Children's home staff must have better qualifications

In April, the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee recommended that the government address "underperformance" in residential care by making the level 3 qualification mandatory.

Responding to the report this week the government said the national minimum standards underpinning regulations for children's homes are being reviewed. It said: "In light of the committee's concerns [we] will strengthen the requirements relating to training and development. The new standards will be published for consultation in the autumn."

The government also announced that pilot children's homes have been selected to test the social pedagogy model, which borrows concepts commonly used in parts of Europe.

The model aims to support the whole development of a child rather than just focusing on their immediate needs.

An evaluation of the pilots will examine whether the model should be used more widely across English children's homes.

The government also agreed with the committee's findings that there is a need to improve the support that child and adolescent mental health services provide to children in care, but rejected calls for a national pay framework for foster carers.