WIREDGOV

Cllr Judith Blake, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, responded to the launch of a government consultation on unregulated children's homes, which proposes a potential ban of children under 16 being placed in these homes 

“The welfare of all children is of the utmost importance to councils, and they do all they can to find the right accommodation and support for all children in their care.

“Good quality unregulated settings can be the right accommodation for some young people as part of their transition to independence. The increasing use of unregulated settings is being driven by shortfalls in places in registered children’s homes and other settings, particularly for young people with more complex needs. The funding crisis facing children’s services is also hindering efforts to develop and maintain the right provision locally that meets the needs of young people.

“Making the use of unregulated settings for under 16s illegal will not solve the problem if the Government does not, first and foremost, work with councils and providers to make sure that we have enough high quality, registered places for children to live so that we can keep them safe.

“Providers of unregulated settings must work with councils, the police and other partners to ensure the safety and wellbeing of young people, and we want to work with the Government to make sure this happens. 

“It is vital that the Government uses this consultation to better understand the pressures on accommodation for children in care and provides appropriate funding and support to ensure that the right homes in the right place are available for all children, whatever their needs.”

Related information:

• Strict new measures to protect vulnerable children in care
• Unregulated provision for children in care and care leavers