Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any impact that a shortage of residential care placements for learning disabled individuals may have on the choice available to families; and what steps they are taking to ensure that any shortage of placements does not lead to the acceptance of any restrictive contact regimes that infringe on a resident's right to family life.

Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population, which is why, under the Care Act 2014, they are tasked with the duty to shape their care market to meet the diverse needs of all people. This includes commissioning a variety of different providers and specialist services that provide genuine choice to meet the needs of local people and that offer quality and value for money.

Contact with family and friends is a crucial part of a person’s care and no one should be denied reasonable access to visitors while they are a resident in a care home, or a patient in a hospital or hospice. Regulation 9A: Visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals and hospices is a Care Quality Commission (CQC) fundamental standard which came into force on 6 April 2024 and sets out what providers must do to make sure they respect the right of each person to receive visits and to be accompanied. Providers also have a responsibility to comply with relevant Court of Protection orders.

In April 2025, the Department launched a review of the effectiveness of CQC Regulation 9A: Visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals and hospices, to consider whether it has been effective in meeting its objectives. The Department will be publishing the outcome of the review shortly.