With the first of Ofsted’s Supported Accommodation Inspections due to commence in September, now is an important time for providers to ensure that they are prepared. As Ofsted have navigated the tricky initial registration process, it has become apparent that they are clarifying their expectations of supported accommodation services.

Inspections

Ofsted will not be inspected in order of registration as that would make it too easy to anticipate when an inspection would be due. Instead, they will be relying upon various sources to assess risk and initially visit a wide range of services.

Two days’ notice will be given in advance of a physical inspection. The inspection commences at the point of this announcement.

A timetable will be agreed and the lead inspector will call the provider to make arrangements and ask any initial questions. It is likely that prior to the site visit, relevant professionals will be contacted and possibly the young people living at the service if they have indicated that they are happy to speak with Ofsted.

If there is nobody under 18 living at the service, it is likely that Ofsted would postpone the inspection. This is one of the reasons why the initial information is gathered, prior to any site visit.

At the verbal feedback, a provisional outcome is supplied. There should be no surprises when a draft report is issued. This should be within 18 working days of the inspection. The provider is given the opportunity to put in factual accuracy comments and then the final report is published.

Outcomes

Ofsted will be using a three outcome model which is a departure from the majority of the inspections under the Social Care Common Inspection Framework (SCCIF).

Outcome 1

Outcome 1 is described as “Consistently strong service delivery leads to typically positive experiences and progress for children. Where improvements are needed, leaders and managers take timely and effective action.”

Where this outcome is awarded the next inspection will be within approximately 3 years.

Outcome 2

Outcome 2 is described as “Inconsistent quality of service delivery adversely affects some children’s experiences, and this may limit their progress. Leaders and managers must make improvements”.

Where this outcome is awarded, the next inspection will be within approximately 18 months.

Outcome 3

Outcome 3 is described as “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”

In circumstances where Outcome 3 is awarded, then the next inspection will be in approximately 6 months.

Ofsted have said that there is no cap on how many providers will be awarded a certain outcome. They also have made it clear that they expect commissioners will still place with services awarded outcome 2.

Evaluation Criteria

On a recent training session that Ofsted put on, it was stressed that the professional judgement of the inspectors will be relied upon. They will be using the evaluation criteria as the benchmarks against which to grade the services. Inspectors will have to take a best fit approach. They will be taking into consideration the size of the provider and the different service types within the sector.

The Ofsted guidance, last updated in April 2024 can be found here. It sets out the evaluation criteria in detail. There is a strong focus on the overall experience and progress of children, how well children are helped and protected and the effectiveness of leaders and managers.

Who do we expect to see in Supported Accommodation services?

We have assisted numerous providers who have been caught up in the registration of supported accommodation services and have been issued with notices of proposals to refuse registration. A common theme amongst these has been a lack of understanding of the supported accommodation regulations. In practice, we have seen disagreements about whether a supported accommodation placement is suitable for an individual.

Ofsted have taken great pains to stress that they expect to see only 16 or 17 year olds in supported accommodation. It is illegal for children under 16 to be in supported accommodation services. They do not envisage supported accommodation services to be suitable for anyone with high or complex needs. They will be looking at whether any methods are used to restrict the individual’s liberty, whether any care is provided, what the staffing ratios are and the nature of the needs.

Children should have high levels of independence. It is accepted that of course supported accommodation services should be caring and progress will not be linear or straightforward. On balance, the support provided should be lessening and encouraging independence.

Ofsted’s position is that if the child is not ready for supported accommodation at the time of the referral, then the providers should not accept the placements. It has been stressed that if care is provided, the service should be registered as a children’s home.

Conclusion

As always providers should primarily focus on making sure that they are clear about the regulations and the quality standards. The guidance issued by Ofsted can be found here. If this is followed,  providers should achieve good outcomes at inspections. However, it would not be surprising if teething problems occur with the initial inspections and it takes some time to settle in to inspections of a new service type.  Should providers find themselves seeking support around the inspection process, the Health and Social Care team at Gordons Partnership would be happy to assist.

 

About the Author

Lucy Bowker

Lucy Bowker

Solicitor

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Lucy is a regulatory lawyer acting for health and social care providers within the firm’s Health and Social Care Department. Clients include care homes for adults, domiciliary care agencies, children’s homes, nurseries, childminders, Pre-schools and independent hospitals.