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Ofsted to delay first supported accommodation inspections

Ofsted will delay inspections of supported accommodation for 16- and 17-year-olds for six months after receiving an “exceptionally high” number of registration requests, the inspectorate has announced.
Yvette Stanley: This extra period will give providers more time to digest the guidance. Picture: Ofsted
Yvette Stanley: This extra period will give providers more time to digest the guidance. Picture: Ofsted - Ofsted

Inspections of supported accommodation settings, which provide a home but not care for looked-after children, were set to launch in April following a ban on their use for children in care aged under 16 in September 2021 and ongoing concerns from campaigners about the suitability of placements for older looked-after children and care leavers.

However, inspections will now begin in September, Ofsted’s national director of social care, Yvette Stanley has said, explaining that the number of registration applications received by the inspectorate “exceeded highest expectations”.

“This extra period will give providers more time to digest the guidance, while Ofsted prioritises dealing with the large volume of registration applications, including many from providers that are already accommodating children and care leavers,” she added.

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