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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>
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Many children in care aged 16 and 17 live in foster care or children\u2019s homes, which are inspected by Ofsted. Data from Ofsted\u2019s latest annual report (2017/18) show that 84% of providers are judged as good or outstanding and 2% are inadequate.<\/p>
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We are supporting local authorities to increase sufficiency of fostering, secure and non-secure residential placements and ensure that placements meet children\u2019s needs. This includes investing £5 million in an innovation programme funding 3 projects to increase councils residential care capacity and improve commissioning practice.<\/p>
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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\u2019s 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>
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Where it is judged to be in the child\u2019s best interests, local authorities can also accommodate children in care and care leavers aged 16 or 17 in suitable unregulated provision.<\/p>