The Department for Education (DfE) has launched a consultation on unregulated provision for children in care and care leavers in England. It has been launched alongside a research report on the same topic and transparency data on looked after children in independent or semi-independent placements. The consultation seeks views on proposals to: ban placing children in care under the age of 16 in unregulated homes; give new powers to Ofsted to tackle unregistered children’s homes; require local authorities and policy forces to cooperate before placements in unregulated settings are made out of area; and introduce national quality standards for unregulated accommodation.
The consultation closes on 8 April 2020.
Read the press release: Strict new measures to protect vulnerable children in care
Read the report: Use of unregulated and unregistered provision for children in care
Read the data: Looked after children in independent or semi-independent placements
View the consultation: Unregulated provision for children in care and care leavers