Catalyst Care Limited has become the first provider of unregistered children’s homes to face a successful criminal prosecution. Ofsted initiated the legal action, resulting in the company directors pleading guilty at Croydon Magistrates’ Court to failing to register their facilities.
Between 2022 and 2025, the Croydon-based firm managed three homes in Kent that housed up to nine children. During this tenure, the company collected over £1.7 million in payments from local authorities, despite repeated warnings from regulators regarding their non-compliance. Directors Miriam Ekhator and Davidson Lynch-Shyllon were issued fines totaling £92,400, alongside additional costs and victim surcharges. Furthermore, both individuals have been disqualified from managing or holding financial interests in children’s homes.
A representative for Catalyst Care Limited argued that the focus was on the children rather than administrative requirements, claiming the failure was not rooted in malice. However, the prosecution highlighted that unregistered homes lack necessary oversight, leaving children without guarantees regarding their safety or the suitability of their environment.
With an estimated 900 illegal children’s homes operating across England, Ofsted is intensifying efforts to address this shadow market. While local councils often use these settings due to a shortage of registered placements for children with complex needs, officials have emphasized that such operations will no longer be tolerated. Government ministers and the Children’s Commissioner have welcomed the conviction, viewing it as a significant step toward ensuring vulnerable children receive proper care.
