Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Recommendation 45
45
Rejected
Develop universal standards of care applicable to all children's homes, including supported accommodation.
Conclusion
The Department for Education must follow the recommendation of the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care and develop universal standards of care that apply to all homes, including supported accommodation, ensuring that children in all settings receive care where they live. (Recommendation, Paragraph 105)
Government Response Summary
The government rejected the recommendation to develop a single universal set of standards, stating it is instead focusing on updating outdated National Minimum Standards and aligning them with more recently developed ones.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
We fully appreciate the need for there to be high standards for children, wherever they live. Settings such as barges, caravans and B&Bs, as referenced in evidence to the Committee, are not considered suitable places for children in care to live, as they are extremely unlikely to meet the Quality Standards as set out in the Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023. Additionally, we would clarify that the £145 million spent in supporting semi-independent providers to register, quoted in paragraph 103 of the Committee’s report, comprised of £123m to local authorities for any additional burdens the introduction of registration posed them, £19m for Ofsted to develop the registration and inspection process and a £4 million contract in place with National Children’s Bureau (NCB) to support new providers. Rather than prioritising development of a single universal set of standards, we are focusing on options for updating some of the most out-dated National Minimum Standards to ensure they reflect the latest ambitious goals we have for children and to bring them into better alignment with more recently developed standards. We are also committed to working with Ofsted on their social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) reform to support settings being held to proper account through inspections.