The local authority here describes itself as 'helpless' and worrying about the safety of the child. The follow-up question that needs asking to this or any LA feeling this way are what steps they are taking to avoid being in this situation for the next child in this scenario. 6/

It is, and always has been, entirely open to the local authorities to work to commissioned registered placements for these children, or establish in-house provision for them - some local authorities are already working on this to avoid the problems described in this article. 5/

The reality is that the providers are being begged by the local authorities to put together these unregistered placements because without them, the child will be in an even worse position, and LAs are arguing the court that the child *needs* to go there for their safety. 4/

And yet, daily in courts across the country and particularly in the National DOLS court, local authorities are reporting that after making hundreds of inquiries with providers across the country, there are no registered providers willing and able to look after the child. 3/

This problem of limited provision for children with complex needs has been entirely well-recognised for years and been the subject of dozens of High Court judgments, duly sent to ministers and the Children' s Commissioner. 2/