A Call to Action to Supported Accommodation Providers
Following a recent survey of our provider members and ongoing communication with those members, several concerns have been raised, that still need to be properly addressed by the relevant authorities.
We reaffirm the defence of the much-needed regulation of the sector to protect vulnerable young people. But, provider concerns are being elevated by recent public communications from Ofsted that don’t seem to be in line with the content of the original regulations and the guide accompanying the regulations. On which providers depended to make their decision to
register and shape their services.
These concerns are related to:
- The downgrading of Supported Accommodation and limiting the support that providers are able and capable of delivering for the benefit of many vulnerable young people;
- Decision-making affecting the lives of vulnerable young people is coming from outside and above as opposed to within and below, with no representation of the voice (and concerns) of the ones that deliver Supported Accommodation, meaning the vast experience that already exists in the sector and the actual experience of the young people is being ignored;
- The application of the regulations is being shaped by anecdotes and outliers and not the reality of what supported accommodation is and can be for many vulnerable young people.
The SAA is promoting a meeting open to any supported accommodation provider to discuss these concerns, intending to create an open letter of concerns and expectations, to be delivered to Ofsted, DfE and other representative governmental associations.
We also call for other provider associations to join this meeting, so the voices of providers can be heard and taken into consideration.
https://lnkd.in/e33ah-wV
#supportedaccommodation #saa #ofsted #dfe