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<p>Secure Children’s Homes provide specialist care in a secure environment for some
of the most vulnerable young children in England to protect them, and others around
them from harm, including girls at risk of child sexual exploitation.</p><p>In light
of the growing demand for placements of children considered vulnerable, it is important
that the system of provision sufficiently meets the changing needs of children that
need to be placed in a secure setting.</p><p>The Department for Education is conducting
a review of Secure Children’s Homes to examine the current and likely future need
of places and what changes, improvements or new forms of provision may be required
to ensure those needs are met. We have also announced steps to improve practice, such
as better data collection on children who go missing.</p><p>Through the Innovation
Programme we have also invited proposals for new ways of supporting vulnerable adolescents,
including a number of bids that seek to prevent Child Sexual Exploitation.</p><p>The
Department has recently consulted on changes to children’s homes regulations to introduce
new Quality Standards. This includes a specific standard setting out that children
are to be protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.</p><p> </p><p>We
are also undertaking wider reforms to social work practice, including the development
of new assessment and accreditation system which will provide a practice based career
pathway for children’s social workers in England, announced by the Secretary of State
at the recent NCAS conference and an expansion of schemes like Frontline – which will
improve the quality of social work.</p>
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