TBA
Definition
Once a provider delivers a care element as well as accommodation, it is a legal requirement that they must register as a children’s home. Unregistered provisions are when a children and young people who is being provided with some form of ‘care’ is living somewhere that is not registered with Ofsted.
Market Context
As part of the reforms to improve the standards in children and young people’s social care, from the 9th September 2021 the Department for Education placed restrictions on Local Authorities placing children and young people under the age of 16 in unregistered provisions
Essex County Council will explore all options before utilising providers that do not meet the full requirements for regulated support. As such Unregistered provisions are a placement of last resort and take place when no registered provider is willing or able to accept a placement for a children and young people who requires care. These placements are typically within private rented properties with staff from support agencies on a 24-hour basis. These are temporary until a long-term registered placement becomes available.
The expectation for children or young people is that the service provider supports them to reintegrate into mainstream registered provision.
The types of need for children and young people entering this service are:
- Urgent or complex care
- Children and young people with multiple breakdowns
- Multiple co-existing needs
- Children and young people in crisis
- Children and young people who can’t safely be with other children and young people
- Trauma and neglect
Market Status
We currently have a fairly good supply of unregistered settings, which are currently procured on a spot basis.
ECC needs to reduce our reliance on unregistered providers of last resort. Therefore work is underway to increase supply or access to supplies of Registered provision by:
- Looking to develop options to deliver in-house registered children’s homes.
- Investigate options to recommissioning our contracted services for registered care.
- Investigating options to evolve the voluntary sector into the children sector in Essex to increase choice.
- Understanding the concerns of our unregistered with registering with Ofsted and encouraging registration.
|
Total Number of Providers: |
N/A |
|
Total Number of Placements: |
12 |
|
Total Market Spend per year: |
£5.3 million |
|
ECC Funded Placements |
100% |
|
Number of Provider Entries/Placements (22/23): |
41 |
|
Number of Provider Exits/Placements (22/23): |
35 |
|
Provider Quality – Good or Outstanding: |
N/A |
|
Average Accommodation Placement Size: |
N/A |
|
Framework/spot Placement Ratio: |
100% |
|
Number of Placements per year (22/23): |
41 |
|
Number of Emergency Placements: |
100% |
|
Number of Planned Placements: |
0% |
|
Average Length of Stay: |
86 days |
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Average Pack Cost per week: |
£14,450 per week |
|
Expected future Capacity Required: |
Diminishing |
- The ultimate aspiration is to minimise the use of unregistered provision. Ensuring that all future placements are in registered homes.
- If in the event we require to use unregistered provision, the intention is to ensure the providers are compliant and safe to minimise the risk.
- The number of children and young people in unregistered has increased due to COVID. The level of children with mental health issues has increased.
- This service is not supported and so is only used when there is no other alternative for a child or young person.
- Providers used are not registered with Ofsted
- Working with providers to register their services/business where possible
- Move children or Young People out of the service into a registered Service
- Work with our providers to improve relationships and understanding of their needs, concerns or issues
- Ensuring where placements are made the children or Young person is safe.
- Work with Ofsted to improve relationships with providers