25 Oct 2018
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Research
linked
Strengthening Protections in Unregistered Alternative Provision
The Department for Education is addressing the growing use of unregistered children's homes and alternative provision settings, which lack Ofsted inspection and formal safeguarding checks despite being illegal to operate. Numbers of children placed in unregistered accommodation have risen sharply from 147 in 2020–21 to 982 in 2023–24, creating significant child safety risks including vulnerability to exploitation and criminal activity. The policy seeks to strengthen protections, improve local authority accountability, and ensure all children in residential care receive adequate oversight and quality assurance.