The government plans to introduce new 鈥渜uality assurance frameworks鈥� backed by “national standards” on unregistered alternative provision. The Department for Education will today launch a consultation that also sets out proposals to use unregistered alternative provision “as an intervention, not a destination, to complement the education provided in school鈥�. The consultation 鈥渁lso proposes measures for providers to be subject to new, proportionate quality assurance frameworks, underpinned by national standards鈥�. The proposals 鈥渂uild on the findings of the government鈥檚 previous call for evidence鈥�, However, no further details of the proposals have been provided ahead of the consultation鈥檚 launch. Last year, a Schools Week investigation revealed how children as young as five were increasingly sent to unregulated institutions, which are not inspected by Ofsted or properly overseen by local authorities. We found that a third of councils had no idea how many pupils in their regions are educated in unregulated settings. And while some provide irreplaceable support to vulnerable children let down by other services, one Ofsted inspector says many young people are 鈥渓ost and left out of sight, out of mind鈥�. ‘Rigorous oversight’ The DfE said in its SEND and AP improvement plan last year that it had seen call for evidence responses 鈥渢hat reflect small, flexible provision being able to address individual need in supporting children and young people to engage with education鈥�. 鈥淲e have also heard powerful testimony from young adults who feel their life chances were transformed through attending non-school settings.鈥� The DfE said some local areas had 鈥渟trong delivery models, for example, with close management by local authorities or alternative provision schools, of frameworks offering quality assured providers, backed up by strong attendance management systems, safeguarding controls and support for wider development鈥�. 鈥淗owever, this approach is not enough on its own. It can only be effective alongside rigorous oversight of pupil placements and continual attention to the needs of the child.鈥� In the 鈥渂est systems鈥�, planning for the end of the placement 鈥渂egins at the outset, with a focus on the pupil’s progression back into mainstream education鈥�. They said at the time they were analysing responses and having 鈥渇urther conversations with providers, commissioners and users on potential implications of the proposals, such as restricting the use of unregistered settings to part-time or time-limited placements, and how such placements should complement education in school鈥�. The government has also today named areas that will get 16 new special free schools, and announced which trusts will set up a further seven across England.