Supported Accommodation for Young People (SAYP) provides accommodation and support for young people aged 16-17 who are looked after or care leavers. Since October 2023, all providers of supported accommodation for this age group must be registered with Ofsted.
Who needs to register?
Any organisation or individual providing accommodation and support to looked-after children or care leavers aged 16-17 must register with Ofsted. This includes:
- Semi-independent living providers
- Supported lodgings providers
- Staying put arrangements
- Shared houses and flats
Step 1: Understand the quality standards
Before applying, providers must be familiar with the Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 and the Quality Standards. These cover the following areas:
- The quality and purpose of care standard
- The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard
- The education standard
- The enjoyment and achievement standard
- The health and well-being standard
- The positive relationships standard
- The protection of children standard
- The leadership and management standard
- The care planning standard
Step 2: Appoint a Registered Service Manager
Every supported accommodation service must have a Registered Service Manager (RSM) who is responsible for the day-to-day management of the service. The RSM must have at least 2 years of experience working in a relevant setting and ideally hold a Level 5 qualification in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare.
Step 3: Prepare your documents
As part of the application, providers must submit a range of documents, including:
- Statement of Purpose
- Location Risk Assessment
- Young Person’s Guide
- Safeguarding Policy
- Complaints Policy
- Missing Child Policy
- Behaviour Management Policy
- Emergency Contingency Plan
- Equalities Policy
ClouDoc provides all of these documents as part of our Supported Accommodation for Young People package.
Step 4: Complete the Ofsted application forms
The application involves completing two forms: SC1 (Apply to register a children’s social care service) and SC2 (Connect to a children’s social care service). Both forms are available on the Ofsted website.
Step 5: Prepare for the Ofsted visit
Once your application has been submitted and checked, Ofsted will arrange a site visit. During the visit, inspectors will assess your premises and interview key staff, including the Registered Provider and the Registered Service Manager.
Step 6: Prepare for inspection
Once registered, your service will be inspected using Ofsted’s Social Care Common Inspection Framework (SCCIF) for Supported Accommodation. Inspections assess three areas: the overall experiences and progress of children, how well children are helped and protected, and the effectiveness of leaders and managers.
For more information on registering a Supported Accommodation service, call ClouDoc on 0330 808 0050 or email support@caredaily.co.uk.
