However, campaigners have raised concerns over a high number of vulnerable teenagers who could be placed alone or alongside unknown adults.
Latest data from Ofsted shows that 291 supported accommodation providers, which provide housing but not care, have signed up to the regulator.
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Inspections Clinic: Supported accommodation
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Unregulated accommodation for 16- and 17-year-olds cannot be normalised
A further 517 providers are currently going through the registration process, it adds.
Legislation making registration with Ofsted compulsory for such providers was introduced by the government in 2021.
In October last year, just 52 providers were registered with Ofsted. A further 580 had submitted applications.
Ofsted has delayed the inspection of providers until September this year.
Of those currently registered with Ofsted, providers offer 1,597 “sole-occupancy premises” which mean teenagers would be living alone.
A further 1,429 shared accommodation settings have also been registered. Of these, 802 are ring-fenced for use by those with care experience and care leavers, some of whom may be aged over 18.
Some 627 settings are not ring-fenced, meaning young people in care could be living with young people or adults from any background.
Meanwhile, 283 private lodgings have also been registered as supported accommodation for teenagers in care.
Carolyne Willow, director of children’s rights charity Article 39, said the data shows that the “children’s care system has been radically restructured to legitimise teenagers living on their own or in shared properties with adult strangers”.
“A child who is looked after by the state should receive the love, care, attention and day-to-day help that parents all over the country give to their teenage children without question or hesitation.
“How many Members of Parliament would send their own children at age 16 or 17 to live in a flat, bedsit or hostel supposedly to get them ready for adult life? Besides the obvious and stark child protection risks, this makes a mockery of attempts to dismantle educational barriers for children in care,” she added.
David Thompson, chair of the National Association of Supported Accommodation Partners, wrote on LinkedIn: “Interestingly the data doesn't include any information on applications received after the registration window deadline last October, which is surprising given the significant number of providers that applied late.”
A statement from Ofsted said: “We are pleased by the number of supported accommodation providers that have been registered so far. We received a very high number of applications, many of which were submitted close to last October’s deadline for existing providers, so our priority is to work through the remaining applications to ensure providers that are already accommodating children are suitable and safe.
“We understand supported accommodation isn’t right for all young people in care. We don’t expect providers to be accommodating young people who clearly aren’t ready for this type of arrangement, and regulation means that we will have more scrutiny of the quality of local authorities’ decision-making when placing young people. When we start inspections later this year, we will expect to see that providers are providing high-quality, nurturing support and we’ll take the appropriate action if that support isn’t good enough.”
