Supported Accommodation providers must register with Ofsted by 28/10/2023. The upcoming regulation is hoping to improve the care experience and safeguarding standards for young people living in Supported Accommodation. Regulation 24 plays an important part in achieving this and we’ve included an overview from the UK Government Guidelines below.
“All young people’s case records must be kept up to date and stored securely whilst they remain in the setting. Case records must be kept up-to-date and signed and dated by the author of each entry.”
“The supported accommodation setting’s records on each young person represent a significant contribution to their life history. Young people and their parents should be supported to understand the nature of records kept by the registered person and how to access them.”
“Staff should understand their important role in encouraging the young person to reflect on and understand their history, according to their needs.“
“Staff should keep and encourage young people to keep appropriate memorabilia of the time spent living in supported accommodation and help them record significant life events (when the young people wish to do so).”
“Young people should be actively encouraged to read their records and to add further information to them. They should be regularly reminded of their rights to see information kept about them and be given information about how they might be supported to access their records in later life.“ – UK Government, 2023
How Will Regulation 24 Contribute to an Improved Supported Accommodation and Care Experience?
In 2020, the Bright Spots research programme explored the importance of knowing why you are in care:
This research found that a lack of knowledge around the reasons for going into care was associated with young people feeling unsettled in their placements and having low subjective well-being.
Children and young people developed a list of messages that social workers should consider to improve the care experience, including:
- Adults should be open and honest about children and young people’s past and plans for their care – giving consistent explanations and keeping children up to date with changes
- Children and young people want help to keep personal information such as photos and family keepsakes safe
- Support access to care files as they can help older young people answer questions and fill gaps in their lives
- Read the rest of their recommendations from the source article
The research highlights the importance of ensuring that young people are involved in their care journeys, and have access to their life stories, for their own wellbeing.
Regulation 24 aims to ensure just that, by allowing a collaborative approach to care planning by empowering young people to view, contribute to, and feedback on their own care records.
Recording Life Journeys and Care Plans
Regulation 24 outlines the importance of young people accessing more detailed records and understanding their care journeys, both in the past, present and future.
To do this, recording details of their life journey, whether that be photographs, sharing memories, or recording achievements, is key.
Alongside this, each young person has their own individual needs while in supported accommodation, and part of the regulation requires providers to demonstrate that they have considered these needs in every case, delivering a package of support tailored for each young person’s objectives.
Embracing case management software empowers you to easily record your care data at the point of care delivery and gives young people the opportunity to feedback on their care experience.
Giving Young People a New Way to Have Their Voice Heard
Our new Young People App empowers young people living in Supported Accommodation to make their voices heard.
The app empowers users to add photographs and memories to their life journeys, report good news, feedback on care plans, message staff, or if needed, raise a concern.
Regulation 24 states that young people should be actively encouraged to read their records and add further information to them, and our Young Person App encourages just that.
Whenever a comment is made, this is flagged directly on your summary page to ensure nothing is missed.
This tool isn’t designed to replace face-to-face communication – It simply gives young people the ability to contribute to their care records and have their voice heard in a different way.
By managing the communication digitally, you collect more thorough evidence of your care delivery, helping you to evidence outcomes.
Sharing Care Files with the Circle of Care
Clearcare provides a secure platform to share care data with those involved in the young person’s care delivery.
You’ll have peace of mind that all care data is stored securely in the UK, with 2-factor authentication
We currently hold ISO27001 and ISO9001, alongside being Cyber Essentials Certified. This means we have been recognised as maintaining rigorous security and quality standards.