Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has considered the potential merits of introducing interim arrangements to allow supported accommodation providers with complete registration applications to operate, subject to appropriate safeguards, while awaiting inspection and registration.

Ofsted has seen increasing application volumes across children's social care. As of 31 March 2026, there were 370 ongoing applications from supported accommodation providers, down from 616 in the previous year. The registered supported accommodation sector grew by 37% in the year to 31 March 2026 with available capacity at 24,700 places, far exceeding the 7,520 looked after children living in supported accommodation. Published data does not indicate a lack of registered accommodation in the South West. In March 2026, places in registered providers in this region totalled 1,970.

Ofsted’s updated registration policy makes clear that, due to high demand, it is likely to take several months to reach a decision, with timescales affected by some factors outside Ofsted's control, such as incomplete applications. While Ofsted has introduced a prioritisation policy for new children's home applications, no such policy currently applies to supported accommodation, although this remains under review.

Ofsted registration is essential to ensure the appropriate safeguards and support are in place to keep children safe. Regulations do not require care leavers over the age of 18 to be accommodated in Ofsted regulated provision, though some care leavers will benefit from being in regulated provision. The government recently published a review of early deaths of care experienced young people and are working to deliver a programme of improved support for care leavers.