Delivering the children’s social care reset. An implementation plan for local partners 2026-2029
Published 22nd May 2026
Delivering the children’s social care reset. An implementation plan for local partners 2026-2029
Extracting those sections relating to Residential Child Care
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Josh MacAllister introduction
Where the state steps in to look after a child, again, it is essential that existing relationships are nurtured and strengthened over time, and where necessary, new, life‑long relationships are developed.
In February, I set out ambitious plans to increase the number of foster care places by 10,000, so that more children can experience the safety and love that these families provide. I have also been clear that whilst a very small number of children may benefit from residential care for a short period, we should not pursue institutional care for children, other than in the most exceptional circumstances.
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From Spring 2026, Regional Care Cooperatives will expand to transform the approach local areas take to commissioning and providing homes for children in care. The model will seek to move local areas away from reactive and competitive commissioning, towards more proactive and collaborative planning.
• We will work in partnership with local areas to drive forward the development of Regional Care Cooperatives. On behalf of local authorities, they will deliver high-quality provision, ensure a clear understanding of local supply, share data to strengthen market oversight, and align regional footprints to enable multi-agency collaboration. This will include working collaboratively with regional partners, including integrated care boards, youth justice services and police, to secure the most appropriate provision and support for children. To support strong governance arrangements, reduce duplication and promote conterminous boundaries, we expect Regional Care Cooperatives to align with strategic authorities.
• An expression of interest was published in March with accompanying guidance, to support the set-up of up to six new Regional Care Cooperatives. This is in addition to the two that launched in Greater Manchester and the South East in 2025.
• From Spring 2026 we will also improve data on placements, by building on the data systems used and developed by Regional Care Cooperatives so that they can be used across England. This will enable local areas to benchmark their placement costs so they can improve commissioning, shape local markets, and negotiate more effectively with providers.
• Additionally, from Summer 2026 we will commence primary legislation to enable the Secretary of State to direct two or more local authorities to make regional cooperation arrangements, at the same time as commencing some broader market measures. During 2026, we will establish the financial oversight scheme to increase financial and corporate transparency of ‘difficult to replace’ care providers and their corporate owners.
• As soon as parliamentary time allows, we will lay regulations to implement the financial oversight scheme and bring supported accommodation into scope of the scheme.
• To implement this, guidance will be published in 2026, ahead of the scheme being commenced. From Spring 2026, in partnership with local authorities and Ofsted, we will take action to make sure the right homes are built in the right areas of the country for children in care.
• From Spring 2026 we will progress our capital programme to deliver open and secure children’s homes according to their stage of delivery, including design, planning, procurement, construction and operational readiness.
From Spring 2026 we will review the purpose of residential care to inform care planning, and to ensure that there is a more purposeful use of these settings. We want to ensure residential care enables children in care to have enduring relationships, and that there is a smaller and more purposeful use of residential care in the future.
• From Summer 2026 to Spring 2029, we will launch the Home Again pilots consisting of an integrated support model to support those caring for children at risk of, or deprived of their liberty in complex situations for up to three pilot areas. From Spring 2027 we will bring forward regulations to set out the statutory framework for the authorisation of deprivation of liberty in accommodation provided for the purpose of treatment and care, ahead of commencing primary legislation from Autumn 2027. Guidance will be published to support implementing this measure.
• From Winter 2026 we will increase controls over where new residential children’s homes can be opened by amending secondary legislation to strengthen Ofsted’s registration process. This will enable Ofsted to refuse new registrations where the location of the home does not meet location requirements. From Summer 2026, Ofsted will fine unregistered and unlawful children’s homes.
• From Summer 2026 we will commence powers in the Act to allow Ofsted to start to operationalise its ability to issue monetary penalties to tackle breaches of the Care Standards Act, including unregistered, unlawful provision. Ofsted will publish an enforcement policy in guidance, and we will bring forward regulations to allow for the publication of fines. This will happen alongside broader market reform activity. From Autumn 2026, local authorities will be required to allow reasonable contact between children in care and their siblings.
• From Autumn 2026 we will commence duties in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 that make clear the expectation on local authorities to promote contact between siblings where it is in children’s best interests. This will support children in care to have loving relationships with family members. This will apply to all children in care whether in foster care, residential care or other settings.
• To support this duty, we have committed to identifying and sharing best practice on facilitating sibling relationships. This will include evidence-based family finding programmes, such as Lifelong Links, that rebuild the most important relationships in a child’s life.
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Updates children’s homes guidance to support the implementation of provision of accommodation provided for the purpose of treatment and care, when used to deprive a child of their liberty.
