CYP Now - Children's Homes Research

The concerns of London local authorities in meeting sufficiency duties described in the first study and the severity of this in relation to residential children's homes, are recognised as a theme across the country. This study was commissioned by the LGA to look at the policies, barriers, and facilitators for local authorities and smaller independent providers in establishing children's homes.

The study identified five major barriers to the establishment of children’s homes. Picture: Seventyfour/Adobe Stock

Five areas of inter-related barriers are identified:

The perceived role of children's residential care as an option of last resort

A stigma is attached to residential children's homes with roots back to historical abuse, and policy that prioritises adoption and foster care ahead of children's homes. Financial drivers are also recognised as leading placing authorities to have preferences for those alternatives. The consequent use of children's homes as a last resort is associated with poorer outcomes for children and creates a negative spiral or vicious circle of opinion and practice. This impacts significantly on the decision-making processes of providers, on the career and development pathways of social care professionals, and directly and indirectly on those children that are placed in children's homes.

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