The Supported Accommodation Regulations 2023, formally The Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 (legislation.gov.uk), brought supported accommodation for 16 and 17 year olds under Ofsted regulation for the first time. If you run or are setting up a service, they set the standard you are registered and inspected against. Here is what they mean in practice.
Who the Supported Accommodation Regulations 2023 apply to
They apply to providers of supported accommodation for looked after children and care leavers aged 16 and 17 in England. Residents are legally children, and Ofsted inspects on that basis. Registration has been compulsory since 28 October 2023.
The four quality standards
| Standard | Regulation | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Leadership and management | Regulation 4 | Clear governance, a competent registered service manager, enough skilled staff, oversight of quality, and learning from incidents and complaints. |
| Protection | Regulation 5 | Safeguarding procedures, risk assessment, responding to missing episodes and exploitation, and working with police and local authorities. |
| Accommodation | Regulation 6 | Safe, suitable, well-maintained homes in suitable locations, with appropriate privacy and security. |
| Support | Regulation 7 | Personalised support for independence, education or work, health and preparing for adulthood. |
The Department for Education's DfE Guide to supported accommodation regulations including quality standards explains each standard in detail. For a practical self-audit, use our supported accommodation quality standards checklist.
Key duties providers often underestimate
- Six-monthly quality of support review (Regulation 32): the nominated individual must review the service at least every six months and write a report. Independent monthly monitoring visits for supported accommodation help keep this evidence-based.
- Notifications (Regulation 27): Ofsted must be told about serious events, so have a clear internal process.
- Accepting only suitable referrals: Ofsted holds providers responsible for accepting young people whose needs they cannot safely meet.
- Records: support plans, risk assessments and daily records must show impact, not just activity. Our recording templates for supported accommodation are built for the 2023 Regulations.
- Working with local authorities: be ready to evidence how you work with placing authorities, for example to secure mental health support.
How the Supported Accommodation Regulations 2023 are inspected
Ofsted inspects under its Ofsted SCCIF: supported accommodation framework, at least once in each three-year window, with outcomes from Outcome 1 to Outcome 3. See what Ofsted looks for in a supported accommodation inspection.
In short: the Supported Accommodation Regulations 2023 ask providers to show strong leadership, protection, accommodation and support in practice, not just on paper. If you are still registering, start with how to register supported accommodation with Ofsted.