LGA responds to Children's Commissioner report on use of unregulated accommodation

“Ensuring that young people in care and care leavers are able to live in good quality homes that meet their needs is a key priority for councils.

“However, as the number of children in care has increased year on year, it has become increasingly difficult to find suitable children’s home accommodation for all of the children who need it. This is undoubtedly driving the increasing use of unregulated and unregistered accommodation.

“It is vital that the Government urgently takes action to increase the availability of homes for young people with complex or challenging needs and provides funding and support to councils to ensure that they are able to give these young people the safe, nurturing homes they deserve.

“In addition, the current COVID-19 crisis highlights the need to consider carefully how any new legislation or regulations would retain flexibility to ensure councils and providers can safely respond to crises while keeping children’s best interests at the heart of all decision making.”