Children’s homes: understanding the market and the use of out of authority placements

In July 2012 the government made a commitment to reform children’s residential care. This followed the conclusion of the high profile Rochdale child exploitation trial and reports from the Office of the Children’s Commissioner and the Joint All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Inquiry on child exploitation in gangs and groups who go missing from care (APPG Inquiry, 2012; Berelowitz et al., 2012). Expert working groups were subsequently established to examine issues of concern, including: the quality of children’s homes; use of out of authority placements; and children missing from care. The Childhood Wellbeing Research Centre was also commissioned to undertake a rapid response study to promote improved understanding of the children’s residential care market, factors influencing placement decisions and the use of out of authority placements.

The aims of the research were to:
 Identify the key factors influencing local authority decisions to place children inresidential care both within and outside the local authority;
 Explore the children’s residential care market and local authoritycommissioning and procurement strategies;
 Examine the challenges and issues that arise when children are placed out ofauthority and how these might be overcome.