Ofsted is set to provide essential oversight of supported
accommodation for children in care and care leavers aged 16 to
17.
Supported accommodation refers to housing and support for looked
after children and care leavers aged 16 to 17, which enables them
to live semi-independently. Until now, this type of provision has
had no independent scrutiny, potentially leaving children at risk
in unsafe or unsuitable accommodation, including caravans and
boats. Regulation and inspection will provide crucial oversight
of the sector, and will assess whether accommodation is safe and
meets children’s individual needs.
Last month, the government published new quality
standards that providers of supported accommodation must
meet. Under new regulations, providers will need to submit
applications to register with Ofsted by 28 October 2023. After
this date it will be an offence to provide supported
accommodation without having a registration application accepted
as complete.
Today, Ofsted has published
guidance to support providers with their applications.
The guidance sets out in detail the registration process,
including the evidence required from applicants and how Ofsted
will assess the suitability of relevant individuals. Applications
will start to be accepted from 28 April.
Ofsted will consult on proposals for the new inspection
methodology in summer 2023 and will run pilot inspections in the
autumn. Inspections of supported accommodation will begin in
April 2024.
Yvette Stanley, National Director Regulation and Social Care:
I am really pleased that we are taking this first step in the
regulation of supported accommodation. Supported accommodation
can be the right fit for some older looked after children and
care leavers who are ready for independence and need varying
levels of support. But for too long there hasn’t been any
independent oversight of this diverse and growing sector, and the
quality of supported accommodation remains far too variable.
We are committed to getting the regulatory balance right. We will
act sensibly and proportionally, but we will always have high
expectations for children. Supported accommodation should be
caring, kind and nurturing. We will continue to engage with
children, young people, providers and others as we develop our
proposals for inspection.
