An Ofsted report published today, finds that local authorities are struggling to find homes for children coming into care
Local authorities are struggling with a last-minute dash to find homes for children coming into care due to the rising demand for places and a lack of suitable accommodation, according to Ofsted.
In a report published today, Ofsted found that the lack of enough suitable accommodation, and the need to find placements quickly, mean local authorities often struggle to plan for and meet their legal duty to offer sufficient accommodation for children in need of care. Difficulty forecasting demand and the need for urgent placements leaves local authorities with little option but to respond to individual cases as and when they arise.
Read the report: How local authorities plan for sufficiency: children in care and care leavers
Some local authorities told Ofsted that a lack of time and resources for forward planning results in a last-minute response when a child comes into care. Even when local authorities can plan, there is often a lack of available accommodation and care for children with more complex needs.
Local authorities also noted tension in their relationships with some private providers and their ‘power’ over the children’s social care market. Some suggested that providers can cherry-pick certain children, making it difficult for them to follow their plan and fulfil their sufficiency duty.
Conversely, other local authorities highlighted how positive relationships with providers mean they are better able to find homes for children with more complex needs and negotiate the cost of placements.
Ofsted’s report draws on interviews and focus groups with social workers, regional commissioning groups and other local authority staff.
The research also found:
Yvette Stanley, Ofsted’s National Director for Regulation and Social Care: