Cheshire West and Chester Council has been urged to improve its care for homeless young people and children transitioning out of care, as reported by The BBC.
Ofsted also flagged concerns over a small number of children being housed in unregistered and therefore “illegal” care homes.
In its first inspection of the council’s children’s services since 2019, Ofsted raised concerns about inadequate planning for young people at risk of exploitation. The council expressed disappointment with the findings but noted the report also highlighted many areas of strong practice.
One major issue identified was the failure to consistently interview children who had gone missing about their whereabouts and contacts upon return, making it difficult to assess and address exploitation risks effectively.
Inspectors criticised services for 16- and 17-year-olds facing homelessness as “poor” but acknowledged that services for children in care were generally well-managed. However, they noted that a “very small number” of children had been placed in unregistered care homes illegally.
This concern echoes a national issue reported by the BBC, which revealed that last year, 370 unregistered care homes operated across the country. In 78% of cases, children were placed in these homes due to a lack of space in regulated facilities. The government at the time pledged £259m to increase the number of available placements.
Adam Langan, cabinet member for children and young people, said the council is developing a “robust improvement plan” to address the areas identified by inspectors. He emphasised the council’s commitment to ensuring the best outcomes for children and families, acknowledging that many of the issues raised were already being targeted for improvement.
Ofsted, however, criticised council leadership for being “overly optimistic” about their performance, which has slowed progress in critical areas.
Adrian Waddelove, deputy leader of the council’s Conservative group, described the report as “concerning,” saying it reflects a broader issue of delayed action on identified problems.
