Ministers are facing calls for an urgent reform of the residential child care system following shocking reports of abuse and sexual assault of vulnerable youth in homes run by a high-profit private company.
A BBC investigation revealed a number of alleged safeguard incidents in which young people were put at risk in homes, schools and boarding houses run by Calcot Services for Children, such as assault, care and child sexual abuse.
Former staff accused Calcot of putting benefits ahead of children, failing to meet hired staffing levels and failing to report several serious incidents over the past three years to Ofsted, the care control body. social.
Calcot reported profits of 36% last year, twice as much as the big equivalent care providers, after profits of 42% in 2020 and 32% in 2019, according to the BBC.
Complaints follow the emergence of more general concerns about the quality, safety and sustainability of the UK private childcare market, which is primarily private, in which weekly fees can reach £ 150,000.
Last month, the government’s independent review of child welfare highlighted what it called a “broken” market that failed to meet the needs of too many cared for children. He called for an extraordinary tax on the surplus profits of the largest suppliers and urged councils to unite to avoid exploitation.
The head of the review, Josh MacAlister, told the Guardian that the BBC’s revelations about Calcot highlighted a number of wider issues, such as misuse, inadequate services and weak oversight of the system. “This is another example of the need for a radical re-establishment of the child welfare system.”
Children’s Commissioner for England Rachel de Souza told the BBC she was “dismayed” by the findings, adding: “The whole system needs radical reform.”
Incidents reported by the BBC include:
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A 28-year-old Calcot head office staff member was jailed after abusing his position to prepare for and have sex with a 17-year-old while being redeployed as a support worker in Calcot. accommodation with support.
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A girl from a house in Calcot with significant learning difficulties who is known to be at risk of fleeing, fled repeatedly, once with a child, and twice attempted suicide, in one case being rescued from next to a nearby river bridge. .
While some safeguard incidents were not reported to Ofsted, others did appear to have had little effect on the inspection ratings of Calcot homes and schools, which are considered excellent or good.
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A spokesman for Ofsted said: “Our actions in relation to the houses reported in the BBC investigation will be clear when the reports are published. We take the whistleblowers’ information seriously. As for those who contacted Ofsted As for Calcot, we have taken action in each case. “
In a statement, Calcot Services for Children said: “The industry is subject to strict regulation and the company prioritizes safeguarding all dependent children. It has a history of over 30 years caring for and educating vulnerable and challenging children. He is known for his positive results and is highly regarded by Ofsted and the local authorities he works with. ” Calcot added that he thanked the BBC “for highlighting what it considers to be safeguard issues”.
Kathy Evans, executive director of Children England, an umbrella organization for industry charities, said the childcare market was falling out of control. “The need for decisive market intervention powers and contingency planning with public resources to offer safe and secure alternatives to such an insecure provision, really couldn’t be more urgent.”