Children's homes in crime hotspots face closure

Children's homes in crime hotspots face being shut down unless they prove they can protect vulnerable youngsters, under proposals unveiled today.

The Government wants to beef up English regulator Ofsted's powers as part of a package of measures to improve standards.

Rules are set to be changed so that new homes can only be opened in areas judged safe, and existing ones will have to show they take steps to neutralise dangers from nearby bail hospitals or drug dealing.

Ofsted will be able to give failing institutions a time limit to improve before being closed.

Meanwhile, full inspection reports are to be published with the owners named, as long as it does not risk identifying children.

And from September the regulator will scrutinise local authorities to check they are meeting the requirement to reduce numbers of children going missing from care.

Children's Minister Edward Timpson said youngsters in care "should expect the same standards that we would want for our own children".

"Our reforms will improve the quality of care and tackle the out-of-sight, out-of-mind culture and poor decision making, so vulnerable children are safe," he said.

"I'm a strong believer that transparency drives up quality. Our package of reforms will remove the secrecy which has shrouded residential care for too many years -shining a light on where local authorities and care homes can do better.

"We are also dealing with the unacceptable problem of too many children going missing from care.

"In the next six months, local authorities should review how they work to ensure it is in line with the revised statutory guidance."

Labour MP Ann Coffey, who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on Runaway and Missing Children and Adults, said the new rules being put out for consultation would "tighten the net on sexual predators who prey on vulnerable children living in children's homes".

"For too long these, predominantly private children's homes have operated in the shadows. These reforms will ensure more transparency and better quality," she said.