Today, the government has announced that unregulated placements for under 16-year-olds will become illegal from September, and that national standards for unregulated care will be put in place.
Shaw Trust very much supports these government announcements, which we called for in submission to the House of Commons Education Committee’s inquiry into this important issue in 2019.
We also hope the current independent children’s care review will be used to address the systemic and structural issues that mean that regulated provision is unavailable for some children and young people under 16, particularly those with the most complex needs and challenges.
Homes2Inspire, part of Shaw Trust, is very proud to deliver high-quality care and support to many of these children and young people through our fully regulated provision. As such, Shaw Trust will be engaging fully in the Care Review to try and shape its outcome and put forward our holistic, innovative provision to care of children and young people as a best practice model for the future. Through our ‘child to career’ approach, which layers on our wider services and support, and our care leavers provision at Trevone House and Belinda Ferris House, we aim to greatly improve the life chances of the children and young people we support, so they can enjoy a safe, secure and fulfilling adulthood.