Notification of Serious Events
Relevant Regulations
Regulation 27 Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 – notification of a serious event
This procedure summarises who must be notified of serious events in relation to young people accommodated by the Service.
The registered person must ensure that notifications of all significant events are made to the appropriate authorities, and must take the necessary action following the incident to ensure that the young person’s needs are met and that they are safe and protected.
See also Leadership and Management Procedure, which includes information on notifying Ofsted about:
- Absence from the Service for a continuous period of 28 days or more, of the registered service manager;
- Changes in relation to the registered person or the Service;
- The registered provider or registered service manager being convicted of any criminal offence;
- Death of a registered person.
Regulations 27(1) and (2) Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 set out the arrangements for notifications by the registered person in relation to serious incidents.
The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the Service’s staff in response to the event.
Notifications to Ofsted should be made by using the online notification form. Any member of staff can complete the notification form, but the registered person is responsible for ensuring notifications are made. When making the notification you will need your URN (Unique Reference Number), full postal address and details of the incident and those involved.
In urgent situations, particularly where there is likely to be media interest in the incident, Ofsted can be contacted by telephone (0300 123 1231).
| Serious Event | Who to notify |
|---|---|
|
Death of a Young Person. |
Ofsted; The accommodating authority; The Secretary of State; The local authority in whose area the premises are located (if that local authority is not the accommodating authority); The Integrated Care Board (ICB) for the area in which the premises are located Any other relevant person [1]. |
|
Referral of a person working in the Service pursuant to section 35 (Regulated activity providers: duty to refer) of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. |
Ofsted; The accommodating authority; Any other relevant person. |
|
Allegation of abuse against the Service or a person working there. |
Ofsted; The local authority designated officer (LADO) for the area where the property is located; Any other relevant person. |
|
A young person is involved in or subject to or suspected of being involved in child sexual exploitation or child criminal exploitation. |
Ofsted; Any other relevant person. |
|
A Child Protection Enquiry involving a young person is instigated or concludes(in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry). |
Ofsted; Any other relevant person. |
|
There is an incident involving the use of a measure of restraint of a child. |
Ofsted; Any other relevant person. |
|
An incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a young person and the registered person considers that incident to be serious. |
Ofsted; Any other relevant person. |
| There is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. |
Ofsted; Any other relevant person. |
[1] “relevant person” may include other professionals, services, organisations, agencies or establishments who are or have been involved in the young person’s care. It is for the registered person to judge who else it is appropriate to notify depending on the individual circumstances of the incident.
The registered person must ensure that a notification
- Includes details of:
- The event concerned;
- Any other individuals or organisations who or which have been notified;
- Any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;
- The event concerned;
- Is made or confirmed in writing.
Examples of incidents which are likely to be considered serious affecting the welfare of a young person include:
- A young person being the victim or perpetrator of a serious assault;
- A serious illness or accident;
- A serious incident of self-harm;
- Serious concerns over a young person’s missing behaviour, particularly where the young person is considered to be at grave risk due to age or vulnerability or where they have been missing for a considerable period of time and their whereabouts are unknown.
This is not an exhaustive list, and registered persons must assess each case individually taking into account any patterns of behaviour or unusual behaviour that may indicate an increased risk to the young person. Registered persons should also consider the frequency of incidents and judge whether their cumulative effect makes notification appropriate even if in isolation each event would not warrant this.
An event is serious if it has a significant and direct adverse impact on the protection, safeguarding or welfare of children, young people and/or adults, or entails significant damage to property. The registered person must notify Ofsted if there is any other incident relating to a young person which the registered person considers to have a direct adverse impact on the welfare of the young person, other young people or adults. Ofsted would not need to be notified in the event of all incidents of injury, the registered person should use their professional judgement as to whether an incident is serious enough to need reporting.
It is for the registered person to judge whether the incident is sufficiently serious to make formal notifications and, if it is, which other relevant persons may be notified, for example, the police, probation service, health professionals, the local authority in which the supported accommodation provision is located in (if this is not the young person’s accommodating authority) and others involved with the care, support or protection of the young person.
The registered person’s record of the event must include a description of the action taken and the outcome of any resulting investigation. Following a notifiable event under regulation 27 the registered person should contact the placing authority to discuss the need for further action.
The registered person should also have in place a system for notifying accommodating authorities of any serious concerns about the emotional or mental health of a young person such that a mental health assessment would be requested under the Mental Health Act 1983.
Quality of Notifications
Notifications should not just be a chronology of events. The notification should include a brief summary of the event, the actions taken by staff and managers at the time, and further actions planned to reduce the likelihood of a similar incident occurring again.
The registered person and the Service are responsible for the quality of the reports completed by their staff.
Learning from Notifications
It is important that the registered person and the Service consider the wider implications of incidents which have led to notifications. The notification should not be seen as the end of the process, rather the circumstances of the incident should be reviewed and any implications for safeguarding or outcomes for young people identified. Wherever possible, actions should be planned to reduce the likelihood of similar incidents occurring again.
Also see the First Aid and Accidents.
Where a young person, visitor or member of staff is involved in a serious accident in the Service, the HSE should be informed. The outbreak of any infectious disease (which in the opinion of a registered medical practitioner is sufficiently serious to be so notified) should also be reported.
See HSE website for forms to report incidents to the HSE.
For more information, see HSE – Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences.
Last Updated: February 20, 2023
v9
Copyright © tri.x