Placement and Admissions
Effective and successful placement planning and the arrangement of suitable accommodation depends on strong working relationships within the Local Authority.
For looked after young people and care leavers aged 16 and 17, these planning duties fall to the accommodating authority. The registered person should ensure that they and their staff engage proactively with the wider Services to contribute fully to the relevant plans for the young person on an ongoing basis.
There is a range of settings within supported accommodation, which differ in size, structure, purpose and which offer varying degrees of supervision and support, for young people with varying needs. The registered person should accept placements for young people only where they are satisfied that the setting can respond effectively to the young person’s assessed needs as set out in the young person’s relevant plans. When making decisions about a young person’s placement, the registered person and service should have regard to the Equality Act 2010 and jointly endeavour to ensure the cultural heritage of a young person is respected and that no young person is unfairly treated or stigmatised. In addition, the registered person should fully consider the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of young people in that setting and vice versa. The registered person should assess if there may be an impact on the young person entering the provision as a result of the needs or personal histories of any young person in the existing group, including adults aged 18 or over who are supported at the setting. It is the responsibility of both the Social Work Team and the registered person to assess the previous experiences and any trauma of the young person when determining if a home is appropriate.
The registered person should ensure they have enough information to make a decision to safely offer a young person a home. Complete and current information about the young person and their needs in the form of relevant plans will be requested. It would not normally be acceptable to expect that a young person is offered accommodation without the necessary information. The exception would be in an emergency, whereby the required information should be shared with urgency.
At the point when it is determined that a Service may be required, and throughout the subsequent process of identification, planning and placement, the social worker must consult and take account of the views of the following people:
- The young person;
- The parents, if relevant or appropriate;
- The Children’s Rights Advocate (CRA), if the young person is moving from another regulated arrangement;
- Anyone who is not a parent but has been caring for or looking after the young person;
- Other members of the family who are significant;
- The school/education establishment or education authority;
- The Youth Justice Service, if the young person is known to them.
The Social Worker should ensure that the proposed home is in keeping with the overall Plan for the young person.
The Pathway Plan should demonstrate that the young person’s needs will be met by the proposed Service.
The registered person should ensure there are procedures in place for welcoming and introducing each young person to the setting, and that they are sensitive to the needs of the young person at the time of arrival, whether they are moving in a planned way or in an emergency situation.
See Local Resources for further information.
The registered person must notify, without delay, the local authority for the area in which the premises used as supported accommodation are located, of the admission of a young person into that accommodation and every discharge of a young person from that accommodation, unless that authority is also the young person’s accommodating authority.
The notification must state:
- The young person's name and date of birth;
- Whether the young person is Accommodated under section 22C(6)(d) or section 23B(8)(b) of the Children Act 1989;
- Whether the young person is subject to a care or supervision order under section 31 of the Children Act 1989, or to an interim care order under section 38 of that Act;
- The contact details for:
- The young person's accommodating authority; and
- The young person's Children’s Rights Advocate or Personal Adviser.
- Whether the young person has an Education, Health and Care Plan and, if so, details of the local authority which maintains the Plan.
The young person’s social worker must visit the young person in their home within one week of moving in and then at specified intervals; which are set out in Social Worker Visits Procedure.
The social worker must also co-operate with the manager by attending Tailored Support Plan Reviews, as set out in Care and Pathway Planning.
Last Updated: May 15, 2025
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