Letting looked after teenagers live like this is ‘state-sanctioned neglect’
Nearly half of supported accommodation for looked after 16 and 17-year-olds are single occupancy flats and bedsits, new Ofsted data for England from shows.
A further 43 per cent of properties are shared accommodation where teenagers in state care can live alongside older adult strangers.
The findings were condemned by children’s rights charity Article 39 as “state-sanctioned neglect” that presents “obvious and stark child protection risks”.
Law changes in 2021 made it illegal to place looked after children aged 15 or younger in unregulated accommodation without adult care and supervision.
But children aged 16 and 17 were not included in the ban because the government believes such accommodation can help them "transition to adult life". Instead, a new set of Ofsted-registered and inspected standards were introduced last year to improve the quality of these providers, most of which are privately-run.
However, children's rights campaign group Article 39 maintains looked after young people aged 16 and 17 are too young and vulnerable to live on their own or without consistent adult supervision and care.
The charity’s director Carolyn Willow said: “At a time when more and more grown-up children are living with their parents, and the dreadful impact on children’s mental health of Covid-19 and austerity is increasingly being recognised, it is an act of state-sanctioned neglect that our children’s care system has been radically restructured to legitimise teenagers living on their own or in shared properties with adult strangers.
“Against a background of children in care dying and suffering other serious harm when left by their local authorities in properties on their own, it is shameful that ministers changed the law to protect children aged 15 and under, but not those aged 16 and 17.
“A child who is looked after by the state should receive the love, care, attention and day-to-day help that parents all over the country give to their teenage children without question or hesitation.”
Willow added: “How many Members of Parliament would send their own children at age 16 or 17 to live in a flat, bedsit or hostel supposedly to get them ready for adult life? Besides the obvious and stark child protection risks, this makes a mockery of attempts to dismantle educational barriers for children in care.”
Government figures show 41 per cent of children in care aged 16 and 17 live in supported accommodation in England. Eight out of ten providers are in the private sector.
Guidance for supported accommodation regulations published last year by the Department for Education states that some children are ready to become care leavers from the age of 16 and move into supported living: “This provision can be appropriate for some older children where it is what they want and it can meet their needs and keep them safe as part of a carefully managed transition to independence.
“The aim of supported accommodation is to support young people to develop their independence in preparation for adult living while keeping them safe in a homely and nurturing environment."
Latest data from Ofsted show:
- 1,597 of premises – 48 per cent of registered supported accommodation for 16 and 17-year-olds – are sole occupancy
- 627 properties – 19 per cent – are shared accommodation where children may live alongside adult strangers
- 802 of premises – 24 per cent – are shared accommodation where children may live alongside adult care leavers
Welsh way
Wales is set to become the first country in the UK to ban profit-making companies in children’s social care from 2027.
The Health and Social Care Bill (Wales) published last month contains proposals for new legislation to push this forward.
The spiralling cost of private providers in children’s social care was criticised in England’s Independent Review of Children’s Social Care.
But the Westminster government has ruled out a ban or cap on profiteering in the sector, instead opting for creating a network of Regional Care Cooperatives to manage commissioning, funding and planning of care places.
End the 'care cliff'
More than 70 care-experienced children and young people have signed an open letter to the next government calling for better support.
The letter, facilitated by children's care charity Become, highlights:
- A fifth of children in care were living more than 20 miles away from their family, friends, school and community, due to a lack of suitable homes locally last year
- Nearly a third were moved at least once and on average 157 children are moved every day
- There were 88,070 care leavers aged 25 and under last year, four out of ten of whom left care on their 18th birthday
- At least 7,910 young care leavers were homeless or threatened with homelessness last year
- More than a third of young care leavers aged 17-21 are not in education, employment or training
The letter says: "Young people are made to leave care before they are ready, often on their 18th birthday – and for many even younger. They face a care cliff of support, expected to become independent overnight without a safety net to fall back on, leaving a disproportionate number facing homelessness.
"For far too many young people the care system is disrupting their education, impacting their mental health, breaking their connections and leaving them isolated and without a voice. "
The letter calls for "sustainable investment and stronger accountability" to ensure looked-after children live in stable homes. Signatories also say care-experienced people should be consulted on reforms. They call for a "trauma-informed" approach in public services and an end to the "care cliff" at 18 by ensuring care leavers get good accommodation, are debt-free and have opportunities to fulfil their aspirations.