Pronto Homes

08/06/2023

The number of children’s homes run by the private sector is increasing.

To learn more about the involvement of the private sector in children’s homes read our full article - https://bit.ly/45O2VCc - based on Ofsted data

05/06/2023

The influence of the private sector in running children's homes is growing.

To learn more about the involvement of the private sector in children’s homes read our full article - bit.ly/45O2VCc - based on Ofsted data

15/05/2023

Children’s homes - who’s making the money?

According to an Ofsted report, the number of children’s homes in England run by the private sector is on the increase.

Up to April 2022, private children care homes now account for 30,000 places, with the top 21 companies accounting for 42% of all homes.

While there’s an argument that without the involvement of the private sector, local authorities could be overwhelmed and not be able to provide children’s home in sufficient numbers (and quality), we need to be mindful of too much power given to a handful of companies.



One company, CareTech Holdings PLC, accounted for 10% of all private children’s homes. At the other end of scale - single home providers - only account for 13% of children’s homes in the private sector.

In terms of inspection outcomes for privately run children’s homes, here’s how it breaks down.

211 (11%) were graded outstanding
1,327 (66%) were graded good
415 (21%) were graded requires improvement to be good
54 (3%) were graded inadequate

Within homes graded as inadequate, The Guardian’s review of Ofsted reports has uncovered examples of poorly trained staff, chaotic management and a series of incidents that left children’s safety in danger.

There was also a worrying link between those high profits and poor care provided by some large private providers.

Anntoinette Bramble, chair of the Local Government Association’s children and young people board, said: “The Competition and Markets Authority has confirmed our own findings that private equity providers are making extremely high profits and carrying concerning levels of debt that risks the stability of homes for children in care, which is paramount if they are to thrive.”

Our thoughts: While we accept that private provision is part of a balanced portfolio of care provision, it is vital that large providers, especially VC-backed companies, are held to account for significant drops in the quality of care they offer.

Link to Ofsted report - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inspection-outcomes-of-the-largest-childrens-social-care-providers/largest-national-providers-of-private-and-voluntary-social-care-march-2022 -6

10/05/2023

Spending seven months in a noisy hospital must have been a living hell for Molly, an autistic 16-year old.

As this BBC article explains there was no suitable accommodation in the community, and Molly spent over 30 weeks in a side ward in a busy general hospital.

A general hospital is not a mental health unit, and the noise around Molly caused her huge problems and distress.

This is a clear case of there being insufficient focus, and funds, on finding vulnerable people a place in the community.

I hope the full review being called for by Directors of Social Services into children's mental health services is started quickly.

This is a poor use of a general hospital and even worse use of community services.

I hope Molly recovers quickly and follows her dream of going to college.



of children's mental health services.

Experts say it was the wrong place for the 16-year-old, but she had nowhere else to go.

05/05/2023

The situation where local authorities are allowed to place looked after children aged 16 and 17 in “unregulated” accommodation is about to end.

According to The Guardian, about 6,000 children in care are believed to be in unregistered accommodation such as bedsits, shared houses, hostels, and in some cases caravans, boats or barges.

A special investigation by the same newspaper, found examples of where vulnerable young people were housed in shared homes which were being used as a base for distributing and storing drugs.

These homes fell outside Ofsted's compliance and monitoring framework.

Until now.

Last week, Ofsted started accepting registrations for those services who provide accommodation and support for 16-17 year olds. This regulation has been long awaited by many in the sector and will hopefully be a move towards protecting some of our most vulnerable young people.

If you are a supported living provider offering support to young people, OFSTED have released a video to explain these new regulations.

The full regulations are available from OFSTED.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1145117/Guide_to_the_supported_accommodation_regulations_March_2023.pdf

Thanks to Brown of Supported Living Network who’s has summarised the key points

* The Service is registered and not individual addresses, unlike Children’s homes where each property is registered.
* There needs to be (at least) one registered service manager who will have oversight of all addresses and be accountable for standards being met.
* Applications need to be submitted to Ofsted before 27th October this year to be able to continue operating legally. After this date, Local Authorities will be prohibited from placing 16-17 year olds with a provider, unless they have submitted their application.
* Ofsted are encouraging people to apply early.

Another way to digest the new regulations is to watch Lisa Brown’s interview with Brian Smith, a supported living specialist

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Sk46O5CRe8

On a personal note, I am pleased to see the Government act to reduce the potential harm caused by vulnerable young people being housed by our local housing in unsupervised and risky housing.

If you are a supported living provider helping young people, what are your thoughts on these new OFSTED regulations?

04/05/2023

The 5 Best Movies About Changing the World for the Better

The news is often dominated by murders, inflation and people fleeing persecution. But there are lots of stories, often made into films, about people overcoming adversity and helping to make the world a better place.

Here’s five films that have inspired me.

"In 'Pay it Forward', a boy comes up with a plan to make the world a better place by doing nice stuff for people, and it starts a whole chain reaction. It shows that one small act of kindness can go a long way. Haley Joel Osment is the kid and he's really good in it. It's a movie that makes you want to go out and do something nice for someone." - "It may manipulate its audience, but it's so heartfelt and sincere that it doesn't matter." - Roger Ebert

"In 'Freedom Writers', the teacher is all about writing and how it can help you understand other people's struggles. She's basically saying, 'Don't judge a book by its cover.' Hilary Swank plays the teacher and she puts in a great performance. The movie is based on a true story and it's really inspiring. It shows how education can make a difference and how we're all more alike than we think." - "A moving and inspiring drama about the importance of education and the power of tolerance." - Empire Magazine

"The Pursuit of Happyness' shows a dad and his son going through tough times and trying to find a way out. It's all about never giving up and believing in yourself. Will Smith plays the dad and it’s one of my favourite films with him in it. You really feel for him and want him to succeed. It's a great movie that reminds you that no matter what life throws at you, you can still make it. - "Will Smith delivers a knockout performance in this heartwarming tale about the American Dream and the power of perseverance." - Rotten Tomatoes

"In 'The Help', you see these black maids and how they're treated in the 60s. It's hard to watch, but they start speaking out and making a difference. It's all about standing up for what's right and making a change. Emma Stone is in it and she's really good. It's a movie that will make you feel angry, but also hopeful that things can get better." - "Funny, moving, and thought-provoking, The Help is a beautifully crafted film with a strong message about the power of community and the importance of standing up for what's right." - Screen Rant

"In 'It's a Wonderful Life', this man gets to see how his life has affected everyone around him. It's like a reminder that even if you don't think you're doing anything special, you might be making a bigger difference than you know. James Stewart is great in it and the movie is a classic. It's a feel-good movie that will make you appreciate the people in your life." - "Frank Capra's classic is a heartwarming tale that reminds us that every life is important and that even the smallest act of kindness can have a profound impact." - The Guardian



Tell me what films have inspired you

26/04/2023

We offer supported living providers high-quality property; houses that their tenants can call home.

If you are a supported living provider looking to find an ideal home, we have a simple 3-step process

1. Tell us exactly what sort of property you need - size, location, proximity to amenities and adaptations
2. We send sent you a list of suitable properties and you tell us which which one best matches your needs
3. We agree a date when your tenants will be ready to move into their new home

Our service is backed by the unique Pronto Homes’ Guarantee, we promise

* To listen to exactly what you and your prospective tenants need
* To only offer you homes that we’d happily live in
* To charge a fair rent
* To work as quickly and efficiently as possible

Working with Pronto Homes means you can:

* Fulfil your and your organisation’s purpose - to help as many people as possible
* Relax - knowing that you can find homes for people that need them *
* Respond quickly to those who need a home quickly
* Believe you’re making a difference to the lives of a larger number of people
* Secure your and your organisation’s future

And avoid this

* Letting people down who need desperately need your organisation’s help
* Disappointing or even losing your funders

Using Pronto Homes can make a huge difference to you, your tenants and your organisation.

Visit our website to tell us more about the type of property you need for prospective tenants.