Unregulated supported accommodation: what you need to know as consultation closes
Fiona Simpson
Monday, June 1, 2020
A government consultation into tightening restrictions on unregulated supported accommodation is set to close this week following an eight-week extension due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Department for Education plans propose banning the use of such accomodation for under-16s, an introduction of national standards for unregulated provision and strict monitoring.
The consultation has sparked debate over a lack of focus on 16- to 18-year-olds living in unregulated supported accommodation, the use of an expert panel set up by the DfE to help draft standards and perceived lack of effort by the government to involve care experienced people in the consultation.
Here, CYP Now recaps the key issues surrounding the consultation:
Why was the consultation launched?
The government launched the consultation into unregulated supported accomodation in February following numerous reports and investigations which highlighted risks from abusers and criminal gangs towards 16- and 17-year-olds placed in such settings.
According to the consultation document, 6,180 children were living in independent and semi-independent accommodation not subject to children’s home regulations on 31 March 2019. This figure has increased year on year since the same date in 2015 when numbers stood at 1,240.
Providing support for under-16s without being registered with the inspectorate is not illegal, but if care is provided this could be an offence.
The consultation was extended by eight weeks as the initial closing date fell during the early stages of lockdown in the UK.
What is the government proposing?
The consultation proposes to ban the use of unregulated supported accommodation for under-16s and introduce new minimum standards for such provision.
Proposals also suggest the introduction of national standards for unregulated provision.
Two options for monitoring standards are put forward in the consultation document: to change the regulations to make the standards mandatory for local authorities or legislate to introduce a new quality and inspection regime.
Proposals also include introducing new measures so that local authorities and police forces liaise before a supported accommodation placement is made and giving Ofsted new powers to act against illegal providers.
What has the sector said?
Sector leaders have welcomed the need for a review, however, many have said the proposals do not go far enough.
Campaigners believe proposals should be extended to ban the use of unregulated supported accommodation for all children under 18. This oversight sparked the launch of the Keep Caring to 18 campaign by a coalition of children’s charities.
Campaigners also said the consultation did not go far enough to include the views of care-experienced young people.
This led to a collaboration between the DfE and the coalition to target 14- to 30-year-olds whose views will be welcomed until 23 June.
Why does the government have an expert group?
DfE drew further criticism over secrecy surrounding the creation of an expert group advising ministers ahead of the results of the consultation.
DfE and members of the group denied it had been set up in secret but children’s minister Vicky Ford confirmed it had been tasked with drafting new minimum standards alongside the ongoing consultation.
Group chairman Sir Alan Wood said involving young people and care-experienced adults was not part of its mandate.