Supported Accommodation Regulations

Overview

The Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 established a regulatory framework for supported accommodation for looked after children and care leavers aged 16 and 17. Understanding these requirements is essential for providers, Registered Service Managers, Nominated Individuals, and practitioners responsible for delivering safe, effective, and child-centred support.

📅 Date & Time: 16th September, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
📍 Live Online via Teams
📢 Early Bird Price: £104 (VAT included) – Register 2+ weeks before
🎟️ Standard Price: £134 (VAT included) – Group Discount available for groups of 5+

This practical course provides a structured exploration of the Supported Accommodation Regulations and the Quality Standards, helping participants understand not only what the regulations require but how they should influence everyday practice, leadership, safeguarding, support planning, and service development.

The session moves beyond simply reading the regulations and focuses on translating regulatory requirements into meaningful practice that promotes young people’s safety, development, independence, experiences, and outcomes.

Course Content

The course examines the regulatory framework governing supported accommodation and the responsibilities it places on registered providers, Registered Service Managers, Nominated Individuals, and staff.

Participants will explore the Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023, including the Quality Standards and wider requirements relating to the management and operation of registered services.

The session considers key areas including:

• The purpose and scope of the Supported Accommodation Regulations.
• The four categories of supported accommodation.
• The Quality Standards and what they mean in practice.
• Leadership and management responsibilities.
• Safeguarding and protection of young people.
• Support planning and promoting positive outcomes.
• Young people’s wishes, feelings, and participation.
• Workforce requirements and staff development.
• Recruitment and fitness requirements.
• Notifications of serious events.
• Policies, records, and organisational systems.
• Monitoring and reviewing the quality of support.
• The roles and responsibilities of the Registered Provider, Nominated Individual, and Registered Service Manager.

The course also considers how the different requirements connect rather than treating individual regulations as isolated compliance tasks.

Practice Application

Throughout the course, participants will consider how regulatory requirements translate into the everyday operation of supported accommodation services.

Practical examples, scenarios, and discussion will help participants explore how to:

• Translate the Quality Standards into everyday support practice.
• Demonstrate how support contributes to young people’s progress and outcomes.
• Connect support plans, risk assessments, key working, and independence development.
• Strengthen safeguarding arrangements while promoting appropriate independence and positive risk-taking.
• Ensure young people’s views influence their support and the development of the service.
• Develop effective management oversight and quality assurance systems.
• Identify gaps between written policies and actual practice.
• Use incidents, complaints, feedback, and monitoring to improve services.
• Evidence regulatory compliance without allowing practice to become dominated by paperwork.
• Prepare services and staff to explain and demonstrate their practice confidently during Ofsted inspections.

The emphasis throughout is on understanding how regulations should shape the quality of support experienced by young people rather than viewing compliance as a separate administrative exercise.

Regulatory and Professional Context

The course is grounded specifically in the Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 and the associated regulatory framework for supported accommodation for looked after children and care leavers aged 16 and 17.

Participants will consider the relationship between the Regulations, the Quality Standards, Ofsted registration and inspection expectations, safeguarding responsibilities, and wider statutory responsibilities towards looked after children and care leavers.

The session will also consider how regulatory requirements interact with relevant statutory guidance, including safeguarding expectations and the Children’s Social Care National Framework, and how these wider expectations influence leadership, support planning, partnership working, and outcomes for young people.

Particular attention is given to the distinction between providing support within regulated supported accommodation and arrangements that may constitute care, helping participants understand the boundaries and purpose of the supported accommodation model.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the purpose and structure of the Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023.
• Explain the Quality Standards and their implications for everyday practice.
• Understand the responsibilities of registered providers, Nominated Individuals, Registered Service Managers, and staff.
• Translate regulatory requirements into effective operational practice.
• Understand expectations relating to safeguarding, support planning, workforce development, and young people’s participation.
• Recognise the importance of management oversight, monitoring, and quality assurance.
• Understand requirements relating to records, policies, notifications, and organisational systems.
• Connect regulatory compliance with young people’s experiences, progress, and outcomes.
• Recognise the boundaries between support and care within supported accommodation.
• Develop greater confidence in demonstrating compliance and effective practice during Ofsted inspection.

Intended Audience

This course is specifically designed for professionals working within or responsible for Ofsted-regulated Supported Accommodation for 16- and 17-year-old looked after children and care leavers. It is particularly relevant for Registered Service Managers, Nominated Individuals, Responsible Officers, Directors, Deputy Managers, Team Leaders, Supported Accommodation Practitioners, Quality Assurance professionals, commissioners, and individuals developing or preparing to register supported accommodation services.

It is also suitable for professionals who work alongside supported accommodation providers and want to develop a clearer understanding of the regulatory framework and expectations placed upon these services.

Course Facilitator

Miguel Valerio is a Social Worker, trainer, consultant, and regulatory specialist with more than 20 years of professional experience across children’s social care, education, leadership, and service development.

Miguel has extensive operational experience within Supported Accommodation, including working as a Registered Service Manager with responsibility for safeguarding, regulatory compliance, support planning, risk management, workforce development, quality assurance, and service improvement. He has also held wider operational leadership responsibilities across both Supported Accommodation and Children’s Homes and previously worked as a Responsible Individual for Children’s Homes.

His experience includes supporting services through the introduction of the regulatory framework for Supported Accommodation and translating new regulatory requirements into operational systems, policies, workforce practice, and quality assurance arrangements.

Through Social Care Skills, Miguel provides training, consultancy, audits, and regulatory support to Supported Accommodation providers. His approach focuses on making regulation understandable and practical, helping managers and practitioners move beyond knowing what the regulations say to understanding what they mean for the everyday experiences and outcomes of young people.

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