Ofsted report finds that local authorities struggle to find homes for children coming into care

An Ofsted report has found that local authorities are struggling to finds homes for children and are having to find them at the last minute, due to a lack of suitable accommodation and a rising demand for places.

The report found that a lack of suitable accommodation coupled with the need to find placements quickly means that local authorities are unable to plan for and fulfil the legal duty. The need for urgent placements and problems forecasting demand has resulted in local authorities having to respond to cases as and when they arrive.

In the Ofsted report, some local authorities said that even when they can plan, there is a lack of available accommodation and care for children with more complex needs.

Tension in relationships between local authorities and private providers was also noted, with some local authorities mentioning the power that private providers have over the children's social care market. It was suggested that some providers can 'cherry-pick' certain children, which makes it difficult for local authorities to follow they plan and meet their duty. However, it was also highlighted that good relationships with providers means it is easier to find homes for children with more complex needs and to negotiate costs.

Ofsted's report also found that a lot of knowledge is often held by individuals and this is lost when staff move on.

The report also revealed that local authorities are concerned about the ageing population of foster carers in their area.

Yvette Stanley, Ofsted’s National Director for Regulation and Social Care: "Today’s report lays bare some of the challenges facing local authorities when it comes to finding the care children need. More children are coming into care, many with high-level physical and mental health needs. The need to find places for these children quickly overrides local authorities’ long-term planning.

"It is clear that these findings are set against the issues affecting children’s social care nationally, and local authorities cannot solve the sufficiency issue on their own. There is a lack of suitable homes in the right places, particularly for children with the most complex needs – this needs to be addressed."

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