Ofsted has outlined a new approach to tackling the sharp growth in unregistered children's homes, warning that illegal provision puts vulnerable children at risk from unvetted carers and exposes the sector to profiteering and criminality.
The regulator will pursue criminal investigations and prosecutions and is consulting on inspection reforms that would penalise councils using illegal provision without demonstrating action to address local sufficiency.
Responding, Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, chair of the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Children, Young People and Families Committee, said no council wants to place a child in an unregistered setting, but many have no choice given the lack of suitable provision. He warned that soaring placement costs are squeezing budgets for early help that could prevent crises later.
Cllr Vernon-Jackson called for coordinated action across central and local government, Ofsted, the NHS and providers, and welcomed measures in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill to increase oversight of large providers and introduce a profit cap on the sector.
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