Vulnerable children are being placed in danger of exploitation and abuse by being housed in unregulated accommodation, including Airbnb properties, in County Durham. Durham police and crime commissioner Joy Allen has renewed her calls for urgent action after learning that unregulated accommodation was being used to house children in the county.
She revealed that some children had been sent to accommodation operated by providers from outside the region, including privately rented properties and Airbnbs. Ms Allen said: "I will not stop fighting for those children who need our protection most. As Police and Crime Commissioner, I see first-hand the devastating consequences when vulnerable children are not adequately safeguarded. Too often, this can lead to exploitation, abuse and lifelong trauma."
Push for stronger checks and regulation
Ms Allen is pushing for more rigorous checks on accommodation and staff, greater powers for Ofsted to investigate and shut down illegal homes, and an increase in foster carers and regulated children's homes. She has raised her concerns directly with Government ministers, Ofsted, the Children's Commissioner, local councils and MPs.
She added: "Children who have already experienced instability and adversity deserve safety, care and support, not environments that leave them exposed to further risk."
Council responses and local challenges
Darlington Borough Council stated that the safety of children in its care was of "utmost importance" and confirmed it maintained regular dialogue with Ofsted. A spokesperson said: "We recognise the concerns raised by the Police and Crime Commissioner and support efforts to strengthen the safeguarding of vulnerable children. Where placement decisions are required, these are made following careful assessment, taking account of the child's needs, risks and circumstances, and are kept under regular review."
The spokesperson added: "Like councils across the country, we continue to face challenges arising from a national shortage of suitable placements. We are working with regional partners to increase the availability of high-quality foster care and regulated residential provision to ensure children receive the care, stability and support they need."
Durham County Council voted last year to declare a crisis in children's social care, with Deputy council leader Darren Grimes describing it as the "most urgent threat to the well-being of our children and the financial stability" of the county.
Regional efforts and government funding
Rachel Farnham, Durham County Council's director of children and young people's services, said: "We take our responsibility to identify and secure registered provisions for all children in care very seriously. We share the Police and Crime Commissioner's belief that unregistered placements are unacceptable. However, in the most exceptional of circumstances, when every alternative has been fully explored and exhausted, they can also be unavoidable."
She noted that Ofsted had recently highlighted the "intense scrutiny and detailed risk analysis" carried out by the council to keep children safe, along with its efforts to increase the number of regulated placements on offer. "Our Beacon Hub and supporting solutions service, meanwhile, is helping families to rebuild relationships when there is a risk of them breaking down," she continued. "The 12 North East councils have also recently been successful in a bid to become one of the Government's eight Regional Care Cooperatives. This will allow us to go even further to tackle some of these challenges."
The Government has highlighted £2.4bn being channelled into its Families First Partnership programme, alongside plans to establish a further 10,000 foster placements. Ofsted is additionally assembling a specialist team to address the use of unregistered children's homes across the country.
