024.

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This monitoring visit

On 30 January 2026, a full inspection was undertaken of the supported accommodation service. Significant concerns were raised during the inspection. An Outcome 3 judgement was given. This led to 2 compliance notices being issued related to regulation 4 and regulation 5 of the Supported Accommodation Regulations 2023 and several requirements being raised.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to assess the provider’s progress in meeting the compliance notices, and to review requirements.

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This monitoring visit

Since the inspection, the provider has taken the decision not to admit any new children.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has taken sufficient action to meet the steps set out in the compliance notices. Leaders and managers have reviewed their admissions procedures They have retrospectively examined the admissions of the children who were already Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Nylah Homes Leicester 2 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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This monitoring visit

accommodated. They have used the information gained to revisit risk assessments and support plans.

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This monitoring visit

A new referral process is in place. Compatibility assessment forms now consider an appropriate range of factors to help determine a child’s suitability for supported accommodation. This information is used to ensure the managers and staff have sufficient knowledge and skills to meet the children’s different needs.

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This monitoring visit

Although the creation of support plans is an improvement, they are not of a consistently good enough quality. They do not consistently include children’s views, professionals’ views or contain clear actions.

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This monitoring visit

Risk assessments are in place for children. However, some need reviewing and the information from some is not embedded yet. For example, there is a blanket approach regarding knife use for day-to-day tasks, and some staff have an understanding that medication for children is stored and administered by the service, which is not in line with the service’s revised statement of purpose.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have made improvements to the condition of properties. However, there is still some work required to make the accommodation safer, nurturing, homely and welcoming. For example, there were broken items in properties and in gardens. Confidential information about a child was accessible in communal spaces, compromising privacy and giving an institutional impression.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have not ensured an appropriate approach to ensuring that children’s voices are heard. Children’s views are not consistently captured in meetings or focused work sessions. Leaders had not shared the annual point-in-time surveys with children, meaning the children did not have the opportunity to contribute their views.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have made improvements to some policies and guidance for staff, such as the missing-from-home protocols.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have a better understanding of regulatory requirements. Notifications to Ofsted have improved significantly.

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This monitoring visit

The staff training matrix is largely up to date. Leaders and managers have identified that staff require additional training so they can better support children with specific needs. All staff have had refresher training to be better equipped to meet the unique needs of children. Additional training has also helped staff better understand children’s trauma and how to safeguard children who may be vulnerable to child sexual exploitation.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have introduced a new, improved supervision template. This has the potential to help identify staff skills and knowledge gaps and provides an opportunity to enable reflective practice. The new supervision process is in line with Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Nylah Homes Leicester 3 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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This monitoring visit

the revised workforce plan. Staff knowledge and skills are also checked through team meetings and observation of practice and audits. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Nylah Homes Leicester 4 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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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 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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that children are supported to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(n)) 10 May 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— 10 May 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Nylah Homes Leicester 5 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Requirement Due date

provide stability and consistency of accommodation for children;

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Requirement Due date

are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child individually and all children collectively;

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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

offer a comfortable, positive and nurturing environment, while respecting children’s need for privacy;

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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

are designed, furnished and maintained to remove avoidable hazards which could pose a health and safety risk to children;

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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

children are informed in advance of the intention to carry out monitoring or surveillance, and

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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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each child is provided with a private bedroom—

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Requirement Due date

with sufficient space to accommodate a reasonable number of personal possessions,

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Requirement Due date

which is equipped to meet the child’s individual needs,

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each child is provided with basic items such as bedding, towels, personal hygiene products and kitchen equipment, where the child does not have access to such items. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Nylah Homes Leicester 6 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1) (2)(b)(i)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(c)(i)(iii)(iv)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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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;

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Requirement Due date

any relevant research and developments in relation to the way in which the needs of children are best met.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of support review, the registered person must produce a written report setting out the actions the registered person intends to take as a result of that quality of support review.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide a copy of the review report to the CIECSS within 28 days beginning with the day on which the report is completed, and make a copy of it available on request to each child’s accommodating authority. (Regulation 32 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d) (2) (3)) 31 May 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that young people are able to maintain and develop their cultural or religious beliefs as far as practicable and where appropriate, through participation and instruction, and by observing religious requirements, including dress and diet. Staff should support young people in their development of a sense of self and encourage young people to have confidence in their identity, including with respect to cultural, national and linguistic Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Nylah Homes Leicester 7 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Recommendations

backgrounds, religion, LGBT+ identities, and so on. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 39)  The registered person should ensure that they help young people to develop their independence in preparation for adult living while keeping them safe in a homely and nurturing environment. To foster a homely environment, young people should be able to access all shared areas of the setting unless there are specific reasons why this would not be the case. Given the high level of independence of the young people who live in supported accommodation, it is not expected that staff would impose limits on privacy and access, unless confronted with an exceptional circumstance that means these limits are needed temporarily to safeguard the young person or other young people in the setting. Any decisions to limit a young person’s access to any area of the setting, and any modifications to the

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Recommendations

environment of the setting, should be short term and made only where this is intended to safeguard the welfare of a young person or any other person. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual young person’s needs, be properly recorded and be kept under regular review. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 29)  The registered person should ensure that that in addition to how positive behaviour is promoted, records include what happens after any use of restraint in exceptional circumstances. Restraint is only permitted in rare and unforeseen situations where it is the only way to prevent immediate harm or serious damage. It must always be minimal, proportionate and used for the shortest possible time. Staff may require appropriate training, including safe restraint practices where relevant, and must be able to offer timely emotional support to any young person

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Recommendations

who has been restrained. Each incident must be reviewed where possible within 24 hours of the incident, with full and accurate records completed. Within 5 days, the registered person should have spoken with the young person about the incident to agree the accuracy of the report, identify support needs and setting out steps to reduce the likelihood of restraint being required in the future. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, pages 56 and 57)  The registered person should ensure that point-in-time surveys are shared with children. The registered person and staff should work in partnership with relevant people, as appropriate, to ensure that each young person is provided with support to communicate their views, wishes and feelings and participate as fully as possible in all aspects of the service and their support package. This may include the use of and support to use communication aids, equipment and/or any

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Recommendations

necessary language support. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 34) Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Nylah Homes Leicester 8 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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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: Nylah Homes Leicester 9 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Nylah Homes Limited

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Hillary Katiyo

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Inspector

Shelley Chowdhury, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider – monitoring visit: Nylah Homes Leicester 10 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspector

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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