Introduction to supported accommodation
What providers need to know about registering with Ofsted and running or closing a supported accommodation service.
Applies to England
From 28 April 2023, supported accommodation providers in England will be able to register with Ofsted.
It will be illegal for a supported accommodation provider to operate if they have not submitted a complete application which has been accepted by 28 October 2023.
Who should register
According to regulations, you are a supported accommodation provider if you accommodate a child aged 16 or 17 years old who has been placed by a local authority under section 22C(6)(d) or 23B(8)(b) of the Children Act 1989.
This means you need to register as a supported accommodation provider if a local authority has either:
- placed a looked after child in an ‘other arrangements’ placement, or
- placed a care leaver in ‘suitable accommodation’
One organisation must act as the registered provider. The placing local authority and the organisation that the local authority commissions to provide accommodation and/or support may need to discuss who will take responsibility to meet the standards as the registered provider and make a complete application to Ofsted by 28 October 2023.
Once you are registered, you must comply with the required standards and regulations as part of running a supported accommodation service.
We may carry out monitoring visits if we have any concerns about your service. We will carry out routine graded inspections from April 2024.
Providers that do not need to register
You do not need to register as a supported accommodation provider if you offer one of the following types of provision:
- a care home
- an institution in the further education sector – as defined by section 91(3) of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992
- a 16 to 19 academy – as defined by section 1B of the Academies Act 2010
- a hospital – as defined by section 275(1) of the National Health Service Act 2006
- a residential family centre
- a school providing accommodation that is not registered as a children’s home
- a holiday scheme for disabled children – as defined by regulation 2(1) of the Residential Holiday Schemes for Disabled Children (England) Regulations 2013
Categories of supported accommodation
There are 4 categories of supported accommodation. When you register your service, you need to tell us which categories you want to offer.
Once you are registered, you cannot offer a different category to those listed on your certificate of registration. If you want to offer new categories, you must either:
- apply to change the conditions of your registration, or
- run the new categories as a separate service
If you choose to run them as a separate service, you must register the new service.
Single occupancy
This accommodation is designed for the sole use of the child placed there. Others may live there with the child, for example their partner, sibling or children, if that is in the child’s individual care plan.
Under legislation, and on your registration certificate, this will be referred to as:
‘Supported accommodation in a self-contained unit, where the accommodation is for the sole use of the child or for the child and other individuals living with the child as agreed by the accommodating authority or the supported accommodation undertaking’.
Ring-fenced shared accommodation
This accommodation is for looked after children and care leavers only. There may be care leavers over the age of 18 living at the accommodation. Each child will have their own bedroom, but will share communal areas (for example, a kitchen or a living area).
Under legislation, and on your registration certificate, this will be referred to as:
‘Supported accommodation in a shared or group living situation in premises used to accommodate only looked after children and care leavers’.
Shared accommodation (non-ring-fenced)
Looked after children and care leavers aged 16 to 17 may be living in this accommodation with other people who are not care-experienced and aged over 18. Each child will have their own bedroom, but will share communal areas (for example, a kitchen or a living area).
Under legislation, and on your registration certificate, this will be referred to as:
‘Supported accommodation in a shared or group living situation in premises which are not limited to accommodating looked after children and care leavers’.
Accommodation in a private residence, such as supported lodgings
Children are accommodated in a private residence. This is accommodation hosted by an individual (or individuals), such as supported lodgings.
Under legislation, and on your registration certificate, this will be referred to as:
‘Supported accommodation provided by an individual or individuals in a private residence which is the main residence of that individual or those individuals’.
There are 3 different types of provider.
A supported accommodation service can apply to be registered for one or more categories of accommodation. The service can cover a small or large geographical area.
Every supported accommodation service must be registered separately. You do not have to register each premises separately for supported accommodation.
The registration process
You must register your supported accommodation service. This applies whether you are a provider we already know about, or a provider that is new to us.
The registration process assesses your fitness to provide a supported accommodation service. If we register you, we will continue to check that you meet fitness requirements through regular inspections and other regulatory activity.
Registering involves completing 2 forms:
- ‘Apply to register a children’s social care service’ (SC1)
- ‘Connect to a children’s social care service’ (SC2)
The SC1 form is about the provider and the service. The SC2 form is about individuals with specific roles of responsibility in the service.
You will need one SC1 form for the service and one SC2 form for each person who has a role of responsibility.
The people who need to complete the SC1 and SC2 forms will depend on the type of organisation you are.
See our guidance on applying to register and the SC1 form.
See our guidance on connecting to a supported accommodation service and the SC2 form.
Your application cannot move to the next stage of the registration process until we have received the SC1 form, all SC2 forms and your registration fee.
Running a supported accommodation service
Once you are registered, you must:
- keep to the conditions of your registration and comply with the relevant regulations, such as the Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023
- report certain changes in your service, or in the people with roles of responsibility
- report serious incidents
- pay a yearly fee to maintain your registration
We will carry out monitoring visits and inspections.
Conditions of your registration
When you register, you will be given conditions of registration. These include the categories of supported accommodation you are registered for.
It is against the law not to meet your conditions of registration, and you must only operate the categories of supported accommodation you are registered for. You must make sure that these continue to reflect the service you offer and your statement of purpose.
Reporting changes to your service, or to the people who have roles of responsibility
You have a legal obligation to tell us if:
- there are changes to the people in your service
- there are changes to your premises
- there are changes to your statement of purpose
- there are changes of legal entity
- there are changes to your financial situation
- you take over an existing service (including buying a franchise)
Find out how to report these changes to your service, including when you must report them.
People with roles of responsibility
The guidance on reporting changes to your supported accommodation service explains what changes you must tell us about, including name changes, and new joiners and leavers.
Reporting serious incidents
You have a legal obligation to notify us of serious incidents, as set out in the regulations.
Annual fees
From 2024, you must pay an annual fee to maintain your registration. The fee amount will be reviewed every year by the Department for Education (DfE). We will publish the agreed fee in 2024, once the DfE has set it.
Monitoring visits and inspections
For the first year, between April 2023 and April 2024, we may carry out monitoring visits of registered providers if serious concerns are raised with us. You can read more about how we regulate social care services, and what we may do if a provider is not following the regulations, in our enforcement policy.
In Autumn 2023, we will consult on the inspection framework.
From April 2024, we will regularly carry out graded inspections and monitoring visits.
Closing your supported accommodation service
You can choose to close one or more individual premises without closing your service completely. Read our guidance on reporting changes to your supported accommodation service.
If you decide to close your supported accommodation service down completely, you must apply to cancel your registration.
You should apply in writing at least 3 months before the date you want the cancellation to take effect.
We may call you when we receive your application to cancel your registration, to confirm the information you have provided. In some situations, we may refuse to cancel your registration. Find out more in our social care enforcement policy.
If we agree to cancel a registration, you must return the registration certificate by the agreed date of cancellation.
If you are applying to cancel your registration because you are selling the service, or another provider is taking over, read the next steps in our guidance on reporting changes to your supported accommodation service.
Help
Email SC.suppacc@ofsted.gov.uk
If you need a paper version of the SC1 or SC2 form please email sc.admin@ofsted.gov.uk.
Regulations and requirements
Department for Education guidance on providing supported accommodation for children and young people.