Source · Select Committees · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Deferred
Update Code of Guidance and end family placements sharing facilities with single adults.
Recommendation
We are alarmed to hear examples of families housed in temporary accommodation that included spaces shared with single adults with a history of domestic abuse. This is completely inappropriate and poses a potential safeguarding risk to children. Currently, there is no explicit ban on placements of families in accommodation with single adults, and we do not believe that the Code of Guidance goes far enough to ensure the wellbeing of children and families at safeguarding risk. (Conclusion, Paragraph 45) 44 The Government must update the Code of Guidance to clearly demonstrate local authorities’ foremost duty to mitigate safeguarding risks when making decisions on placements for families with children. The Government should work with local authorities to bring an end to placements of families in temporary accommodation with kitchens or bathrooms shared with single adults housed in the same building. (Recommendation, Paragraph 45)
Government response summary AI-generated
The government deflected the recommendation to update the Code of Guidance on safeguarding in shared facilities by discussing existing reporting requirements for out-of-area placements and its efforts to improve the presentation, quality, and accessibility of this data.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
15. Current legislation is very clear that B&B accommodation is not suitable for children and should only be used in emergencies and then only for a maximum of six weeks. B&B accommodation is privately managed, meaning the council has less control over who else the household might be sharing facilities with, increasing safeguarding risks for children. It is for this reason government is clear B&B accommodation is not suitable for families and we are determined to eliminate its use for families other than where no other accommodation is available, and then only for a maximum of six weeks. 16. For placements into other forms of temporary accommodation where facilities are shared, we strongly agree with the Committee on the need for local authorities to consider safeguarding risks. We do not agree with the Committee that councils should never place families in accommodation where facilities are shared with single adults. While we agree it should be rare, there will be instances where well managed placements can be appropriate; for example, placing a single young person in a family hostel for a short period in an emergency may be more appropriate than placing them in an adult hostel. We will, however, consider how to strengthen the Homelessness Code of Guidance in relation to safeguarding considerations when making TA placements as well as development of toolkits and practical guidance for good temporary accommodation placement management.
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