Health and Safety

Supported lodgings homes must be safe and secure, protect young people from harm or the risk of harm, and provide a comfortable environment for young people.

As part of your preparation to be a Supported Lodgings provider, a health and safety assessment will be completed by your Supported Lodgings Social Worker, and you will have been provided with training on health and safety and will be clear on what your responsibilities are. This will be continually reviewed by your Supported Lodgings Social Worker. You may also receive a visit from an Inspector from Ofsted as part of the inspection process for the Supported Lodgings Social Worker  Service.

The whole family should decide on a fire exit strategy which identifies which exits you might use. This assessment will be recorded by the Supported Lodging Service.

The home should have smoke alarms, one on each floor of the house and a carbon monoxide detector. You should make sure batteries are changed as needed and tested regularly.

You should avoid multi-way adapters as these are a fire hazard.

When doors and windows are locked e.g. at night, all members of the house including the young people should know where to find the keys in the case of an emergency.

You should store matches and flammable liquids safely in safe spaces.

You should make sure that all appliances are safe and in good working order. The kitchen area should be clean and good hygiene standards should be followed.

Any toxic/hazardous substances should take into account the young person’s needs, for example, be stored safely away if the young person has an issue with solvents or alcohol. It is advised that Supported Lodgings providers have a lockable cupboard for such items.

Where young people have allergies, preventative measures should be detailed in their Care and Placement Plans and Health Care Plan - for example following good hygiene routines in terms of utensils and crockery, hand washing, avoiding cross contamination in the kitchen area, checking labels for allergens and any agreed allergen avoidance in the home.

Any outdoor areas should be in good repair, to avoid trips and falls, and outbuildings should be safe and locked. Areas lit at night.

Some fairly common garden plants are poisonous and some are fatal. Poisonous plants should not be in the garden. If they already are, you should remove them.

You should not keep a dog which comes within the scope of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, (updated in December 2023 to include XL Bully) either because it is a banned type of dog (any dog of the type known as the pit bull terrier; Japanese Tosa; Dogo Argentino; Fila Brasiliero; XL Bully), or a dog (of any breed/type) which is dangerously out of control, including on private premises. It would not be appropriate to place a young person in a household where such a classified dog is being kept. As part of the Supported Lodgings pet assessment, considerations in relation to dogs will include where/how they are kept.

Consideration may also be given to the breeding of animals and/or working animals in relation to the impact on the welfare of the young person in placement.

Where young people have allergies to pets (for example in relation to asthma or eczema) you should talk to your Supported Lodging’s Social Worker about how best to minimise the effects.

If you do have pets, you should keep their areas including the garden clean and regularly changed.

If there are concerns about any aspects of your home, then your social worker will discuss this with you and a period of time will be given to resolve the issue. If the issue remains a significant concern and are not resolved, then the Service may consider your approval.

Your social worker will support and guide you in creating and maintaining a safe and caring environment. They will also help you with developing your Safer Caring Plan (see Developing a Safer Caring Plan) and support with any respite needs which may be appropriate to maintain the arrangement. 

This information will be reviewed and amended along with any changes in legislation to make sure you provide the safest possible family home.