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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Niamh McIntyre, Karl Martinsson, Michael Savage and Shanti Das

Revealed: scandal of England’s ‘inadequate’ private children’s homes

A children's home. South London.
More than three-quarters of homes in England are run by the private sector, which critics say risks the stability necessary for children to thrive. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The Guardian

More than 100 privately run children’s homes in England with serious failings have been branded inadequate by inspectors, with several found to have links to private equity firms, an Observer investigation has found.

Poorly trained staff, chaotic management and a series of incidents that left children’s safety in danger were cited in official reports by Ofsted, which inspects children’s homes, as it concluded they were providing inadequate care. Several have closed since inspectors raised concerns.

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