Horizon Supported Accommodation has become one of the first providers of supported accommodation for 16 and 17 year olds in England to successfully register with Ofsted.
This follows The Department for Education’s plans to introduce Ofsted regulation for supported accommodation providers, alongside the implementation of national quality standards for such settings.
Horizon Supported Accommodation, a division of the Horizon Care and Education Group, has split its portfolio geographically into five registrations, with Ofsted providers registered in the North, West Midlands, East Midlands, South, and West of England.
Each provider offers single occupancy and shared accommodation (non-ring fenced) for looked-after children or care leavers aged 16 or 17 with a range of person-centred support services. This involves giving young people greater independence to master a wide range of essential life skills including budgeting, cleaning, and cooking to prepare them for fully independent living.
The division also provides supported accommodation for young people aged 18 and over, as well as outreach services for those who require additional support in their own homes.
Steven Bainbridge, Quality, Risk and Operational Excellence Director said: “We have welcomed the Department for Education’s plans to regulate supported accommodation for 16- and 17-year-olds. We believe that regulation will help to drive up standards across the sector and, crucially, support young people to achieve high-quality outcomes as they move towards independence. As the registered Nominated Individual for each of our five providers, I am looking forward to working closely with Ofsted as they begin to oversee and inspect our supported accommodation services.”
Anne Marie Mcmahon, Managing Director for Supported Accommodation said: “We have been actively preparing for regulation for over a year and our colleagues have enthusiastically embraced the opportunities that this will bring. It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m thrilled to be part of this team.
“Our collective efforts have led us to new heights and the opportunities we’ve had to showcase our high-quality supported accommodation puts us in a strong position as we move towards inspection.”
Amanda Cunningham, Chief Executive Officer of Horizon said: “I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved and the dedicated team we have in place to drive the division forward as an Ofsted registered provider of supported accommodation.
“Our readiness to submit applications with Ofsted demonstrates that we apply the highest standards of care, support, and education across all our services, and are fully equipped to support young people to achieve high-quality outcomes.”
Horizon Supported Accommodation is committed to working closely with Ofsted who will be piloting inspections later this year to develop their approach and guidance ahead of bona fide inspections beginning from April 2024.
As reforms come into effect, Horizon recognises the need to ensure children and young people are protected from the unintended consequences of providers exiting the market who are prohibited from operating if they have not submitted a full registration application to Ofsted in advance of 28 October 2023.
As such, Horizon plans to continue working closely with local authorities and providers to ensure all 16 and 17 year olds who require support have access to supported accommodation as they prepare for adulthood.
Find out more about each project here.
