Supported accommodation record keeping requirements are not just an administrative checklist. In England, the legal framework sets clear expectations about what must be recorded, how records should be maintained, who should be able to access them and how long key records must be retained.
For registered providers, the core rules sit in The Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023, particularly Regulations 24, 25 and 26. Ofsted’s 2026 inspection framework adds an important practical expectation: records should help show what children experience, the support they receive and the progress they make.
This guide explains the supported accommodation record keeping requirements in practical terms for registered providers, registered service managers and staff. It is written for services supporting looked-after children and care leavers aged 16 and 17 in England.
What are the supported accommodation record keeping requirements?
Short answer: providers must keep complete and current case records for each child, maintain the wider service records required by Schedule 3, and store specified policies and records in an accessible way. Records must also meet the retention and security requirements set by the regulations.
The key distinction is that a child’s case file is only one part of the provider’s record-keeping responsibility. A service may have excellent daily notes and still have gaps in its wider operational records. That is why managers should audit both child-specific records and service-level records.
Regulation 24: what must be in children’s case records?
Regulation 24 requires the registered person to maintain a case record for every child accommodated by the undertaking. The record must contain the information and documents listed in Schedule 2, be kept up to date, and each entry must be signed and dated by its author.
Schedule 2 covers a broad range of information. This includes personal details, placement information, important people in the child’s life, education information, health information, details of accidents or serious illness, and information about medication and health needs. The exact legal list should always be checked against the current Schedule 2.
How long must case records be kept?
For most children, Regulation 24 requires case records to be kept for 75 years from the child’s date of birth. Where a child dies before reaching 18, the record must be kept for 15 years from the date of death. The regulations also require case records to be kept securely.
If a supported accommodation undertaking ceases to operate, the registered provider must transfer the case records to the child’s accommodating authority. This makes record continuity a long-term operational responsibility, not simply a task for the current placement.
What does “signed and dated” mean in a digital system?
In a digital record, the practical equivalent is a clear audit trail showing who created the entry and when. A good system should make authorship and timing obvious and should minimise ambiguity about later amendments. Providers should still ensure their processes meet the wording of the regulation and any relevant local policies.
Regulation 25: the other records providers must keep
Regulation 25 covers records about the supported accommodation undertaking itself. These are listed in Schedule 3 and are separate from each child’s case record.
The regulations require these records to be maintained, kept up to date and retained for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. They may be kept electronically. They must also be accessible to children, Ofsted and each accommodating authority, as required by the regulation.
Schedule 3 includes records such as the register of children and information about people working in premises used as supported accommodation. Managers should use the legal Schedule 3 as the source of truth rather than relying on an old internal checklist.
Why this distinction matters
Operationally, it is easy for teams to focus heavily on daily logs and child case notes because those records are used every day. The wider service records may be updated less frequently, which can make them easier to overlook. A strong governance routine gives someone explicit ownership of each record set and a defined review frequency.
Regulation 26: records must be stored accessibly
Regulation 26 requires a range of documents and records to be stored in an accessible manner, and it expressly allows them to be kept electronically. The list includes the statement of purpose, the young person’s guide, safeguarding and missing child policies, behaviour management records, case records, other records, complaints records, Regulation 32 quality of support review reports and location review records.
“Accessible” should not be confused with “open to everyone”. In practice, good digital governance combines accessibility for authorised users with appropriate security and role-based controls. The right staff member should be able to find the right record without sensitive information being exposed unnecessarily.
What does Ofsted expect case records to show?
Ofsted’s 2026 supported accommodation inspection framework says case records should reflect children’s lives and the work carried out with them. The framework also expects records to reflect achievements, relate clearly to plans for the future and help children understand their histories and experiences.
That means quality matters as much as completeness. A record can contain every required field and still be difficult to use if it is vague, repetitive or disconnected from outcomes.
A useful recording test
For any significant piece of support, ask whether the record makes four things clear:
- What happened?
- What support or action followed?
- What changed for the child?
- What needs to happen next?
This creates a clearer line from activity to outcome and makes management review more meaningful.
How should providers organise digital records?
The law does not require providers to use a particular software platform. It does, however, create requirements that a digital record system should make easier to meet.
- Clear authorship: each entry should show who created it.
- Reliable timestamps: staff and managers should be able to see when information was recorded and reviewed.
- Consistent forms: structured fields reduce the risk of important information being omitted.
- Role-based access: different users may need different levels of access.
- Easy retrieval: staff should not need to search multiple inboxes and unrelated folders to reconstruct a child’s history.
- Management oversight: managers should be able to identify overdue actions, recurring incidents and gaps in recording.
- Retention planning: long-term records need a deliberate retention and archiving approach.
CareSync is designed around this operational challenge for Supported Accommodation and Residential Children’s Homes: bringing important care records, forms, incidents and management information into a clearer digital workflow.
A practical supported accommodation record-keeping audit
Use this checklist as an internal starting point:
- Choose a current child and confirm the case record contains the information required by Schedule 2.
- Check that recent entries clearly identify the author and date.
- Review the Schedule 3 service records separately from case files.
- Confirm the latest safeguarding, missing child and behaviour management policies are easy for authorised staff to find.
- Check whether managers can identify incomplete records and outstanding follow-up actions.
- Test whether a record from several months ago can be retrieved quickly.
- Review user permissions and remove access that is no longer required.
- Check your retention arrangements against Regulations 24 and 25.
- Confirm staff know where records should be created rather than keeping parallel notes in personal notebooks, email or ad-hoc folders.
- Sample record quality: does the entry explain the impact on the child, not just the task completed?
Common record-keeping gaps to avoid
1. Treating the case file as the entire compliance picture
Regulation 24 is important, but Regulation 25 creates a separate duty to maintain wider service records. Audit both.
2. Recording an incident but not the follow-up
The original event matters, but so do actions, notifications, reviews and learning. See our guide to Ofsted serious incident notifications.
3. Letting records become fragmented
When information is split across email, messaging apps, spreadsheets and local folders, managers can struggle to see the full picture. A defined source of truth reduces this problem.
4. Updating records retrospectively without clarity
Late recording can create uncertainty about when information became known. Where retrospective entries are necessary, they should be transparent.
5. Treating accessibility and security as opposites
Secure records still need to be usable. The answer is controlled access, not making information so difficult to retrieve that authorised staff cannot use it effectively.
Related CareSync guides
- Ofsted Serious Incident Notifications: 2026 Essential Guide
- Information Sharing Duty 2026: Essential Safeguarding Guide
- Digital Maturity in Children’s Social Care: 2026 Essential Guide
Frequently asked questions
What records must supported accommodation providers keep?
Providers must maintain each child’s Regulation 24 case record, the wider service records listed in Schedule 3 under Regulation 25, and the policies and records that Regulation 26 requires to be stored accessibly.
Can supported accommodation records be electronic?
Yes. Regulations 25 and 26 expressly permit relevant records to be kept electronically. Providers still need to meet requirements around accuracy, access, security and retention.
How long should case records be retained?
Generally, 75 years from the child’s date of birth. If the child dies before age 18, Regulation 24 specifies 15 years from the date of death.
Does Ofsted only check whether a record exists?
No. Ofsted’s inspection framework considers the quality and meaning of records, including whether they reflect children’s lives, progress and plans.
What is the simplest way to improve record quality?
Use consistent structured workflows, make ownership clear, record actions promptly and require managers to review whether entries show outcomes and follow-up—not just activity.
This article is general operational information, not legal advice. Providers should check the current regulations and statutory guidance relevant to their service.