The Independent

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The government is set to ban the placement of children under the age of 16, the in unregulated homes in England, according to a BBC investigation.

education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "the BBC highlighted, something that only needs to be changed".

A consultation is also proposed to deal with more powers for Ofsted to non-registered children's homes.

Last year, Bbc News revealed that children at the age of 11 have been in these homes.

Unregulated houses, often as a semi-independent or assisted living, will not be controlled by a regulatory authority in England or Wales.

the councils have a duty to children in care in homes, and in General, a house in the registered children's homes or with foster parents and caregivers.

But also, and increasingly, by local authorities of the placement of children under the age of 16, the in unregulated apartments, the only qualified to provide support and not full-time care.

'I wouldn't want this for my children,'

Ofsted says, it is illegal to care in an unregulated home, but Bbc News a loophole was used that it allows The Children placed in these homes, while on vacation.

A 15-year-old girl was in eight different unregulated placements in a year.

Now, the government says it wants a ban on the placement of under 16-year-olds in these homes and has launched a public consultation.

"exposing your reports, that there are children who will be placed in this kind of care. This is not something we are going to allow to continue," Mr Williamson said.

"I think anyone with compassion, recognize in your heart, [it is] not right. I would not want this for my children or anyone else. "

Mr Williamson added that the councils have adopted their children's services Department, if you continue to children in unregulated homes.

"If a municipality thinks it can continue to services to children in this type of environment, quite simply, you have withdrawn this force, in order to be able to continue looking after children. "

In the year 2019, after a series of reports that said The Children 's minister at the time, Nadhim Zahawi , that full regulation would be a "knee-jerk reaction".

The Local Government Association said it was "vital" that the government uses to understand your advice, the pressure on the accommodation for children in care.

"The increased use of unregulated settings is driven by deficits in places, which was called in registered children's homes and other settings, especially for Young People with more complex needs," it said.

The government's consultation also has plans to provide additional powers to intervene to Ofsted , the regulatory authority for registered children at home - if you suspect that a setting is used, as an unregistered home.

Ofsted has already learned The Power , the prosecution of providers, but the BBC has, there is no law enforcement, the following 150 studies.

Only about 100 of the 6,000 inhabitants in unregulated homes are under the age of 16 years. More generally, 16-and 17-year-olds are in such settings.

in the Last year, as part of a series of Bbc News investigations in unregulated homes, and it was found that the Young People , while living in these internships.

A 16-year-old girl had acted out of their home and abused, while another boy, also 16, said the home he lived in, was just a "drug-deal-house".

Ed Nixon-The Independent children's Homes Association, said that the distinction between children under 16 years of age and persons under the age of 18 is guided "is completely false. "

"We are ready to treat 16-year-old care leavers, As If you are ready To Live independently, with very limited support", it said.

"There is no question of the regulation of facilities which offer accommodation for kids and adults, this can often be the case, the property is currently unregulated. "

the government of The advice says that it also plans to introduce mandatory national standards for the improvement of conditions for Young People in these homes.

children, ofsted

Source of news: bbc.com