Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Annual Report of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills 2018-19 Annual Report, published by Ofsted in January 2020, what steps his Department plans to take to reduce the level of skills shortages in the residential social care workforce.

The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 introduced for the first-time quality standards for children’s homes. This includes the new and improved mandatory qualifications for those working in residential childcare, which were designed specifically to better meet children’s needs, by ensuring each new entrant demonstrates their competence in the core knowledge and skills required. The Regulations set out that it is the children’s home’s registered person’s responsibility to ensure staff have the necessary experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child, including any ongoing continuous professional development.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse’s Interim Report (April 2018) recommended further workforce regulation through introducing professional registration arrangements for staff in children’s homes. The department responded by issuing a Call for Evidence in summer 2019 to gather sector perspectives on wider workforce issues including workforce regulation, qualifications, training and professional standards. We recognise that in order to provide good quality care, we need a high quality, motivated workforce that feel valued and is adequately trained and qualified. We are currently exploring options following on from the Call for Evidence findings. We also understand that some residential homes face challenges attracting and retaining the right number of staff and the department is in regular dialogue with the sector about this issue.

The care review is a fundamental part of this government’s manifesto. We are moving forward with plans to review how we support vulnerable children and young people, in order to meet their needs and improve their outcomes.