Ofsted has issued a fresh warning against the placement of vulnerable children, including those subject to deprivation of liberty orders, in unregistered children’s homes
Children subject to deprivation of liberty (DoL) orders have complex needs and require high levels of skilled care and supervision. Too often, these children are placed in illegal unregistered settings without external oversight.
New guidance, published today, makes clear that settings offering children’s home services for children subject to DoL orders should register with Ofsted in England or the Care Inspectorate Wales. The court order does not exempt the provider from being registered. Operating a children’s home without registration remains illegal.
Read the ‘Placing children: deprivation of liberty orders’ guidance
Ofsted has also updated its guidance on how it prioritises applications to register children’s homes when local authorities need urgent placements for children. This means that providers accommodating children who have been placed by a local authority in an ‘emergency’, children who are subject to a DoL order and/or unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, can have their application expedited. However, registration requirements and regulations must be met before a provider is deemed suitable.
Read the ‘Registering children’s homes in an emergency: priority applications’ guidance
Yvette Stanley, Ofsted’s Director for Social Care: