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  • Completing Ofsted Annex A: Supported Accommodation

    Completing Ofsted Annex A is an important part of the inspection process for Ofsted-registered Supported Accommodation providers. The information submitted helps inspectors understand the service, the young people being supported, staffing arrangements, safeguarding practice and how the provider monitors the quality and impact of its provision.

    This practical live online seminar explores how to approach the Annex A request confidently, accurately and effectively. It focuses on understanding the information requested, identifying relevant evidence and presenting a clear picture of how the service operates, including the support provided to young people and the outcomes being achieved.

  • Completing Ofsted Annex A: Children’s Homes

    Completing Ofsted Annex A is an important part of the inspection process for registered Children’s Homes. The information submitted helps inspectors understand the children living in the home, their needs and experiences, safeguarding arrangements, significant incidents, staffing and how the home monitors the quality of care and outcomes achieved.

    This practical live online seminar explores how to complete Annex A confidently, accurately and effectively. Participants will consider the information requested by Ofsted, how to gather and verify relevant evidence, and how to present a clear and meaningful picture of the home’s practice, management oversight and children’s experiences.

  • Notifications of Serious Events: When, What and How to Notify Ofsted

    This practical and regulatory-focused seminar explores the requirements surrounding notifications to Ofsted across children’s homes, supported accommodation, and fostering services. Participants will develop confidence in identifying notifiable incidents, completing accurate and timely notifications, and embedding effective reporting systems that support safeguarding, organisational learning, and regulatory compliance. The course encourages professionals to view notifications not simply as a compliance task, but as an important component of effective safeguarding and quality assurance practice.

  • Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) in Children’s Social Care

    The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) plays a critical role in promoting effective safeguarding practice, supporting professional decision-making and ensuring that concerns about children and young people are recognised, responded to and managed appropriately.

    Within Children’s Homes, Supported Accommodation and other children’s social care settings, safeguarding leadership requires more than an understanding of policies and procedures. It demands professional judgement, confidence in managing complex situations, effective multi-agency working and the ability to provide appropriate oversight, challenge and support to staff.

  • Introduction to Supported Learning Independence Programme

    Supporting young people to develop the skills, confidence and knowledge needed for adulthood is one of the most important aspects of working within supported accommodation. However, providers often face challenges in delivering independence-focused learning in a way that is structured, engaging, consistent and easy to evidence.

    To support this work, Social Care Skills has developed the Supported Learning Independence Programme, a comprehensive learning framework designed specifically for young people in residential and support settings.

  • Reflective Practice and Supervision in Children’s Social Care

    Effective supervision is more than a management requirement or an opportunity to review tasks and performance. In children’s social care, it plays an essential role in supporting professional judgement, developing staff confidence, strengthening safeguarding practice and improving the quality of care and support provided to children and young people. This practical live online seminar explores how reflective practice can be embedded within supervision to support meaningful professional development, critical thinking and continuous improvement.

  • Effective Record Writing & Case Recording in Children’s Social Care

    Effective recording is an essential part of good practice in children’s social care. Records do more than document events or demonstrate compliance. They help professionals understand children’s experiences, communicate important information, support safeguarding decisions and provide a meaningful account of the care and support delivered. This practical live online seminar explores how to improve the quality of written records and case recording within Children’s Homes, Supported Accommodation, Fostering Services and other children’s social care settings.

  • When Supported Accommodation Is No Longer the Right Placement

    A placement that was initially considered suitable may become increasingly difficult to sustain as a young person’s needs, circumstances or risks change.

    For leaders in Supported Accommodation, recognising when a placement may no longer be appropriate can involve complex decisions, professional disagreements and competing responsibilities. How should managers respond when the level of support required appears to exceed what their service can safely provide? What happens when the placing authority disagrees?

  • Matching Decisions: Balancing Children’s Needs, Risks and Placement Stability

    Matching decisions are among the most significant responsibilities of leadership in children’s homes. Accepting a new referral requires more than determining whether a home has an available bed. Leaders must consider the child’s individual needs, the compatibility of the proposed placement with children already living in the home, staffing capacity, safeguarding risks and the home’s ability to provide appropriate care.

    These decisions can become particularly challenging when information is incomplete, placements are required urgently or there is pressure from placing authorities to accept a referral.

  • Risk Assessments & Care/Support Plans in Children’s Social Care

    Overview Effective risk assessments and care or support plans are essential to providing safe, individualised and purposeful care and support for children and young people. When developed and used effectively, these documents help professionals understand individual needs, identify risks, plan appropriate interventions and monitor progress towards meaningful outcomes. However, assessments and plans can sometimes become […]

  • Missing from Care: Prevention, Response & Safe Return

    This practical and safeguarding-focused seminar provides professionals with a clear framework for preventing missing incidents, responding effectively when they occur, and supporting young people upon their return. The course explores current safeguarding expectations, multi-agency responsibilities, and practical approaches that reduce risk and promote positive outcomes. Particular attention is given to the effective use of the Philomena Protocol as a preventative and collaborative tool that strengthens information sharing and police responses.

  • Purposeful Key Working: Planning for Progress, Not Just Paperwork

    Key working is one of the most important interventions available to professionals supporting children and young people in residential childcare, supported accommodation, fostering services, and other care settings. When undertaken effectively, key working provides opportunities to build trusting relationships, promote positive outcomes, support personal development, and help young people achieve meaningful progress. However, key working can sometimes become overly focused on completing records rather than creating purposeful interventions that make a genuine difference.