Jo Fisher, Chair of ADCS Standards, Performance and Inspection Policy Committee, said:

“The latest Ofsted figures show the continued growth of regulated children’s social care providers, with a 15% increase in the number of children’s homes and an 11% rise in available places being seen over the past 12 months. The registration and inspection of supported accommodation is still bedding in, but the growth seen here is worthy of further discussion and debate as it goes against all previous predictions.

“The trend towards smaller homes with fewer beds and the continued regional concentration of children’s homes raises questions about placement availability and the consequences for children who are placed far from their families and communities as a result.

“More than four in five children’s homes are privately operated and while government is supporting local authorities to open up new provision and drawing up plans to address concerns about the levels of profit being seen in the sector, it will take some years for these measures to translate into action. Together, we can build a system that delivers high-quality, sustainable care for every child in care that needs it.”

ENDS