How we govern 16+ supported accommodation
Our checks, incident timescales and the records you can see in TIFA Connect.
Our regulatory position
TIFA Life is not a CIW-registered children's home or care service. We accept placements only where needs can be safely met within our supported accommodation model.
We assess every referral against that boundary and decline where the young person requires a different service model. Our safeguarding, staffing, property and reporting controls are documented and available for commissioners to check.
Four checks before a placement starts
We run four checks on every placement, and all four must be clear before it goes ahead. If any shows a concern, we pause. We do not skip a check for speed or capacity.
No placement proceeds unless safeguarding checks, training and Designated Safeguarding Lead capacity are confirmed.
Staffing levels, cover arrangements and handover completion verified before acceptance.
Compliance inspections, safety checks and readiness sign-off completed before the young person arrives.
On-call cover, leadership capacity, payroll and contingency arrangements checked before growth or a new placement.
Incident reporting timescales
A safeguarding concern is escalated immediately. Serious incidents are recorded within two hours and notified to the allocated Local Authority worker the same day; all other incidents are recorded within 24 hours.
Serious incidents
Logged within 2 hours. Notified to the Local Authority allocated worker the same day.
All other incidents
Logged within 24 hours. Notified to the allocated worker on the agreed reporting cadence.
Post-incident review
Completed within 72 hours and signed off by a named senior manager who was not involved in the incident.
Pattern review
Incident themes and repeat concerns are reviewed quarterly by senior leadership, with actions assigned and recorded.
Safeguarding escalation chain
No staff member manages a safeguarding concern alone. Every concern is logged, escalated and reviewed within defined timeframes, and the chain does not depend on any individual.
Staff recruitment, training and checks
Enhanced DBS
Enhanced DBS returned and confirmed before any unsupervised shift. Rolling DBS updates maintained.
Right to work verified
Documented at induction, kept current through the life of employment.
Induction before unsupervised practice
Structured induction including safeguarding, trauma-informed practice, first aid and medication handling where relevant. Paid shadow shifts with a competent senior worker before independent shifts.
Supervision every 6 weeks
Reflective supervision led by the Service Manager, documented and action-tracked. Probation review at 3 months and 6 months.
Reference chain
Two references taken up, recorded and confirmed before any unsupervised work, without exception.
Ongoing training
Safeguarding, trauma-informed practice, de-escalation, modern slavery awareness and cultural competence, refreshed on a set cycle.
What is considered for each placement
The assessment covers the property, who else lives there and the young person’s support plan.
The home
Property, location, bedroom and shared spaces are considered as part of the placement assessment.
Named staff team
The staffing plan, key worker and management responsibility are confirmed for each placement.
Support plan
The plan covers accommodation, education, health, relationships, practical skills and agreed goals.
Safeguarding controls
Staff follow defined reporting, escalation and review procedures, with records held in TIFA Connect.
Local services
Support includes access to relevant health, education, community and transport services.
Move-on planning
Independent-living skills and future accommodation are reviewed as part of the placement plan.
Property checks and records
Pre-occupation checklist
Every property passes a pre-occupation checklist before any young person arrives, covering safety, furnishing, cleanliness, welcome pack and shared spaces. Signed off by the Service Manager.
Health & safety inspection
Annual H&S inspection by a qualified assessor. Gas safety, electrical safety, fire risk assessment, legionella, asbestos where relevant. Certificates held centrally and available on request.
Annual compliance audit
Full compliance audit against our internal standards (property, staffing, documentation, incident records) carried out annually by senior leadership independent of the Service Manager.
Responsive maintenance
Repairs are tracked centrally and reported to young people.
What TIFA Connect records
Required work, gaps and actions are assigned to named owners and tracked to completion in TIFA Connect.
Daily logs
Completion, management review, gaps and follow-up.
Safeguarding
Incidents, missing episodes, escalation, notifications and review.
Reporting
Weekly reports, SLA status, actions and audit trail.
Request our due diligence pack
The pack includes our safeguarding framework, relevant policies, sample records, training evidence and insurance certificates for procurement or contract assurance.
Request the packSent within 2 working days to your official email address.
The company details a procurement team usually checks first, the registered number, the ICO registration and the operating model, are on about TIFA Life. The people accountable for the controls on this page are named on meet the team.
Make a referral
A senior lead will respond in writing within 24 hours and confirm a suitability decision within one working day, with same-day capability for emergencies.