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<p>Local authorities have a duty to consider the placement for each child and are
required to ensure that children in care are provided with suitable accommodation
that meets their needs.</p><p> </p><p>Many children in care aged 16 and 17 live in
foster care or children’s homes, which are inspected by Ofsted. Data from Ofsted’s
latest annual report (2017/18) show that 84% of providers are judged as good or outstanding
and 2% are inadequate.</p><p> </p><p>We are supporting local authorities to increase
sufficiency of fostering, secure and non-secure residential placements and ensure
that placements meet children’s needs. This includes investing £5 million in an innovation
programme funding 3 projects to increase councils residential care capacity and improve
commissioning practice.</p><p> </p><p>In fostering, we have invited local authorities
and their partners to bid for seed funding to conduct feasibility studies into new
or expanded collaborative approaches. This is across sufficiency planning, commissioning,
recruitment and training of foster parents. In addition, arrangements for young people
preparing to step up to, or down from residential care, or return home from foster
care. The department is also increasing the number of secure children’s homes beds
through our £40 million capital grants programme. In addition, the department has
invested nearly £6 million in a pilot programme called Staying Close, which will provide
further support for young people leaving residential care.</p><p> </p><p>Where it
is judged to be in the child’s best interests, local authorities can also accommodate
children in care and care leavers aged 16 or 17 in suitable unregulated provision.</p><p>Suitable
accommodation is defined in regulations in the Children Act Volume 2 statutory guidance,
a copy of which is available at the following link: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/441643/Children_Act_Guidance_2015.pdf"
target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/441643/Children_Act_Guidance_2015.pdf</a>.</p><p>
</p><p>Unregulated accommodation can be the right option for some older children in
care and care leavers aged 16 or 17, providing a stepping-stone towards living as
an independent adult. In some cases, the quality of accommodation provided may not
be reaching the standards we would expect, so I have asked Sir Alan Wood, the Chair
of the Residential Care Leadership Board, to collect evidence to help us understand
where improvements might be needed.</p><p> </p><p>In light of Sir Alan Wood’s findings,
we will consider whether further steps need to be taken to ensure that all children
in care aged 16 or 17 are living in settings that are safe and provide the wrap-around
support that they need.</p>
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