World News
Councils spend millions on unregistered children's homes, report says
English local authorities spend over £125m annually on unlawful children's home placements, according to The Guardian.
The short version
- An investigation reveals councils in England spend more than £125m annually placing vulnerable children in unregistered care homes.[The Guardian]
- Over two years, local authorities paid £250m to more than 480 private firms for 1,800 unlawful placements.[The Guardian]
- Children's commissioner Rachel de Souza highlighted systemic failings, as regulator Ofsted recorded 710 illegal homes this year.[The Guardian]
Key facts
- Councils in England spend more than £125m each year placing vulnerable children in illegal care homes.[The Guardian]
- Over the past two years, more than 480 private companies received £250m from local authorities for 1,800 unlawful placements.[The Guardian]
- Ofsted detected 710 illegal homes this year, a sharp increase from 144 identified in 2020.[The Guardian]
- Catalyst Care Ltd was fined £92,000 after operating three unregistered care homes in Kent.[The Guardian]
What remains uncertain
- Creative Outdoor Group disputes an allegation by a former care worker that a boy lived in a tent on a farm for four months in 2022.[The Guardian]
- Prospero Health and Social Care stated that while it provided staff, it did not operate unregistered care facilities.[The Guardian]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.