Dreamss

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Dreamss 1 Dreamss

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

This supported accommodation service is owned and operated by a private provider. The service provides up to 14 group-living premises, which are limited to accommodating looked-after children and care leavers, and 2 single-occupancy premises.

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provider

The provider can accommodate up to 65 children. At the time of the inspection, the service was providing support for 29 children aged 16 and 17. The service manager, who is also the sole director and nominated individual, registered with Ofsted in January 2024.

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This monitoring visit

On 20 March 2026, Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit in response to concerns that the provider was operating outside of their conditions of registration by admitting children to their single-occupancy premises who are not yet ready to safely live alone. Following that monitoring visit, Ofsted issued compliance notices with regards to the leadership and management of the service and the support that children receive. Ofsted also issued a notice restricting accommodation.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the progress made by the provider to meet the compliance notices and to assess compliance with the notice restricting accommodation.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager was not available during the monitoring visit. They appointed the operations manager to lead the inspection. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Dreamss 2 Prior to the monitoring visit, the registered service manager told Ofsted about changes to the use of 5 premises from solo-occupancy premises to group living for looked-after children and care leavers.

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This monitoring visit

At the last inspection, Ofsted reviewed the needs and support arrangements of 7 children living in solo-occupancy premises. Two of these 7 children have moved out of the premises. This inspection focused on the 5 remaining children. Four of these children continue to live in a premises with one member of staff, who is on duty 24 hours a day, in a premises that is now registered as a group-living home for looked- after children and care leavers. One child remains living in a solo-occupancy premises, with a staff member on duty 24 hours a day.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have carried out a review of each child’s needs. These reviews have concluded that all of the children can safely live in a group-living premises with other children. However, these reviews were completed without any consultation with the children or their social workers. Subsequently, two social workers told Ofsted that they are concerned that new children moving into the premises may negatively impact on the child’s stability and progress. The manager’s approach has failed to consider the impact of the changes for all the children. This lack of consideration demonstrates poor understanding about the formal review procedures that are legally required for looked-after children.

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This monitoring visit

When new and emerging risks are identified, they are not always recorded in children’s risk assessments or support plans. For example, one child had been illegally working, and there were strong indicators of exploitation. Although staff dealt with the matter at the time, they failed to record these new concerns in the child’s risk assessment or support plan. As a result, managers cannot be assured that staff are aware of and understand what action they must take to reduce these risks and keep children safe from known harm.

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This monitoring visit

Similarly, staff do not consistently demonstrate a strong knowledge of children’s needs or their individual support plans and risk assessments. For example, staff could not describe the needs of the child as they are recorded in their plan. They could not identify the indicators of child exploitation or describe what action they would take to safeguard children at risk of child exploitation.

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This monitoring visit

The registered service manager has reviewed the statement of purpose and made changes that better reflect the organisation’s conditions of registration and the characteristics of children who they can admit into their service. They describe solo accommodation as being suitable for children who have high levels of independence and require floating support. However, one child who requires a minimum of one-to- one support continues to live in a solo-accommodation premises, and this does not align with the revised statement of purpose.

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This monitoring visit

A new admissions procedure has been implemented and is supported by a matching tool. Collectively, the procedure and the matching tool help the registered service manager to better understand children’s needs before agreeing their placements. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Dreamss 3 Ofsted has been unable to assess the effectiveness of the new procedure due to the notice restricting accommodation. Therefore, this will be kept under review.

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This monitoring visit

When children do not engage with their support, the manager has written a procedure of escalation. The procedure identifies what steps must be taken to ensure that children remain safe and that their support arrangements continue to be appropriate. The procedure requires partnership working with other relevant agencies who support or have responsibilities for the child. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Dreamss 4

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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. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(b)) 7 June 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

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

co-operate with the child’s accommodating authority in agreeing the child’s placement plan or, as the case may be, pathway plan. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(a)(c)(d)) 7 June 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Dreamss 5 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)) 7 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: Dreamss 6

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Cecelia Russell

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Inspectors

Beth Forster, Social Care Inspector Helen Wallis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Dreamss 7 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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