Introduction
An increasing number of looked after children and care leavers are being placed in independent and semi-independent settings that are not required to register with Ofsted (unregulated provision). Whilst recognising that unregulated provision plays an important role in meeting the needs of children and young people, the Department for Education is acutely aware that concerns are being raised about the quality of the care, support and safeguarding offered by some providers and the decisions being made by local authorities in placing children in unregulated settings. The Department launched a consultation on this topic as a matter of urgency, ahead of the Government’s anticipated wider care review. The consultation, which ran from 12 February 2020 to 3 June 2020, presented a range of proposed reforms designed to ensure unregulated settings provide the right level of support and are used appropriately. This report presents the key findings from an independent analysis of responses to the consultation.
