The UK’s competition regulator will examine whether high profits for private providers are coming at the expense of quality of care in the children’s social care market, in an investigation launched today.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) study will probe the supply, price, commissioning and regulation of children’s home, fostering and unregulated accommodation placements, along with the environment for investing in services.

The inquiry responds to longstanding concerns around the sufficiency of suitable placements for looked-after children, the increasing use of unregulated accommodation and the role of, and profits accrued by, private providers in children’s home and fostering markets, particularly those backed by private equity.

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Source: Regulator to probe whether profit comes at expense of quality in children’s social care market