Essential Living Care Ltd

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Essential Living Care Ltd 1 Essential Living Care Ltd Registered provider: Essential Living Care Ltd

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

provider

This supported accommodation service is operated by a private provider. It provides 2 group living premises that are limited to looked-after children and care leavers.

p.1

provider

The service can accommodate up to 10 children. Children receive daily support, including access to staff members 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and out-of-hours support.

p.1

provider

At the time of the inspection, 3 children aged 17 years were being accommodated.

p.1

provider

The registered service manager, who is also the nominated individual and one of directors was registered with Ofsted in March 2024.

p.1

provider

Inspection dates: The inspection was announced on 9 June 2026 and started on 10 June 2026. The inspector was on site on 10 and 11 June 2026.

p.1

Outcome

Consistently strong service delivery leads to children having positive experiences and making progress. When improvements are needed, leaders and managers take timely and effective action. The next inspection will be in approximately 3 years.

p.1

Summary of findings

All children have an individualised support plan, which describes their wishes and feelings. Staff are always available and continually respond to children's needs. This has been particularly important for a child who experiences difficulties at night.

p.1

Summary of findings

Children are fully engaged in education. Staff are ambitious for their futures and support children to work towards their goals.

p.1

Summary of findings

Staff have a comprehensive understanding of the children's risk factors. They provide an in-depth analysis of each child based on their individual histories. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Essential Living Care Ltd 2 Managers and staff help children practically and emotionally, providing a safe environment in which children thrive. Leaders and managers are visibly present and know the children and staff well. They provide staff with valuable training, support and supervision to ensure their wellbeing and development. This underpins the positive outcomes that children achieve. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Essential Living Care Ltd 3

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of children

Children experience stability in their lives. The core team of staff have developed strong relationships with children. The children speak fondly of the staff and the support that they provide.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children

Each child has an individualised support plan and risk assessment, which are updated regularly and reflect their progress. Children contribute to topics in key- work sessions.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children

Children's progress is recorded in an independent living skills transition plan, which is regularly reviewed with the placing authority. A social worker said, 'They keep me well informed and provide essential reports in a timely manner to support review meetings and other professional meetings.'

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff prepare children to move on from the service by helping them to learn skills for living adult lives. Staff draw on a range of resources, which are adapted to children's individual needs. The staff are proud of children's accomplishments.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff respond to the requests from children raised during key-work sessions and house meetings. The children are encouraged to express their wishes and feelings and are happy with the responses from staff. One professional said that children's voices are captured and actioned. For example, the request for a quiet, sensory space has been achieved by splitting a large room.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children

Children are encouraged to spend time with people who are important to them. Staff understand the importance of faith and culture. Children have been supported by staff from specialist organisations to locate and re-establish contact with family members and faith communities. This promotes their individual identities and cultural backgrounds. Children who are separated from their families and country of origin feel understood by the staff team. Staff use different forms of communication with children whose first language is not English. Children have said that they are happy with the support they receive.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff demonstrate an understanding of children's past trauma. They respond to children's psychological needs by accessing specialist services and providing practical solutions.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children

Children expressed pride in their bedrooms and shared accommodation, which are personalised and homely. Staff have supported children to decorate their bedrooms with religious icons to support and reflect their faith. Children have a study area to use in the lounge with a computer and Wi-Fi throughout the house. This supports their education and learning. They can work in private in their own bedrooms. A separate garden room provides leisure and fitness facilities to promote physical and social wellbeing. Each child has been provided a bicycle to access the local community and attend college. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Essential Living Care Ltd 4 Each child is registered with a local doctor, dentist and other primary healthcare services. Staff liaise with specialist services to advocate for the children's needs, such as children and adolescent mental health services.

p.3

How well children are helped and protected

Each child has their own, personalised support plan and risk assessment. There is some variation in quality; however, the examples clearly reflect the child.

p.4

How well children are helped and protected

Time has been taken to consider the breadth of potential contextual safeguarding concerns that could impact each child. Requirements of how staff should support and respond to children are clear to support children's wellbeing.

p.4

How well children are helped and protected

Children know that they can speak to their key-worker staff about any needs or concerns. They know how to complain. Children's views and needs are detailed in the key-worker sessions, which are regular and structured.

p.4

How well children are helped and protected

A return home interview was organised following a missing-from-home episode, which enabled the child to discuss the circumstances of their decision-making for going missing and reduce future risk.

p.4

How well children are helped and protected

Children are supported from the point they arrive to engage in education through online learning until they progress to suitable college courses. Children have achieved 100% attendance, which has been recognised and celebrated.

p.4

How well children are helped and protected

Each child was able to describe their hopes for future careers and the steps needed to get there. For example, one child wishes to get a provisional licence to learn to drive and then pursue a career in driving an industrial vehicle.

p.4

How well children are helped and protected

Staff are empathic about children's experiences of trauma, having drawn from and applied the training they received. This allows them to analyse and respond to children's behaviours.

p.4

How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers implement safe recruitment practices to ensure that suitable applicants are employed. This reflects their commitment to the safety and wellbeing of children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have good oversight of the service. Both directors play a full and active role in the service. They are child focused and have a clear understanding of children's vulnerabilities.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

There has been a stable staff team for over a year. This stability has supported children to develop close relationships with managers and staff. This includes a stable management team. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Essential Living Care Ltd 5 The staff have opportunities for development, resulting in increased knowledge and skills to support children. This means that staff feel valued and it helps them to provide consistency for the children. One member of staff said:

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

'The management team regularly provided me with constructive feedback, conducted check-ins during transition periods, and clearly identified areas where I could further develop. At the same time, they acknowledged and praised my strengths, which helped build my confidence and motivation.'

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers describe positive joint working with other professionals involved with the children. One professional said:

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

'They work effectively as part of the professional network in implementing care plans and approved resources to achieve positive outcomes for the young people they support. They are initiative-taking in meeting the needs of the young people in their care.'

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have demonstrated their commitment to using feedback to improve the accommodation. This includes the supervision of children, health and safety and decision-making.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The decision-making process regarding placements is detailed. It includes information from all relevant parties, with clear consideration of the needs of children and the impact on existing children. This ensures that children can live alongside one another safely.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The properties are well maintained. There is a clear process for children and staff to raise any issues. Repairs are carried out in a timely manner to provide a safe, homely environment for children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The nominated individual who is also the registered service manager has not always taken their own supervision needs seriously. There was a six-month period during which they did not receive supervision. More recently, supervision has been monthly with an appropriate person. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Essential Living Care Ltd 6

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should have systems in place so that they receive supervision of their practice from a suitably skilled and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the young people accommodated in the setting. In particular, the registered service manager's supervision should take place regularly and the supervision notes should provide specific updates about the children and the support provided to the management and staff during significant incidents. ('Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards', page 51)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the supported accommodation provider's policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual young people in a way that does not stigmatise and distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information

p.6

Recommendations

about the young person must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the young person. The registered person should ensure that there is consistency in recording across the records kept for all young people. ('Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards', page 58)

p.6

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: Essential Living Care Ltd 7

p.6

Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Essential Living Care Ltd

p.7

Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: 6th Floor, Amp House, Dingwall Road, Croyden CR0 2LX

p.7

Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Kevin Jongou

p.7

Supported accommodation provider details

Email address: info@essentiallivingcare.co.uk

p.7

Inspector

Clare Hannah, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Essential Living Care Ltd 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8