Ofsted
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Introduction
As a registered provider of a supported accommodation service, you must continue to meet any relevant regulations and conditions of your registration.
This includes telling Ofsted in writing about certain changes, or applying to make changes where necessary.
How you tell us about the change depends on what the change is. You can contact us by email at SC.suppacc@ofsted.gov.uk or by completing a Report changes to your childrens social care service (SC3) form.
People in your service
People leaving or joining
You must tell us if any of the following people join or leave your service:
- nominated individual
- directors
- partners in a partnership
- an individual provider, if there is more than one individual
- registered service manager
For all the roles, except the registered service manager, you must use the SC3 form to let us know about these changes.
We can only accept the form from people who are registered with us or known to us as they are connected to the service.
New partners, individual providers and and nominated individuals will also need to complete a Connect to a childrens social care service (SC2) form.
If we have concerns about any of the new joiners, we will raise them with you. If these concerns are serious and we feel that you have not addressed them appropriately, we may take further action, including a case review. For more information, read our enforcement policy.
Nominated individual
Use the SC3 form to tell us that a nominated individual is leaving and about the new nominated individual. We will send you a new registration certificate with the new persons name.
We will also send a letter to ask what checks you have done to make sure they are suitable for the role. You must respond within 10 working days. If we do not receive the information within 10 working days, we will hold a case review to decide whether to take further action.
Once we have received your response, an inspector decides whether to interview the nominated individual.
Directors
Use the SC3 form to tell us about directors leaving and new ones joining.
If you have told us about a new director, we will review this information and may contact you or discuss this at your next inspection to review how you have made sure that the new director meets the regulatory requirements. You must provide inspectors with evidence requested. If you fail to provide this evidence, inspectors will take it into account when making inspection judgements.
Partners
Use the SC3 form to tell us if a partner is leaving or joining. A new partner must complete an SC2 form too. We will then carry out checks and interviews. If the new partner is suitable, we will register them.
Individual provider
If the provider is a group of individuals and one of those individuals leaves or joins, you must let us know through the SC3 form.
If you are leaving as a sole individual provider, you must apply to cancel your registration. If you are selling your service, or another company is taking it over, read our guidance on selling a service. You cannot use the SC3 form to tell us you, as the sole owner, are leaving the service.
Registered service manager
If the registered service manager is leaving permanently, they must apply to voluntarily cancel their registration. You cannot use the SC3 form to tell us your registered service manager is leaving permanently, or that a new one has joined.
There should be no gap between your old and new service manager. We expect you to take all reasonable steps to find a new service manager, including:
- making sure the position is advertised with a clear closing date
- making sure interview dates are set
- updating and posting a job specification with the job advertisement
New service manager
When you appoint a new service manager you must email us to let us know. The proposed new service manager will need to complete an SC2 form. They will need to pay a registration fee. We will assess their suitability and fitness to manage a supported accommodation service. If they meet the regulatory requirements for the role, we will register them.
Gaps between old and new service managers
If there is a delay in proposing a new service manager, you must contact us immediately and explain the reasons why. You must also set out how the service is being suitably managed in the interim period. This includes appointing an interim service manager who takes on the duties of the role.
You must also follow our guidance in interim service managers.
Registered service manager absence
You must use the SC3 form to tell us if your registered service manager will be away for 28 days or more.
During periods of extended leave, for example parental leave or chronic ill health, an additional service manager can apply to be registered to cover the temporary absence of the first registered service manager.
You must give us at least 1 months notice of this absence. If the absence is due to an emergency or other unforeseen circumstances, you must notify us within 1 week of the absence starting.
In the SC3 form you will be asked how you will cover this absence, including details of the temporary manager. This temporary manager will be called your interim service manager.
You must also follow our guidance on interim service managers.
Interim service manager
You need to appoint an interim service manager if:
- there is a gap between a service manager leaving and a new one joining
- your registered service manager will be away for more than 28 days
An interim service manager should be in place for the shortest time possible. We will continue to assess whether the arrangements are effective based on the information we hold and receive, including from notifications.
We expect you to make sure that the interim service manager fully protects and promotes childrens safety and welfare. You must also regularly monitor the performance of the interim service manager, to make sure they are effective.
We will monitor any services that do not have a registered service manager. If we are concerned about an interim service managers ability to manage the service, we may carry out a monitoring visit or require them to apply for registration so that we can fully assess their suitability. If the lack of registered manager has a negative effect on the children, or results in disruption to the service, this will affect any inspection judgements.
If the interim service manager is expected to be in this role for 90 days or more, they must complete an SC2 form to apply to connect and register. If we do not receive an SC2 form within 90 days of the interim arrangements starting, we may take enforcement action.
Name changes
If the name of anyone in these roles changes, then you must email us to let us know.
Your premises
Opening premises or adding hosts
If you are opening new premises under a category that you are already registered for, including arranging accommodation with a new host in a private residence such as supported lodgings, you must use the SC3 form to tell us. You must do this within 72 hours of opening the new premises.
Closing a premises or removing accommodation from your provision
You must use the SC3 form to tell us if you are closing a premises (temporarily or permanently), or if you are removing accommodation that is provided in private residences, such as supported lodgings. You must submit the form within 10 working days of deciding to close the premises.
Applying to offer a new category of supported accommodation
If you wish to provide a new category of supported accommodation, you must apply to vary your conditions of registration. You cannot provide a category of supported accommodation unless you have been registered to do so and it appears as a condition on your registration certificate.
To do this you will need to: