Residential care sector proposes radical rethink of public sector reforms

12 September 2011 1 min read Janaki Mahadevan Social Care Residential and specialist care

The government's vision for public service reform will fail for the most vulnerable children unless there is better choice of provision and an independent complaints body for the residential childcare sector, a group of social care bodies has warned.

The Open Public Services white paper, published in July, set out the government’s plan to improve public services. Based on the five main components of choice, decentralisation, diversity, fairness and accountability, the paper proposes that by putting choice and control in the hands of individuals and neighbourhoods, public services will become more responsive to people's needs.

But in their joint response to the white paper, the National Association of Independent Schools and Non-Maintained Special Schools, National Association of Fostering Providers (NAFP), Independent Children's Homes Association (ICHA) and Social Care Association said the complexities of the residential care sector mean radical changes are needed to improve provision for children across England.

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