Government rejects MPs' call to ban B&B use for care leavers

In its response to the education select committee’s report on 16-plus care options, the government said it would not back an outright ban because local government organisations had warned that to do so would limit councils' ability to meet care leavers’ needs.

The response said: “The Association of Directors of Children's Services and Local Government Association argue that an outright ban would be an unnecessarily blunt instrument, which would not allow flexibility to address very particular circumstances in the best interests of young people.

“After giving the matter careful consideration we will not take forward work towards an outright ban at the current time, but we will continue to review practice, and do not rule out the possibility of further action, including greater regulation.”

However, the government said it would introduce a number of changes to local authority statutory guidance to strengthen care leavers’ rights on housing, including recommending that councils only use B&Bs for “emergency placements” and for a maximum of two working days.

It added: “We believe this strikes the right balance for now – setting clear expectations about the quality of support for young people, while retaining the flexibility necessary to ensure that B&Bs can be used if it is the best way to meet a young person's needs.”

During its inquiry, the committee heard evidence from care leaver groups that some young people were placed in B&Bs by local authorities for months due to a shortage of more long-term accommodation.

The committee’s report had also called for the right to stay put in foster care up to the age of 21 to be extended to young people in residential care. While not accepting the recommendation, the government response said it was “committed to finding the right way forward” and would work closely with the sector on the issue.

It added that a group of children’s charities were working to develop models on how the so-called Staying Put policy could work in children’s homes.

The government also said it had strengthened guidance to councils on when a young person should leave a care placement so that moves should not take place in the lead up to GCSE or A-level exams.