Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will take steps to ensure that all care workers in child residential care settings are regulated.

The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 set minimum qualifications levels for residential support workers and managers. The manager of a children’s home must hold a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare, or equivalent, and is required to be registered with Ofsted. Support staff must hold a Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare or equivalent. Staff starting to work in a care role have two years to gain the qualification.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and the Independent Review into Children’s Social Care recommended professional registration of staff working in children’s homes. This recommendation is being closely considered. The department’s response to the recommendations from the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care final report will be set out in an implementation strategy in due course.