Supported accommodation proposal concerns 

Our concerns with supported accommodation proposals remain

We are very disappointed at the Government’s response to the consultation on the regulation of supported accommodation for children aged 16 and 17, which was published yesterday.

We have raised concerns about this issue for several years and our concerns remain – these proposals are not in young people’s best interests. Care-experienced young people have frequently spoken out about the lack of security, stability and support they have experienced living in unregulated accommodation, yet their use increases for under-18s because there are not enough safe and suitable homes being invested in.

Creating a set of separate national standards will further formalise a ‘two-tier’ care system, with older children in semi-independent and independent settings still not guaranteed the ‘care’ they need. The Government claims that the use of this sort of accommodation for 16- and 17-year-olds is a helpful step towards independence, but the evidence suggests this is not how it’s being used for many young people including those seeking asylum and those who have only recently come into care, who typically need more, not less support.

All children in care deserve to live in accommodation that can provide them with the love, stability and security we all need to thrive. Anything else is care-less.