Committee publication · Correspondence · 27 April 2026
Letter to the Permanent Secretary to the Department for Education relating to Treasury Minute response - Financial sustainability of children's care homes, 27 April 2026
Summary
The Public Accounts Committee thanks the Department for Education for its Treasury Minute response on children's care homes financial sustainability but challenges the department's rejection of a recommendation to eliminate unregistered care homes by end-2027. The Committee requests clearer metrics and timelines for tracking progress on this acknowledged unlawful issue, seeking a substantive response by 27 May 2026.
Key findings
- DfE rejected the PAC recommendation for zero unregistered care homes by end-2027, though acknowledges such settings are unacceptable and unlawful
- DfE provided additional clarity and commitments on Regional Care Co-operatives and increasing foster carer numbers
- PAC notes complexity of the issue but demands greater clarity on assessment and progress-tracking mechanisms
- Committee seeks urgent understanding of action effectiveness and timeline for demonstrating commitment to addressing unregistered care homes
Tone
ProceduralTopics
public-financesafeguardingchildren-servicesregulation
Key actors
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Susan Acland-Hood, Public Accounts Committee, Department for Education, Comptroller and Auditor General, Treasury Officer of Accounts
Notable line
“… although the issues are complex, the Committee would like greater clarity on how both it, and the department, can assess and track progress towards addressing this critical issue.”
Key Quotes
“It is encouraging that the department recognises that the use of these settings is both unacceptable and unlawful”
“I would hope that you are keen to understand, with some urgency, how effective your actions are and when more action may be needed.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗