Avantis Living

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Avantis Living 1 Avantis Living Registered provider: Avantis Living Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

A private provider operates this supported accommodation service. It offers accommodation in 4 properties registered to deliver supported accommodation in a shared or group living situation in premises used to accommodate looked-after children or care leavers. The registration also includes premises that are not limited to accommodating looked-after children and care leavers.

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provider

At the time of this inspection, 5 looked-after children or care leavers were using this service.

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provider

The organisation and the service manager registered with Ofsted in July 2025. The registered service manager had stepped down from the nominated individual position at the time of the last monitoring visit. The current nominated individual has not submitted an application to Ofsted.

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provider

Inspection dates: The inspection was announced on 15 June 2026 and started that day. The inspectors were on site from 17 to 19 June 2026.

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Outcome

Serious or widespread weaknesses lead to significant concerns about the experiences and progress of children. Leaders and managers must take urgent action to address failings. The next inspection will be within approximately 6 months.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers have made decisions to admit children whose assessed needs at the point of referral are not within the scope of The Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023. This practice has significantly increased risks of harm to children. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Avantis Living 2 Children’s support plans contain inaccurate and misleading information that indicates they have made more progress than they have. Children’s social workers may unknowingly use this false information to make decisions for children that place them at risk of harm.

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Summary of findings

Poor internal management monitoring systems mean that leaders and managers are unable to identify service shortfalls and regulatory breaches. Leaders and managers remain too slow to take effective action to protect children from harm or to improve the quality of the service. Children are at risk of harm because of this continuing failure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children’s experiences and progress have continued to be mixed since the last inspection. At least one child is now at a greater risk of significant harm. This is because leaders and managers have made decisions to admit children whose assessed needs at the point of referral are not within the scope of the regulations. Staff do not have the skills, knowledge, qualifications or experience to respond effectively to these children’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children’s support plans do not provide sufficient information about the children. There is no background history about the children and the language used in the plans is not always child friendly. Not all staff understand the children’s contextual histories or their individual progress. These gaps in staff knowledge raise significant concerns about how children’s support needs are being met when staff do not know their history or backgrounds.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children are not consistently involved in the development of their support plans. This does not provide children with sufficient autonomy over their support, nor does it give them a voice. Furthermore, inaccurate and misleading information in children’s support plans indicate that they have made more progress than they have. This sets children up to fail.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Despite Ofsted previously issuing a compliance notice in relation to the quality of the accommodation, some premises still fall significantly below the required standards. Not all accommodation provides children with a clean, well-maintained and risk-free environment. For example, at one of the premises, the child had no bedding on their bed, their room had a strong odour of cannabis and there was evidence of them smoking in the bedroom. The removal of the fire detection in this room is a serious fire risk. Similarly, health and safety concerns identified at this property include a large number of combustible items stored very close to ignition sources. The rear garden at a second child’s accommodation had a poorly maintained rear yard, broken fence panels and a left-over fountain from a structure at the end of the garden. These issues had not been identified or rectified.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff encourage children to participate in education and employment opportunities. Leaders’ and managers’ relationship with the virtual school is helping some children to overcome barriers to achieving their goals, although the outcomes are variable. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Avantis Living 3

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How well children are helped and protected

Children’s risks are not effectively managed. Specifically, the risk screening tool does not correctly reflect some of the children’s known risks. Some risks relate to different topics, such as a child’s sexual activities at the age of consent being associated with exploitation. This raises concerns about staff’s understanding of these topics and how they mitigate children’s risks. Furthermore, children’s emerging risks are not included in their risk assessments. Leaders, managers and staff lack professional curiosity about the risk of exploitation that some children may face. These deficits in safeguarding practice place children at risk of harm.

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How well children are helped and protected

Although some staff have an understanding of the protocol to follow when a child goes missing, the absence of advocacy for children to stay with safe and vetted family members has meant that their time away is recorded as unauthorised absences. This creates a misleading risk profile for some children. Similarly, the failure to escalate concerns for children with known and significant vulnerabilities, missing for several days at a time and categorised as unauthorised absence, places them at substantial risk. This raises concerns about leaders’ and managers’ understanding of their duty to safeguard children in conjunction with placing authorities and social workers.

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How well children are helped and protected

Not all staff have a well-informed understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities, specifically the allegations management process. Staff are not aways able to effectively communicate with children to keep them safe. Also, language barriers from staff could lead to miscommunication with children, management and stakeholders. Staff lack clarity in relation to their roles and responsibilities when supporting children and protecting them from harm.

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How well children are helped and protected

Although staff have not restrained children, the warning system to manage behavioural concerns are not always used proportionately. Incident reports focus on the needs of the staff, and the manager does not consistently consider the impact on children.

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How well children are helped and protected

Recruitment practices are not safe. The manager does not explore gaps in applicants’ employment history. Interviews do not explore applicants’ safeguarding skills or knowledge regarding what they would need to do to support children who might be in supported accommodation. This poor practice could expose children to unsuitable adults who may cause them harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that only children who are ready to live in supported accommodation, and have the skills to do so, are admitted to the service. Consequently, staff are working with vulnerable children despite lacking the skills or experience to do so, and in situations which fall outside the scope of the regulations. This practice increases the risk of harm to children. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Avantis Living 4 The current statement of purpose is misleading about the availability of premises and the location of operation. The therapeutic model of support outlined in the statement of purpose exceeds the expertise of the staff team. The information used to describe the category of registration is confusing as it does not match the wording of the regulations. Some of the language used to describe the children who can be offered a service is not appropriate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff do not receive an induction. There is no detailed information in relation to a review of their capabilities at the probation review. Staff training is mostly online. Leaders and managers do not satisfy themselves that staff have the level of skills and knowledge required to keep children safe and adhere to the policies and procedures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The majority of the requirements raised at the previous inspection have not been met. The registered service manager fails to consider the risks to children or evaluate their progress during staff supervisions. Where the registered service manager identifies shortfalls in staff’s responses to incidents, he does not identify the steps needed to address these.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered service manager’s failure to notify Ofsted about serious incidents significantly undermines Ofsted’s ability to monitor how leaders and managers respond to incidents and how they carry out their safeguarding responsibilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Children’s case records do not include consistently accurate information about the statutory provision under which the child is accommodated. Children’s ethnicity and cultural and linguistic background is not recorded. Information regarding those family members who children can spend time with, and any restrictions imposed, is not completed in the support plans. The children’s register does not provide the details of the address that each child or adult has moved to when they leave the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered service manager has failed to submit a review report to Ofsted, as required, since the service was registered in July 2025. This does not assure Ofsted how leaders and managers fulfil their responsibilities to monitor safe and effective service delivery. Furthermore, the registered service manager’s electronic recording system and management monitoring systems continue to impede the effective oversight of the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders’ and managers’ capacity to improve is flawed by their continued failure to address the deficits identified at previous inspections and monitoring visits and detailed in previous compliance notices. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Avantis Living 5

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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

lead and manage the supported accommodation undertaking in a way that is consistent with the ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the undertaking’s statement of purpose;

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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

implement recruitment practices that ensure staff are suitable to work with children and to keep them safe from harm (13);

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Requirement Due date

ensure that arrangements are in place to manage referrals of children to the supported accommodation undertaking and admissions of children to premises used as supported accommodation, including, where relevant, emergency referrals and admissions;

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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)(a)(c)(e)(f)(g))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must review the statement of purpose to ensure that it is a suitable and accurate reflection of the service delivery. The registered person must ensure that staff supervision provides depth in the discussions and reflections about children. The registered person must ensure that staff receive an induction and a 30 August 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Avantis Living 6 thorough probation process, and that they can demonstrate full competence to support and safeguard children. The registered person must ensure that any shortfalls in staff practice are promptly addressed.

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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—

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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. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(b)(viii)(ix)) 30 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify the CIECSS and any relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation or child criminal exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child and the registered person considers that incident to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

any other individuals or organisations who or which have been notified;

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter; is made or confirmed in writing. 30 August 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Avantis Living 7 (Regulation 27 (3)(a)(b)(f) (4)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation or any other harm, and act to reduce such risk;

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Requirement Due date

work collaboratively with children to help them understand how to keep safe, by offering guidance and support on how to minimise any potential risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the relevant roles and responsibilities assigned to them by the registered person in relation to protecting children. (Regulation 5 (2)(f)(ii)(iii)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children who go missing and may be exposed to exploitation receive appropriate support and guidance to keep safe. The registered person must advocate for children to ensure that they can stay with safe and vetted people and avoid being reported as an unauthorised absent person. The registered person must ensure that all staff understand the allegations management processes, update children’s emerging risks in their written plans and communicate effectively with children to safeguard them. 30 August 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

in the event that the registered person or a member of staff considers that an accommodating authority or a relevant person is failing to provide the support set out in a child’s relevant plans, make representations, or, as the case may be, 30 August 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Avantis Living 8 enable staff to make representations, to the accommodating authority or relevant person with a view to ensuring that the child’s needs are met. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(a)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s support plans set out full and accurate information about individual children and the children’s exact progress.

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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)) 30 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) in relation to each child accommodated by the supported accommodation undertaking which— include the information and documents listed in Schedule 2, are kept up to date. (Regulation 24 (a)(b)) 30 August 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Avantis Living 9 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.

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Requirement Due date

A record in the form of a register showing in respect of each child—

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the child ceased to be accommodated in the premises;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s address immediately before being accommodated in the premises;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s address on leaving the premises. (Regulation 25 (2)(b)(c) Schedule 3 (1)(c)(d)) 30 August 2026

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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: Avantis Living 10

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Avantis Living Limited

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Alhassan Osmann

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Inspectors

Jacqueline Malcolm, Social Care Inspector Beth Forster, Social Care Inspector Laura Grundy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Avantis Living 11 and inspects 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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