Why illegal children’s homes are being paid up to £2m per child by councils

• Councils are circumventing regulations by continuing to fund placements in unregistered children's homes despite legal prohibitions, creating significant safeguarding risks for vulnerable young people in your care pathways.
• Financial pressures on local authorities are driving unsafe care arrangements, with payments reaching £2m per child highlighting the cost of non-compliance compared to regulated alternatives.
• GPs and healthcare professionals should be alert to identifying children in unregistered placements who may lack proper health assessments, mental health support, and safeguarding oversight, and escalate concerns through appropriate channels.

A ban was meant to bring an end to the practice - but councils continue to fund illegal placements.

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