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ADCS response to the government consultation on unregulated...

Rachel Dickinson, ADCS President, said:

“No child or young person should live in unsafe, unsuitable accommodation and we should all be doing our utmost to ensure that doesn’t happen. Ahead of the Care Review, this consultation is an opportunity for the government to truly recognise the pressures local authorities face when trying to find the right placement in the right place for a growing number of children and young people in our care and care leavers.

“Unregulated provision is usually used for 16-17-year olds as a stepping stone to independence, and occasionally in emergency situations following a placement breakdown or where a child has very complex needs and no other placement is available. If the proposal to ban the use of unregulated settings for under 16s is implemented, we would be interested to hear about what plans are in place to ensure this does not exacerbate capacity issues the sector is already facing, particularly in relation to finding placements for our most complex children and young people.

“Local authorities have a responsibility to make sure the unregulated provision they are using is suitable and take their own steps to locally regulate and quality assure settings. Examples include auditing staff DBS checks and conducting unannounced visits.

“Some young people thrive in semi-independent living arrangements, where good wrap around support is part of a highly tailored plan. However, we recognise and share the concern that this is not always the case which is why ADCS has been in dialogue with the DfE, Ofsted and others in relation to the use of these settings.

“We will carefully consider the proposals outlined and will be formally responding in due course after discussions with our members.”

ENDS


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