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Children's homes 'reluctant' to accept children with complex needs, Ofsted reports

3 mins read Social Care
More than nine in 10 local authorities struggle to find homes for children with complex needs, warns a report by Ofsted, highlighting a reluctance by homes to accept such referrals as a key factor behind the issue.
Ofsted have raised concerns over the treatment of children with complex needs in residential care. Picture: UK Government
Ofsted have raised concerns over the treatment of children with complex needs in residential care. Picture: UK Government

The inspectorate has called for “greater strategic oversight” of the children’s residential sector in its latest report, How local authorities and children’s homes can achieve stability and permanence for children with complex needs.

The report states that “children’s homes are often reluctant to accept referrals for children with complex needs”.

This may be due to the fact that “homes may not have the staff or facilities to meet specialist care needs, or it could cause disruption for other children at the home” and “some managers also think it could negatively affect the home’s Ofsted inspection judgment”, it adds.

Many children with complex needs live in homes alone with high numbers of staff, which the report says leaves them vulnerable to isolation and mistreatment, the inspectorate notes.

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