Urgent calls for reform after horrific abuse of young people at private care homes

The panel’s earlier report identified a ‘culture of abuse’ in which children were physically, sexually and emotionally harmed by staff over a number of years. Photograph: Jack Sullivan/Alamy

The government’s child safeguarding advisers have urged major reforms to protect severely disabled young people in residential care after “horrific and shocking” abuse revelations at a string of homes run by a private operator.

The child safeguarding practice review panel recommendations, published on Thursday, follow its earlier report on the systematic abuse and neglect of more than 100 young people at three facilities in Doncaster run by the Hesley Group.