Changes to Ofsted’s Children’s Homes Guidance – Age of children.
Supported Accommodation Providers that have not submitted and had their application accepted, will now be considered as running and unlawful provision. This appears to be a factor in Ofsted amending its stance in children over 18 living in children’s homes. Its Introduction to Children’s Homes now states;
“In most cases, we expect that a children’s home will accommodate more children than adults. We recognise that, at times and due to children turning 18 while living at a children’s home, it may have larger numbers of young adults than children for short periods.”
This currently differs from the content in the SCCIF which states:
The Care Standards Act 2000 requires a children’s home to provide care and accommodation ‘wholly or mainly’ for children. This does not prevent a home from accommodating a young adult or adults, as long as it accommodates more children than adults. A child is defined as a person aged 17 or under.
Homes are advised to familiarise themselves with this guidance.
Changes to Ofsted’s Children’s Homes Guidance- Notifications
Ofsted have updated their guidance to homes on reporting serious incidents. Notably, it states that reports should be made without delay and where possible within 24hours. This differs slightly from the SCCIF which simply states ‘without delay’.
Ofsted Updates
Ofsted have shared the result of consultations around the proposed changes to the children’s social care sector:
Children’s social care: stable homes, built on love consultation response
The also shared information on the Department for Education’s consultation around improving advocacy.
Revisions to the national standards and statutory guidance for advocacy – consultation