Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many warning letters Ofsted has sent to unregistered care settings for children in the last year.

It is illegal to manage an unregistered setting that should be registered with Ofsted. Unregistered settings pose a risk to children, given there is no assurance about safety.

Ofsted can pursue criminal prosecution, and between April 2023 and March 2024, opened over 1000 cases to investigate potential unregistered settings.

We are strengthening Ofsted’s powers, via the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, so they can fine unregistered providers. There is no limit to the fine. Ofsted will take into account the provider's previous record, severity of the breach and impact on children. This will enable Ofsted to act at scale and pace to tackle persistent offenders. It will also act as a greater deterrent. This will mean that more children are placed into registered settings, where Ofsted, the local authority, and the public can be assured that the child is in a home that meets all the requirements set out in legislation.