London's Assisted Semi-independent Housing Alliance

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: London’s Assisted Semi-independent Housing Alliance 1 London’s Assisted Semi- independent Housing Alliance Registered provider: London’s Assisted Semi-independent Housing Alliance

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

provider

This service registered with Ofsted on 4 December 2023 and is owned and managed by a private provider. It offers accommodation for up to 9 children and young people in 2 ring-fenced shared premises.

p.1

provider

At the time of the inspection, the service was providing support for 3 children aged 16 and 17.

p.1

provider

This is the first inspection the service has received.

p.1

provider

The service manager registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

p.1

provider

Inspection dates: The inspection was announced on 15 June 2026 and started that day. The inspector was on site on 17 and 18 June 2026.

p.1

Outcome

Consistently strong service delivery leads to typically positive experiences and progress for children. Where improvements are needed, leaders and managers take timely and effective action. The next inspection will be within approximately 3 years.

p.1

Summary of findings

Children take pride in where they live and develop positive relationships with a team of staff who greatly enjoy spending time with them. Children report feeling a sense of belonging and acceptance in their homes.

p.1

Summary of findings

Children are supported by a consistent, stable and dedicated team of staff who are passionate about their work. As a result, children make good progress towards developing their independent living skills. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: London’s Assisted Semi-independent Housing Alliance 2 Children are safeguarded well, and staff ensure that children’s safety is paramount. Staff are trained to identify risks and work closely with other professionals and agencies to ensure that children are safe.

p.1

Summary of findings

Staff speak about children with pride and warmth. Staff help children move on to independence, and, where appropriate, relationships continue after they have moved, with young people maintaining contact and celebrating adulthood milestones with staff.

p.2

Summary of findings

The registered service manager brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and enthusiasm to the role. They are a resilient leader whose proactive and creative outlook motivates children and staff to do their best.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children

Children thrive in nurturing home environments where dedicated staff ensure that they receive personalised support based on their unique interests and needs. One child commented, ‘It doesn’t feel like accommodation, it feels like a home.’ Another child said that staff have helped them to become more confident and independent and described feeling ‘listened to, respected and genuinely cared for’. The provider’s commitment to providing caring and effective support enables children to settle, relax and develop a sense of belonging and community.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff prioritise ensuring that children develop the skills they need to successfully transition to independence. An independent living skills booklet, designed with input from young people, ensures that children know their strengths and areas for development. Targeted direct work sessions, structured around each child’s individual needs, help children feel motivated and engaged. Batch cooking sessions were introduced for children who want quick healthy meals throughout the week without daily preparation. The provider also funds for staff to cook with children in the home on a regular basis to further promote competency and cohesion.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff are ambitious for children’s future and prioritise children participating in education, training or employment. Several children who were not in education when they moved in are now attending college. Staff uses creative approaches to help children explore career options and pursue their interests. For example, an anime-style booklet on potential apprenticeships was created for children to help build interest in potential training opportunities.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children

Children are encouraged to spend time with family members and friends who are important to them. Children take pride in where they are living, and, as a result, they often have visitors to their home. This ensures that staff get to know children’s friends and allows children to socialise in a safe space. Children are also supported to participate in activities they enjoy, such as dance classes and attending the gym. One child said, ‘I’m happy here, it’s nice. The people are respectful, everything’s clean, and they are supporting me really well.’ Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: London’s Assisted Semi-independent Housing Alliance 3 Children have access to healthcare services and are registered with a GP, dentist and optician soon after moving in. Leaders and managers are proactive in ensuring that children with additional health concerns are well supported. Medical alert cards and

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children

emergency alarms are immediately put in place when the need arises, and staff work closely with medical professionals to ensure that children are safe.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children

Children receive targeted support in many aspects of their lives, including education, personal safety, health and independent living skills. One member of staff said, ‘Ensuring that young people are cared for, acknowledged and supported is always at the forefront of the service.’ Children are well supported to move on from this service. Some children have the option to move to one of the provider’s 18+ services to continue their journey towards independence with known and trusted staff, and this provides ongoing continuity into adulthood. A staff member commented, ‘Young people drop by to say hello or contact us by phone or text message to share updates about their world since leaving our care. You get a sense they are feeling fulfilled.’

p.3

How well children are helped and protected

All children say they feel safe in their home and community. There is a consistent team of staff, many of whom have worked with the provider for several years and are committed to building meaningful relationships with children. One staff member commented, ‘Our relationship-building with young people is second to none.’ Children can identify a staff member they could speak to if needed, and one child described staff as ‘brilliant’. Due to the relationships children build with staff, one therapist noted that a child’s progress in the home has been ‘really transformative’.

p.3

How well children are helped and protected

Serious incidents in the home are rare. When incidents occur, managers and staff work closely with other professionals to ensure that children are safeguarded effectively. Staff are aware of children’s known and potential risks and receive relevant training in safeguarding and trauma-informed practice to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to support children. This training, combined with staff’s focus on building trusting relationships, creates a safety net for children. As a result, risks such as grooming, exploitation and going missing from home have decreased.

p.3

How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers regularly review risk assessments to ensure that children can grow and develop in safe ways. For example, the service risk assessed children’s access to knives in the kitchen to support their growing independence. Replacing standard knives with safer, round-headed alternatives benefits children by enabling them to practise necessary life skills, such as cooking and using appropriate tools, and it conveys a sense of trust.

p.3

How well children are helped and protected

Safer recruitment practices are robust. The managers and leaders have implemented an extensive induction and ongoing training programme to ensure that staff have the necessary skills, experience and resources to best support every child. There have been no allegations made against staff since registration. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: London’s Assisted Semi-independent Housing Alliance 4

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The roles of nominated individual and registered service manager are held by the same person. They are a highly experienced, knowledgeable and dynamic leader who ensures that there is a dedicated, well-trained staff team to provide effective and nurturing support to children. They also ensure that there is a strong focus on safeguarding and supporting children to learn independent living skills.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers are focused on establishing a culture where staff demonstrate professional curiosity and work creatively to support children’s individual needs. One member of staff commented that managers ‘give staff the space to bring forward ideas for improvement when needed’. Staff are actively encouraged to put forward ideas for engaging with children. This creates an atmosphere where all staff are motivated to support children to the best of their ability.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered service manager has been resourceful in setting up a practice education scheme with a university for student social workers to do their placement. This has allowed for the sharing of practice around supported accommodation and brings fresh ideas from student social workers who are highly inquisitive and enthusiastic to support children on their journey towards independence.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Reflective supervision takes place regularly and focuses on staff wellbeing, professional development and children’s progress. Staff are appropriately challenged about their practice when necessary and receive support to make improvements. Annual appraisals set clear goals and objectives for the coming year. However, staff appraisals do not include feedback from the children, colleagues and other professionals.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The management team is approachable and team oriented. It promotes the importance of staff cohesion. One member of staff said, ‘Although we often work on a lone-working basis, support and guidance are always available. Our team is close- knit and approachable, and there is always someone to call if needed.’ Another staff member said that the team works collaboratively, communicates openly, and maintains a unified focus on achieving the best possible outcomes for all the young people. They continued, ‘Our focus remains on providing a stable, caring environment where young people feel safe, valued, and empowered to move forward.’ Due to the coherent and consistent workforce, children experience consistency in the support they receive. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: London’s Assisted Semi-independent Housing Alliance 5

p.4

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff appraisals take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and young people in the setting. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 51)

p.5

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: London’s Assisted Semi-independent Housing Alliance 6

p.5

Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: London’s Assisted Semi-independent Housing Alliance

p.6

Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Lashaleah Nicely

p.6

Inspector

Julie Cresswell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: London’s Assisted Semi-independent Housing Alliance 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.

p.6

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.7

Inspector

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

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7