Ann Coffey

The number of looked-after children in children’s homes who went missing or away without authorisation by placement location since 2015 for each local authority is shown in the attached table. The figures are presented in this combined way to reflect the fact that some authorities have informed the department that they do not record any incidents as 'away without authorisation' but instead report all incidents as 'missing' information.

The latest figures on children looked after who go missing are published in Table G1 of the statistical release, ‘Children looked after in England including adoption: 2017 to 2018’, which can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018.

All figures on the overall number of children who were looked after during the year, who were missing or away from placement without authorisation, are still classified as experimental statistics. This is the fourth year these statistics have been collected in this way, and local authorities have reported some variation over recent years in how these incidents are recorded.

As experimental statistics, figures are not comparable across years. Local authority comparisons should be treated with the same degree of caution and firm conclusions cannot be drawn about local practice. We will continue to assess whether the figures are considered robust enough to be classed as national statistics, rather than experimental.

The number of looked-after children in children’s homes by placement location since 2015 for each local authority is shown in the attached table. The latest national figures on children looked after by distance between home and placement and locality of placement are published in Table A4 of the statistical release, ‘Children looked after in England including adoption: 2017 to 2018’ which can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018.

The number of looked after children in children’s homes by placement location since 2015 for each local authority is shown in the attached table. The latest figures on children looked after by placement and placement location are published in Table A2 of the statistical release, ‘Children looked after in England including adoption: 2017 to 2018’ at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018.

The department publishes information on looked after children who go missing from care in Tables G1 and LAG1 statistical release, available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-looked-after-children.

A further breakdown of data regarding looked-after children who go missing in children’s homes is available in the attached tables. The data in the attached tables are experimental statistics and are not comparable between years as changes may be due to improved data recording. Local councils have improved their reporting of missing incidents through increased collaboration with partner organisations and carers, updated recording systems, and further training for carers to improve understanding of reporting processes.

The department publishes information on looked after children who go missing from care in Tables G1 and LAG1 statistical release, available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-looked-after-children.

A further breakdown of data regarding looked-after children who go missing in children’s homes is available in the attached tables. The data in the attached tables are experimental statistics and are not comparable between years as changes may be due to improved data recording. Local councils have improved their reporting of missing incidents through increased collaboration with partner organisations and carers, updated recording systems, and further training for carers to improve understanding of reporting processes.

The information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The latest information on children looked-after is published in the statistical release ‘Children looked-after in England including adoption: 2017 to 2018’ at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018.

The information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The latest information on children looked-after is published in the statistical release ‘Children looked-after in England including adoption: 2017 to 2018’ at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018.

The information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The latest information on children looked-after is published in the statistical release ‘Children looked-after in England including adoption: 2017 to 2018’ at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018.

The department continues to collect, review and publish data on local authorities’ use of out-of-area placements. From our latest publication, 19% of all children in care were in a placement more than 20 miles from their home at 31 March 2018.

The department is currently supporting a number of projects aimed at increasing capacity locally. Through our children’s social care Innovation Programme, we are providing £5 million of funding to 3 projects in London and the South East that will increase the capacity of residential and fostering placements in the area. We are providing 3 local authorities with seed-funding to explore the possibility of setting up new secure provision, where our data shows that out of area placements are particularly common. Later this year we will also be offering all local authorities the opportunity to bid for seed funding to develop new approaches to increasing the sufficiency of foster parents.

We have delayed recruiting board members to the Residential Care Leadership Board until it is agreed how the remit of the board will fit into the newly created National Stability Forum. The appointed Chair has continued to seek views from experts across the sector to enable the Department for Education to move forward with the agreed programme of work.

Information on the number of missing and away without authorisation incidents of looked after children in children’s homes by the location of the placement is shown in the attached table. The location reflects whether the child’s placement is inside or outside the boundary of the authority responsible for care.

This information was collected for the first time in 2014-15 and so figures for 2013-14 are not held centrally.

These statistics are experimental statistics based on data collected for the first time in 2015 and should be treated with caution. The figures are therefore not comparable between years and any assessment of trends should take this into account. The information provided does not mean that the number of children going missing or away without authorisation is changing in the volumes indicated in the table.

Information on the number of missing incidents of looked after children in children’s homes by the location of the placement is shown in the attached table.

These statistics are experimental statistics based on data collected for the first time in 2015 and should be treated with caution as local councils’ recording of this information is improving over time. The figures are therefore not comparable between years and any assessment of trends should take this into account. The information provided does not mean that the number of children going missing is increasing in the volumes indicated in the table.

Local councils have improved their reporting of missing incidents through increased collaboration with partner organisations and carers, updated recording systems, and further training for carers to improve understanding of reporting processes.

Information on the number of missing incidents of looked after children in each of the last three years by their placement type has been published in Table G1 of the statistical release ‘Children looked after in England including adoption: 2016 to 2017’ at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2016-to-2017.

Information on the number of missing incidents of looked after children by provider and the distance from the placing authority are provided in the attached table. In 2016/17, missing incidents were reported for 10,700 children, some of whom will have multiple missing incidents.

This information was collected for the first time in 2014-15 and so figures for earlier years are not available.

These statistics are experimental statistics based on data collected for the first time in 2015 and should be treated with caution as local councils’ recording of this information is improving over time. The figures are therefore not comparable between years and any assessment of trends should take this into account. The information provided does not mean that the number of children going missing is increasing in the volumes indicated in the table.

Local councils have improved their reporting of missing incidents through increased collaboration with partner organisations and carers, updated recording systems, and further training for carers to improve understanding of reporting processes.

Sir Alan Wood was appointed as chair of the Residential Care Leadership Board on the 7 November 2017. Sir Alan Wood is a public appointee and his selection followed a competitive recruitment process. Further appointments of unsalaried board members will be made in due course by the department, in consultation with the chair.

In order to make sure that the board’s efforts are focused on the areas that will have the most impact, Sir Alan Wood is undertaking a programme of engagement with the sector to understand the key issues. This will enable us to determine the right membership to take forward the work programme.

Information on the reasons looked after children were removed from their placements is published as experimental statistics in the statistical first release ‘Children looked after in England including adoption’. This information was collected for the first time in 2016 and so comparisons between years should be treated with caution.

The information shows that in 2016, 940 placements in secure units, children’s homes and semi-independent living accommodation were identified as changing because the carer requested the change due to the child’s behaviour. In 2017, this figure was 1,370 but in the same year we saw a drop in placements of that type which ended due to “other” reasons. Feedback from local authorities has identified improved recording of the reasons for placement changes so that more placements are coded under their correct reason rather than “other”. The evidence does not necessarily point to a real increase in the number of placements ending either at the request of the carer due to the child’s behaviour or at the request of the child.

Information on the reasons looked after children were removed from their placements is published as experimental statistics in the statistical first release ‘Children looked after in England including adoption’. This information was collected for the first time in 2016 and so comparisons between years should be treated with caution.

The information shows that in 2016, 940 placements in secure units, children’s homes and semi-independent living accommodation were identified as changing because the carer requested the change due to the child’s behaviour. In 2017, this figure was 1,370 but in the same year we saw a drop in placements of that type which ended due to “other” reasons. Feedback from local authorities has identified improved recording of the reasons for placement changes so that more placements are coded under their correct reason rather than “other”. The evidence does not necessarily point to a real increase in the number of placements ending either at the request of the carer due to the child’s behaviour or at the request of the child.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has submitted a request to the department for innovation funding, separate to the Innovation Programme bidding process. Their proposals are part of discussions linked to their Devolution Deal and the commitment they made to a full review of their children’s services across the ten local authorities. Minsters will make a decision based on the potential for improved outcomes for children, value for money, and genuine innovation. GMCA will be informed of the minister’s decision in due course.

The government is clear that the needs of the child are vital when making decisions about the right care placement. Local authorities have a statutory duty to consider the right placement for the child and take into account a number of factors, one of which is placement area.

Sometimes circumstances make it the right decision for a local authority to identify a placement outside of the child’s local area. For example, when a child is at risk from child sexual exploitation, trafficking or gang violence or when they need very specialist care. Out of area placements require approval from the Director of Children’s Services, and Ofsted monitors all placement decisions including out of area placements and challenges local authorities that need to improve. We are setting up a Residential Care Leadership Board, which will bring together representatives from local authorities and providers to explore how to improve commissioning of children’s residential placements. As part of this work, we expect the Board to assess data on the use of out of area placements.

Annual data recorded to 31 March 2017 showed that 50% of missing incidents were by children placed across a range of residential accommodation, including secure units, children’s homes or semi-independent living accommodation.

Local authorities are improving data collections to include all incidents of missing and so the numbers recorded are increasing (although the data is still categorised as experimental). We will continue to assess data quality.

Many residential settings do important work to provide placements and support for children with complex histories of going missing. In 2015, the government introduced Quality Standards to improve the care in homes and strengthened regulations. We have also placed a duty on local authorities to report all incidences of children going missing from care. Children’s homes must have policies to stop children going missing; and when children do go missing, they must respond in line with local police protocols.

The government considers this an important issue. The Missing Children and Adults strategy, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/missing-children-and-adults-strategy which focuses primarily on vulnerable people who go missing within England and Wales, provides a core framework in which we can all work to deliver collectively the best protection possible for missing children, adults and their families.

The Department is committed to setting up a Residential Care Leadership Board to drive significant improvements in the children’s residential care system in England. We have already advertised for the position of chair and the board will be up and running in the New Year (2018).

The board will initially focus on Sir Martin Narey’s recommendations for improving commissioning practices and developing ways of “Staying Close” for care leavers after they move out of residential homes.

Any plans for reporting on progress will be discussed with the chair on appointment.

I am sorry, but the information requested is held by Ofsted, the regulator for children’s social care. The Chief Inspector of Ofsted will write to you with this information. A copy of the letter will be placed in the House libraries.

I am sorry, but the information requested is held by Ofsted, the regulator for children’s social care. The Chief Inspector of Ofsted will write to you with this information. A copy of the letter will be placed in the House libraries.

I am sorry, but the information requested is held by Ofsted, the regulator for children’s social care. The Chief Inspector of Ofsted will write to you with this information. A copy of the letter will be placed in the House libraries.

The information requested is provided in the table below.

Numbers and percentages of children looked after at 31 March who were placed outside local authority boundary^{1, 2, 3}

Source: SSDA903

1. England and regional totals have been rounded to the nearest 10. Local authority numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5. Percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

2. Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short term placements children whose LA of placement is not known.

3. Percentages are based on the total number of children looked after at 31 March.

The Department publishes data on numbers of looked after children who have special educational needs, for children who have been looked after continuously for at least twelve months at 31 March. Figures for the last five years for which information is available have been summarised in the table below.

1. Children looked after continuously for at least twelve months as at 31 March excluding children in respite care. Only children who have been matched to census data and are aged 4 or above (at 31 March) have been included.

2. Children matched to school census and AP census, with known SEN status.

The figures are from the 2012 to 2016 Outcomes for children looked after by LAs: 31 March statistical first releases, which are available at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-looked-after-children.

Our data collection on local authority spend does not differentiate between spend on care homes and residential care.

Total local authority spend on residential care for children looked after from 2013-14 to 2015-16 is shown below. These figures are published as part of the Department’s Section 251 collection.

The section 251 return collects local authority spend on the following items specifically for looked after children: residential care, fostering services, adoption services, special guardianship support, short breaks (respite) for looked after disabled children, children placed with family and friends, education of looked after children, leaving care support services, asylum seeker services – children.

The Department publishes estimates of the weekly unit costs of residential care in the Local Authority Interactive Tool (LAIT), which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-interactive-tool-lait.

To access the relevant information, select ‘All LAs level’, then Topic ‘Children’s Service Finance’ then Indicator ‘Residential Care’. The 2015-16 figures are provisional estimates based on a proxy (2014-15 care days). The unit costs will be recalculated once 2015-16 care day figures are available.

Our data collection on local authority spend does not differentiate between spend on care homes and residential care.

Total local authority spend on residential care for children looked after from 2013-14 to 2015-16 is shown below. These figures are published as part of the Department’s Section 251 collection.

The section 251 return collects local authority spend on the following items specifically for looked after children: residential care, fostering services, adoption services, special guardianship support, short breaks (respite) for looked after disabled children, children placed with family and friends, education of looked after children, leaving care support services, asylum seeker services – children.

The Department publishes estimates of the weekly unit costs of residential care in the Local Authority Interactive Tool (LAIT), which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-interactive-tool-lait.

To access the relevant information, select ‘All LAs level’, then Topic ‘Children’s Service Finance’ then Indicator ‘Residential Care’. The 2015-16 figures are provisional estimates based on a proxy (2014-15 care days). The unit costs will be recalculated once 2015-16 care day figures are available.

The department does not collect hour-specific data on duration of missing episodes. It collects the date a looked-after child went missing, and the date the child returned to their placement so we cannot provide figures for children who were missing over 24 hours. The available information, covering children who went missing one day and returned on or after the next day is provided in the table. Figures are not comparable between 2015 and 2016.

Percentage of all looked after children during the year¹ who went missing² and returned on or after the following day³

Years ending 31 March 2015 and 2016

Coverage: England

Note: These figures are experimental – 2016 figures should not be compared to 2015 (see footnote 4).

I am sorry, but the Department does not hold the information requested.

Information on the number of looked-after children by placement type is published in table A2 of the statistical first release Children looked after in England including adoption: 2015 to 2016, which is available at: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2015-to-2016.

This information is published in the statistical first release Children looked after in England including adoption: 2015 to 2016, which is available at www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2015-to-2016.

The number of looked after children and all children who were convicted or have been subject to a final warning or reprimanded in each year by age since 2014 can be found in Table I1.

The number of looked after children who were identified as having a substance misuse problem in each year by age since 2014 can be found in Table I2. Equivalent figures are not available for all children.

The number of children who were looked after at 31 March of each of the last five years can be found in Table A1.

This information is published in the statistical first release Children looked after in England including adoption: 2015 to 2016, which is available at www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2015-to-2016.

The number of looked after children and all children who were convicted or have been subject to a final warning or reprimanded in each year by age since 2014 can be found in Table I1.

The number of looked after children who were identified as having a substance misuse problem in each year by age since 2014 can be found in Table I2. Equivalent figures are not available for all children.

The number of children who were looked after at 31 March of each of the last five years can be found in Table A1.

This information is published in the statistical first release Children looked after in England including adoption: 2015 to 2016, which is available at www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2015-to-2016.

The number of looked after children and all children who were convicted or have been subject to a final warning or reprimanded in each year by age since 2014 can be found in Table I1.

The number of looked after children who were identified as having a substance misuse problem in each year by age since 2014 can be found in Table I2. Equivalent figures are not available for all children.

The number of children who were looked after at 31 March of each of the last five years can be found in Table A1.

The Department publishes data on absence from school by type of school for children who have been looked after continuously for at least twelve months at 31 March. Figures for 2013 to 2016 are in Table 5 of the Outcomes for children looked after by LAs: 31 March 2016 statistical first release, which is available at: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/outcomes-for-children-looked-after-by-las-31-march-2016. School absence figures for all children over this period is also presented in this table.

The above statistical first release provides school types; state-funded primary, state-funded secondary and special schools. A more detailed level of school type is not readily available and it is unclear if it is required.

This information is published as experimental statistics in the statistical first release Children looked after in England including adoption which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-looked-after-children.

The number and percentage of looked after children who went missing from their placement in the year ending 31 March by region can be found in the 2014-2015 release at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2014-to-2015 and the 2015-2016 release at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2015-to-2016 in Table LAG1. The department does not distinguish between children who were missing from their placement and those who were absent from their placement. This information was collected for the first time in 2015 and so comparisons between years should be treated with caution.