We asked for views on proposed quality standards, administrative requirements and accompanying guidance ahead of regulations being laid to introduce quality standards and registration and inspection requirements for providers of supported accommodation that accommodate looked after children and care leavers aged 16 and 17.
Many respondents agreed that the proposed standards, requirements and guidance covered the right areas. The main themes identified for further consideration covered: qualifications and experience requirements of managers and staff, restraint, the security of young people’s personal space and the use of non-permanent settings. Respondents also suggested some small changes and additions to the guidance to help provide additional clarity.
We will proceed with laying the regulations before parliament in early April 2023, which will implement the new national standards and Ofsted regime. Ofsted will begin registering providers of supported accommodation from 28 April 2023. Registration will become mandatory from 28 October 2023.
The Department for Education is seeking views before regulations are laid that will introduce quality standards and registration and inspection requirements for providers of supported accommodation that accommodates looked after children and care leavers aged 16 and 17. This type of provision is often referred to independent or semi-independent provision, or as ‘unregulated’ provision as it is not currently registered and inspected by Ofsted. This consultation seeks views on:
This consultation invites views on proposals for the new regulations for supported accommodation for looked after children and care leavers aged 16 and 17, and as a result, the changes for providers and local authorities placing children and young people in these settings.
We will use the consultation findings to finalise the regulations, Quality Standards and accompanying guidance. We would like to hear your views on our proposals.
This consultation will be open to the public for six weeks. We have also separately published a version of this consultation aimed directly at care experienced children and young people.
The Department for Education is inviting views through three main sections of this consultation on:
As a supporting document to this consultation, we have included a draft of the ‘Guide to Supported Accommodation Regulations including Quality Standards. This document should be read alongside the consultation.
We have also published a separate version of this consultation, which is aimed at care exeprienced young people and anyone else who wishes to respond. This consultation can be found at: Introducing new rules for supported accommodation providers: children and young people with experience of care - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Please review the attached privacy notice before you proceed to the survey.
We will use the input from this consultation to shape and design the policy decisions before the reforms become law in 2023. We know that these reforms will represent significant change, and we will continue to work closely with the sector following the implementation.
Following the consultation, we will consider the responses received and publish a response in due course, setting out how the final reforms before they are laid in 2023.
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