A rapid review of evidence on supported accommodation

Question 1

Introduction

Accepted Answer

We carried out this rapid review of evidence between August and December 2022. Our purpose was to:

get a better understanding of the needs, experiences and outcomes of care-experienced children living in supported accommodation, with a focus on children바카라 사이트檚 perspectives
inform our policy work on supported accommodation

We considered the available academic and policy literature on children바카라 사이트檚 experiences of and views on supported accommodation. To ensure this work provided timely and high-quality support for internal policy work at the time, we applied strict criteria to the evidence we included. This means that it is not a comprehensive literature review. Most notably, it does not include literature on specific areas of need, such as special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or homelessness. A full list of our inclusion and exclusion criteria is in the Annex. We have not added any evidence that has emerged since December 2022. While this review is not intended to be exhaustive, it provides valuable insights into the research and policy evidence that has informed Ofsted바카라 사이트檚 work.

Supported accommodation is provision that may be suitable for some looked-after children and care leavers aged 16 and 17. Some supported accommodation settings might also accommodate adults aged over 18. There are 4 main types of supported accommodation:^{[footnote 1]}

single occupancy
shared accommodation/group living that only accommodates looked-after children and care leavers
shared accommodation/group living that is not limited to looked-after children and care leavers
accommodation in a private residence, for example supported lodgings

There is currently limited evidence on what constitutes a good life experience for children with different needs in supported accommodation. This document gives a brief overview of these children바카라 사이트檚 vulnerabilities and support needs, and their experiences and outcomes. It also provides insights into what constitutes a positive experience and a good life in supported accommodation. Due to the scope of this review, and the limited information available, it was not possible to include evidence that differentiates between the needs and experiences of particular subgroups of children in need and looked-after children, such as those with SEND and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

Question 2

Understanding the vulnerabilities and needs of care-experienced children

Accepted Answer

Care-experienced children have a lot of potential in social, educational and other aspects of life. However, research has shown that their outcomes are poor compared with those of children who have never been in care.^{[footnote 2]} For example, they are at a听higher risk of homelessness: up to 25% of the homeless population have experienced care at some point in their lives. They are听13 times more likely to come into contact with the criminal justice system:听24% of the adult prison population spent some time in care. They are also听more vulnerable physically and mentally: 7 times more likely to die aged 18 to 21 than other children and 4 to 5 times more likely to self-harm.^{[footnote 3]}

Educational outcomes for care-experienced children are typically poorer than outcomes for children who have never been in care.^{[footnote 4]} Only 6% of care leavers are in higher education.^{[footnote 5]} According to the Independent Review of Children바카라 사이트檚 Social Care in 2022, 41% of 19- to 21-year-old care leavers were not in education, employment or training compared with 12% of all other children in the same age group. Care-experienced children are less likely to go to high-tariff universities or progress to the second year of study, and they are more likely to take longer than 3 years to complete their degree.^{[footnote 6]} However, we must be cautious when making these comparisons, because the higher prevalence of SEND among care-experienced children makes it difficult to compare educational outcomes across different groups听. 바카라 사이트 data for 2021 shows that looked-after children, children on a child protection plan and children in need are twice as likely to have SEND as the overall pupil population.^{[footnote 7]}

Social isolation and lack of supportive relationships听are a persistent problem 바카라 사이트� 6% of care-experienced children report having no one to provide emotional support. Nearly 1 in 10 only had support from their leaving care worker.^{[footnote 8]} The reasons for social isolation might be different for children from different social and ethnic backgrounds. Professionals need to understand these reasons so that they can provide tailored support. For example, care-experienced children from ethnic minority backgrounds who do not have supportive relationships with people from the same ethnic or cultural background may听struggle to make sense of their racial and ethnic identity in predominantly white communities. As a result, they may become disconnected from their families and communities of origin.^{[footnote 9]}

Children who experience material and social deprivation in early life have a higher chance of experiencing adverse health outcomes throughout their lives.^{[footnote 10]} The Independent Care Review 2022 found that adults who had lived in residential, foster or kinship care as children were more likely to have a life-limiting, long-term illness than adults who had never spent time in care.^{[footnote 11]}听

Finally, the听stigma around care experience听and assumptions made about care leavers바카라 사이트� abilities and skills can lead to discrimination in employment and education, or judgements about their ability to lead an independent life, including being good parents.^{[footnote 12]} The children바카라 사이트檚 vulnerabilities often intersect to create complex problems for them. They need ongoing and prolonged support as they transition into adulthood, including moving to supported accommodation.

Question 3

Children&#48148;&#52852;&#46972; &#49324;&#51060;&#53944;檚 experiences and outcomes when moving into and living in supported accommodation

Accepted Answer

In 2022, there were around 7,000 16- and 17-year-old looked-after children living in 3,400 supported accommodation settings across the UK.^{[footnote 13]} These children were a varied group, with a wide range of characteristics. In 2021, between 44% and 52% of children in supported accommodation were from black, Asian, mixed or other ethnic backgrounds.^{[footnote 14]} Eight per cent were disabled and just over a third were unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.^{[footnote 15]} This review has not found official data on some of the other characteristics of children in supported accommodation, such as children and young people with SEND. Although we did not identify any figures for the rates of SEND among those living in supported accommodation, they are likely to be substantial given the high prevalence of SEND among children in care.

It is not only children in care and care leavers who live in supported accommodation. Children who do not have, or have never had, looked-after status are often placed in supported accommodation under the homelessness route (under section 17 of the Children Act 1989) rather than as a looked-after child under section 20.^{[footnote 16]} This has significant implications for their ongoing and longer-term support.听A reduced likelihood of 16- and 17-year-olds presenting as homeless being accommodated under section 20 may be an unintended consequence of regulation. These children lie outside the scope of the supported accommodation regulations. When we inspect local authority children바카라 사이트檚 services (ILACS), we look at the experiences of 16- and 17-year-olds who present as homeless, and how well services meet their statutory responsibilities towards these children.^{[footnote 17]}听

Children who leave care are sometimes expected to move into supported accommodation at the age of 16, whether or not they feel ready for this, while young people who are not care-experienced typically leave their families바카라 사이트� homes in their mid-twenties. For care leavers, the journey to adulthood starts much earlier, is faster and is more stressful and hazardous.^{[footnote 18]} Care-leavers바카라 사이트� experiences of leaving care are often compared to a cliff-edge.^{[footnote 19]} It can seem like a听compressed and accelerated transition to adulthood, for which many feel ill-prepared.^{[footnote 20]} Leaving care too early and poorly planned moves exacerbate pre-existing problems.听

Those who leave care at a later age are more likely to have a successful transition to adulthood, including being in 바카라 사이트榮ettled, safe accommodation바카라 사이트�.^{[footnote 21]} Preparation and planning to help children live more independently are as important as the range of accommodation. Children leaving care are not a homogenous group and each young person will have needs and aspirations that are unique to them. Preparation and planning must therefore be personalised.^{[footnote 22]}听

We reviewed the evidence on the experiences of children in supported accommodation and found that children were concerned about safety and stability, the quality of accommodation, their relationships, and lack of involvement in planning and decision-making听.

Safety听was one of the children바카라 사이트檚 key concerns. Children said that they felt unsafe in supported accommodation for various reasons. In some supported accommodation, the environment was rife with drug dealing and violence.^{[footnote 23]}听Children also thought it was inappropriate to live in mixed-sex or mixed-age settings. They felt that these put them at risk of exploitation or exposure to drugs and alcohol.^{[footnote 24]} The Children바카라 사이트檚 Commissioner report raised additional concerns about criminality in some unregulated settings. Some staff or directors were linked to organised crime and staff had violent offences on their criminal records.^{[footnote 25]}

The quality of supported accommodation is highly variable, and many settings are听of poor quality.听Children complained about the poor physical environment in some supported accommodation. Living in poor conditions and/or not having support can have a negative and long-term effect on children바카라 사이트檚 well-being and social and educational outcomes.^{[footnote 26]} Additionally, children felt unsafe when staff failed to support their needs. Researchers partly attributed this failure to a lack of qualifications and training among staff and low standards in professional development and training.^{[footnote 27]}

Children who leave care experience a lot of听instability. This is linked to听multiple accommodation moves after care, sometimes punctuated by periods of homelessness.^{[footnote 28]} The Children바카라 사이트檚 Commissioner바카라 사이트檚 report showed that children living in supported accommodation experience more moves and shorter stays than other children in care.^{[footnote 29]}

Feeling socially isolated听was a common experience for children living in supported accommodation. This can leave them very vulnerable. They have limited opportunities to build or maintain social circles due to a lack of money. They can also experience digital poverty바카라 사이트�,^{[footnote 30]} which prevents them from maintaining relationships virtually.^{[footnote 31]} When children are provided with accommodation in a new area, the distance from family and friends can result in loneliness and isolation.^{[footnote 32]}

The Children바카라 사이트檚 Commissioner바카라 사이트檚 report states that children in supported accommodation are also more likely to have episodes of being missing reported to the police than other children in care. Although professionals working in the care sector know that children and young people tend to be over-reported as 바카라 사이트榤issing바카라 사이트�, contacting police is the default response for staff in supported accommodation. Staff often turn to the police before attempting basic steps such as trying to find the child. If a child is reported as missing incorrectly or prematurely, this might lead to them being criminalised unnecessarily and without justification.^{[footnote 33]} The reasons and risks factors for children going missing are likely to differ between different groups of children, such as unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and those with mental ill-health. However, there is a lack of evidence on the different rates among different groups of children and young people.

Care leavers felt they were not sufficiently involved听in plans for their future or given a choice about the type of supported accommodation they would like to go to. Many felt that they had no or very little control over where they would live after care.^{[footnote 34]}

We also identified some good practice.听One example is supported lodgings,^{[footnote 35]} which offer personalised emotional and practical support听and a stable placement for some groups of care-experienced children. Many of these children go on to achieve positive outcomes in their lives, such as getting into education or training. These groups include:

children entering care for the first time as older teenagers
unaccompanied asylum-seeking children
children in care seeking to transition out of foster care and move towards independent living
children who have struggled with independent living and wish to return to a more supported environment^{[footnote 36]}

Besides supported lodgings, there is evidence of good practice across other types of supported accommodation. For example, some supported accommodation in Scotland used a child-focused nurturing approach. Staff committed to supporting the child, and the accommodation was not just a tenancy but a 바카라 사이트榟ome바카라 사이트�. This helped to make the child바카라 사이트檚 experiences positive.^{[footnote 37]}

This rapid review identified a gap in the existing published evidence. There is limited research on children바카라 사이트檚 outcomes related to the different types of supported accommodation. One large mixed-method study carried out in 2019 was the only study we identified at the time of writing that linked types of supported accommodation and outcomes.^{[footnote 38]}Using a database of 1,338 care leavers, the researchers identified 5 pathways out of care. The most common were the transitional pathway through supported accommodation and the direct pathway through independent living or privately rented property. The researchers interviewed 32 care leavers and identified 3 subgroups:

바카라 사이트榤oving on바카라 사이트� (stability during care and after leaving care)
바카라 사이트榮urviving바카라 사이트� (instability during care and inconsistency after leaving care)
바카라 사이트榮truggling바카라 사이트� (instability during care and continued adversity after leaving care)

The most common initial pathway out of care for both the 바카라 사이트榤overs on바카라 사이트� and the 바카라 사이트榮urvivors바카라 사이트� was the transitional pathway (through supported accommodation). The 바카라 사이트榮trugglers바카라 사이트� mostly followed a more complex pathway, with a more challenging transition from care, a succession of housing moves, and, in some cases, periods of homelessness. The study findings are unique in linking the pathways from care into supported accommodation to young people바카라 사이트檚 outcomes. In this study, a large proportion (49%) of care leavers left care through supported accommodation. Interestingly, this group had better outcomes than those who left care by other routes. Of course, it is not just post-care pathways that affect young people바카라 사이트檚 outcomes; their pre-care histories, experiences in care and transition out of care may also affect their needs and outcomes. The study is also useful because it identifies the characteristics of the children on each of the pathways. For example, it reports on unaccompanied asylum-seeking children separately, showing that these young people typically followed transitional pathways through supported accommodation. This group were also 3.63 times more likely to be in education or employment than children who were not asylum-seekers or who had a听disability.^{[footnote 39]} This breakdown of different groups is missing from much of the published evidence in this field. Further research that links the profiles of children, different types of accommodation and their outcomes will be useful. This would improve our understanding of the different pathways taken by children and young people with different characteristics.

Question 4

What makes for positive experiences and progress for children in supported accommodation?

Accepted Answer

The evidence reviewed, which includes children바카라 사이트檚 views, points to several areas that are important in making sure children have safe and settled lives in supported accommodation. In this review, we do not distinguish between groups of children with different characteristics and transition pathways. This is because we did not identify any evidence broken down to this level. Rather, we cover universal needs, such as feeling safe or being supported.

Good decision-making and tailored support

Children emphasised the importance of a听gradual move to more independence through supported accommodation.^{[footnote 40]} They noted that having a support plan can help with transition and ease stress. Children wanted more personalised support, tailored to their needs. The staff in supported accommodation could be more proactive in providing such support, varying it depending on the child바카라 사이트檚 changing circumstances and levels of independence and confidence.^{[footnote 41]} There must not be a 바카라 사이트榦ne-size-fits-all바카라 사이트� approach to deciding on placements.^{[footnote 42]} An approach that is tailored to the child will ensure that the most vulnerable are not allocated accommodation that is inappropriate or unsafe for them.^{[footnote 43]}

Having choice and being heard听

Children spoke about the value of having an opportunity to view accommodation options and a choice about where to live.^{[footnote 44]} Children also wanted to be involved in other major decisions that affect their lives, such as when to leave care. This would ensure that they are ready for this move and do not leave care too early.^{[footnote 45]} Care-experienced 16- to 24-year-olds also suggested that children should be involved in inspections of supported accommodation. They felt that children might trust the Ofsted inspection process more if young people with experience of living in supported accommodation worked alongside Ofsted to advise on relevant issues.^{[footnote 46]}

Good standards of accommodation

Children appreciated certain aspects of supported accommodation, such as having more freedom (compared with, for example, a children바카라 사이트檚 home) and the opportunity to develop new skills. They also liked not being labelled a 바카라 사이트榣ooked-after child바카라 사이트� in the community.^{[footnote 47]}听Children wanted supported accommodation to 바카라 사이트榝eel like home바카라 사이트�. Having personal space was very important for children living in supported accommodation. This was especially true in cases where they did not get along with other residents. The accommodation needs to be comfortable, with all the necessary amenities and facilities in good condition.^{[footnote 48]}

Skilled, supportive staff

Children reported serious concerns about their safety and the ability of staff to support them. It is crucial that staff have relevant skills and experience to support the varied and often complex needs of care-experienced children. Children said that they want staff to be proactive in providing care and to show that they genuinely care about them and respect their wishes.^{[footnote 49]} They highly value close relationships with staff who 바카라 사이트榟ave their own stories and understand, not just ones that have a degree바카라 사이트�.^{[footnote 50]}

Safety

It was important听to children that their accommodation is free from risks and that staff are trained to support them in risky situations. Living in safe areas was very important and children wanted to be taught how to keep themselves safe. The children바카라 사이트檚 characteristics, such as having SEND or being care-experienced, created additional risks that they would be targeted by criminals. Children emphasised the importance of having a choice about where they live. This was because they felt that their perception of what constitutes 바카라 사이트榮afe바카라 사이트� might be different from a professional바카라 사이트檚 view, or even another child바카라 사이트檚 view.^{[footnote 51]}

Safe area, who decides? I might tell someone I am not safe in that area, and they ask for evidence, like what evidence? It might be a nice area to adults but that doesn바카라 사이트檛 mean I feel safe there. (Young person)^{[footnote 52]}

Privacy

It is very important for children that staff and other professionals respect their privacy. Children expressed concerns about privacy in relation to future inspections, because they were worried that inspections might mean an intrusion into their personal space. Additionally, although children agreed that inspections could boost the providers바카라 사이트� performance and 바카라 사이트榢eep them on their toes바카라 사이트�, they were concerned that providers might be on their best behaviour during the inspection, but then return to their usual practice.^{[footnote 53]}

Relationships

Lack of support networks and social isolation are a persistent problem for care-experienced children.^{[footnote 54]} Some children, such as unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, might find it more difficult to develop social relationships. Others may struggle to maintain existing relationships with family and friends. It is important to understand how to support children in managing these relationships. When planning this work, professionals need to consider whether it is safe for the child to be in contact with various people in their lives, especially in situations where family or friends may pose risks to them. When consulted about the national standards for supported accommodation, children said that the rules and curfews in their supported accommodation sometimes made it difficult for them to see family and friends.^{[footnote 55]} However, a balance should be struck here, as having appropriate boundaries and rules is important for children and young people.

Financial security

Children emphasised the need for consistent and sufficient support to help them manage their money. They also said that they did not receive enough money. For many children, the leaving care grants do not cover the costs of moving and setting up in accommodation.^{[footnote 56]} Being able to manage budgets is particularly important when children are short of money. Moreover, not getting enough allowance can drive young people to more dangerous ways of earning cash.^{[footnote 57]}

Practical听, self-care, emotional and interpersonal skills

Care-experienced young people often feel that they are 바카라 사이트榗atapulted바카라 사이트� into a more independent life. They may lack the practical and personal skills to help them navigate their independence. They want help with practical skills such as cooking, cleaning and shopping, and with self-care skills such as sexual health and managing drug and alcohol use. They also might benefit from support with developing emotional and interpersonal skills and dealing with business or official encounters, such as with landlords and health officials.^{[footnote 58]}

The above areas do not cover all support needs of the various groups of care-experienced children in supported accommodation. However, they form a useful indicator of the range, depth and timing of the support these children need. They also highlight the need to gather further evidence on how the support children require may vary between different groups.听A useful summary of children바카라 사이트檚 views on what they need in supported accommodation has been reflected in a recently published guide for standards in supported accommodation.^{[footnote 59]}

Question 5

Conclusions and recommendations

Accepted Answer

The areas above highlight some of the major concerns of care-experienced children regarding their move to and life in supported accommodation. Beyond that, and when making transition plans, those responsible for the child or young person must consider the importance of tailored, personalised support. With children바카라 사이트檚 needs being so varied, no single approach will work for all. Linked to that, the importance of listening to the child and taking their wishes and perspectives into account is also crucial, as these might be different from the views of other children with similar experiences or backgrounds or adult professionals바카라 사이트� views.

Under current regulations, supported accommodation has 4 categories of provision^{[footnote 60]} which, in turn, encapsulate a wide range of settings. This reflects how complex the sector is and the need to take a careful approach when deciding where children should live and why. What works for one child in one type of provision might not work for another or for most children in the same provision.

Supported accommodation should provide children with a safe and supportive transition to adulthood, at a pace that takes account of their individual needs. Support for children to become more independent is unlikely to happen in a short time frame. It needs to be based on relationships built on genuine concern, availability and consistency, with professionals acting in the role of corporate parent, including personal advisers and social workers.^{[footnote 61]}

The level and nature of support are likely to fluctuate in response to the child바카라 사이트檚 changing circumstances and their feelings about independence, and to the support needed. There is no linear path to independence. Children sometimes need more support following periods of stability and independence, or when a crisis happens.

Some children in supported accommodation may not be ready for increased independence, and may associate it with loneliness and isolation rather than with positive experiences. For these children, it might be useful to think about promoting interdependence and positive relationships to help them strengthen their support networks and feel more confident when moving to adulthood.

Finally, one important message from the evidence we reviewed was that听supported accommodation is not right for everyone. This is especially true for children with the most complex needs, who often require the highest levels of support. Unfortunately, some of these children ended up in supported accommodation not because it was deemed suitable, but because it was the only option available.^{[footnote 62]}

Question 6

Annex

Accepted Answer

The main objective of this rapid review of evidence was to assist in policymaking work at Ofsted while prioritising the viewpoints of children. We aimed to gather available evidence in 2 key areas:

supported accommodation developments and regulations
the experiences and perspectives of children in supported accommodation

We included the following evidence:

reports and journal articles about social care and social work in the UK, including those published by academic, public/government and third sector organisations
literature published within the last 12 years (2010 to 2022)

We did not include international research evidence, as the purpose of this review was to inform the supported accommodation project in the UK. However, we did include some pieces of international evidence if they provided valuable insights and perspectives from those with experience in supported accommodation.

We applied the following search terms while selecting the sources.

For some of the search terms we used wildcards to optimise the search process. A wildcard is a search option that accounts for slight variations in words, for example 바카라 사이트榓dolescent바카라 사이트� and 바카라 사이트榓dolescence바카라 사이트�.

For evidence on supported accommodation:

바카라 사이트榮upported accommodation바카라 사이트橽u003c/li>
바카라 사이트榮upported living바카라 사이트橽u003c/li>
바카라 사이트榮upported housing바카라 사이트橽u003c/li>
바카라 사이트榰nregulated accommodation바카라 사이트橽u003c/li>
바카라 사이트榰nregulated provision바카라 사이트橽u003c/li>
바카라 사이트荣别尘颈-颈苍诲别辫别苍诲别苍迟바카라 사이트橽u003c/li>
바카라 사이트榠ndependent바카라 사이트� accommodation
바카라 사이트榠ndependent living바카라 사이트橽u003c/li>

For evidence on experiences of children and young people in care:

바카라 사이트榗丑颈濒诲谤别苍바카라 사이트橽u003c/li>
바카라 사이트榓诲辞濒别蝉肠别苍迟蝉바카라 사이트橽u003c/li>
바카라 사이트榗are leavers바카라 사이트橽u003c/li>
바카라 사이트榣eaving care바카라 사이트橽u003c/li>
바카라 사이트榗hild in care바카라 사이트橽u003c/li>
바카라 사이트榣ooked after child바카라 사이트橽u003c/li>

We excluded the following search terms:

바카라 사이트榙颈蝉补产颈濒颈迟测바카라 사이트橽u003c/li>
바카라 사이트榟辞尘别濒别蝉蝉바카라 사이트橽u003c/li>
바카라 사이트榎u003cabbr title="special educational needs and/or disabilities">SEND바카라 사이트橽u003c/li>