CSCI: One person childrens Homes and childrens services reports

A recent Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) report raises questions about the value of "one-person children's homes". Councils can pay anything up to £6,000 a week to place children with extreme and complex needs in such homes but there appears to be no proof that approach benefits the children concerned.
In "one person children's homes" a child is often kept in a private house together with non-resident staff working in shifts. CSCI found that despite government guidance stressing the importance of children in care staying in their local area they are often located far from the child's own community.
The number of such children's homes is increasing, but it is not clear that councils have properly considered their efficacy. Children may stay in these homes for a few months or for periods of years.
CSCI notes that the homes are "extremely expensive" and questions whether the councils who are getting a good deal. Private providers are able to charge so much for the services because the provision is so scarce.

Denise Platt, CSCI chairwoman, said: "We don't know enough about how children respond to living on their own in these one place children's homes... It may well be convenient for local councils to place children with complex needs in these homes, but the impact on the children who live there is still unclear."
In some cases the impression was that the care process had not been "thought through", Dame Denise said.

Children living in some of the one-person homes told inspectors they were glad to escape bullying and enjoyed more attention from staff but they also often missed the company of other children and felt lonely.
Inspection reports revealed the homes did worse than larger children's homes in key areas, including support for individual children and the training and competency of staff.

Some councils do not use one person homes on principle and those who do tend not to do so as a first choice. Youngsters being placed usually have complex emotional or behavioural difficulties, learning disabilities and mental health problems, and may be difficult to control.
Some homes were found to be illegally limiting children's freedom - although they are not officially secure accommodation.

CSCI has also published a report on childrens services , The report found a need to improve progress in a number of areas including;

Increasing financial pressures are resulting in high eligibility criteria and thresholds for access to local council services. Children and families are, as a result, not always getting the help they need.
There is not enough support for children when they are taken into care and placed in a children’s home or with foster parents.
There are shortfalls in services to vulnerable children and young people with mental health problems, and in particular for children in care and their families.
Children in care do less well in education. While there have been improvements, more needs to be done, and done quickly.
Services to children with disabilities vary considerably depending on where they live. Services to children whose parents are disabled are similarly variable from one local council area to another.
There is insufficient coordination between children’s and adults’ social services teams in local councils to ensure coordinated help.