Dheeraj Chibber, Chair of the ADCS Health, Care, and Commissioning Policy Network said:

“ADCS shares Ofsted’s ambition that every child should live in a safe, suitable, and high-quality home that meets their needs. Local authorities work tirelessly to secure the right placements for children, but they are doing so in the context of a severe national shortage of residential care places and a market that too often prioritises profit over care.

“While it is right that unregistered provision is addressed, concerns cannot be separated from the wider sufficiency crisis. The absence of registration does not in itself determine whether a placement is meeting a child’s needs, just as registration alone does not guarantee suitability. ADCS has consistently highlighted the need for a comprehensive national placements’ strategy, greater investment in not-for-profit and locally led provision, action to tackle workforce pressures, and faster processes to register new homes. Recent government capital investment is welcome, but it will take time for new provision to be built, registered and opened.

“Local authorities should not be held solely responsible for market failures and system-wide pressures that are beyond their control. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act presents an important opportunity to rebalance the market and strengthen sufficiency.

“ADCS would welcome further government action to address excessive profiteering in the children’s care market, including measures to improve financial transparency and ensure public funding is directed towards ensuring there are enough high-quality placements, in the right places, at the right time, for every child who needs one.”

ENDS