Care homes 'a conveyor belt of vulnerable teens'

£2m a week is spent on 'inadequate' kids' facilities |  Gang leaders exploiting system 'unfit for purpose

- NICK SOMMERLAD and TOM PETTIFOR

HUNDREDS of vulnerable children were found to be languishing in inadequate children's homes that cost taxpayers £2million a week.

Some are recruited by drug gangs and exposed to "even greater harm" after being taken into care, a former Children's Commissioner has warned.

Our investigation found more than £100m of taxpayers' money could have been spent on places at children's homes given the lowest possible rating given by Ofsted inspectors last year.

Providers are typically paid at least £200,000 a year for each youngster and we found there were 539 spaces in the 156 homes rated inadequate during the 12 months to March.

One home was rated "good" by inspectors in May 2021 - but was suspended by Ofsted six months later.

One child went missing for four days - after initial checks, staff made no efforts to find them for 48 hours.

A second was "involved with known drug dealers" and told inspectors they "do not feel safe at the home due to the disinterest of staff and managers".