In its Annual Report 2020/21, the inspectorate describes the children’s social care market as “problematic”.
“Commissioning of specialist services is often linked to individual children, and involves high prices and limited choice. This means that commissioners are rarely in a good position to negotiate the best care and support for children,” it states.
The report highlights that the largest 10 providers own a third of all children’s homes in England, it states, adding that the closure of any of these companies could exacerbate existing gaps in sufficiency.
It notes that while the number of children’s homes increased by seven per cent in 2020/21, new children’s homes are generally smaller, with an average of three places compared with an average of six for recently closed homes.
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