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<p>Ofsted is responsible for regulating and inspecting settings that provide both
care and accommodation, such as children’s homes (including secure children’s homes)
and fostering services, in which the majority of children in care are accommodated.</p><p>
</p><p>Where it is judged to be in the child’s best interests, local authorities are
also permitted to accommodate children in care and care leavers aged 16 or 17 in ‘other
accommodation’. This includes a range of settings such as semi-independent units,
supported accommodation, hostels, foyers and supported lodgings. These settings provide
accommodation with either on-site or floating support. ‘Other accommodation’ settings
can provide a useful stepping-stone for young people who are increasingly able to
make decisions for themselves but are not fully ready for the challenges of maintaining
an independent tenancy. As these settings provide support, rather than care, Ofsted
does not regulate them.</p><p> </p><p>Where a local authority places a young person
in unregulated provision, it must ensure that the accommodation is ‘suitable’. Suitable
accommodation is defined in regulations, which state that, with regard to settings
used to accommodate children in care the responsible authority should ensure that:</p><ul><li>the
accommodation is suitable for the child in light of their needs, including their health
needs;</li><li>it has satisfied itself as to the character and suitability of the
landlord or other provider;</li><li>the accommodation complies with health and safety
requirements relating to rented accommodation; and</li><li>it has taken into account
the child’s wishes, feelings and education, training or employment needs in respect
of the responsible authority, so far as reasonably practicable.</li></ul><p> </p><p>
</p><p>Further advice on suitable accommodation is provided in the Children Act Volume
2 statutory guidance, a copy of which is available at the following link: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/441643/Children_Act_Guidance_2015.pdf"
target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/441643/Children_Act_Guidance_2015.pdf</a>.</p><p>
</p><p>Where a local authority places a young person out of area in unregulated provision
there are additional safeguards in place. These require the placing authority to inform
the host authority of their intention to place a young person with a provider in the
host authority’s area, before confirming the placement. This provides an opportunity
to check whether the host authority is aware of any concerns about the setting. This
requirement is designed to ensure that poor quality providers are identified and exporting
local authorities stop placing children in them.</p><p> </p><p>It is a long-standing
principle that the local authority that took the child into care is responsible for
supporting them, whether they are placed in that authority or outside the area. This
enables the local authority to take into account the full range of needs of the young
person and to ensure that if meets all of those needs. Moving to a system of shared
accountability could create confusion about who is responsible for providing which
services and runs the risk that young people placed out of area are not properly supported
by either local authority.</p>
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