Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that sibling groups in the foster system are placed together.

The statutory framework is clear that local authorities must ensure a placement enables a child to live with their sibling, if the sibling is also looked after. However, it is not always possible or appropriate to place sibling groups together. The child’s – or children’s - best interests are paramount. Where siblings cannot be placed together, contact should be actively encouraged and facilitated unless this goes against the child’s best interest.

Every child’s care plan must contain information about the arrangements for promoting and maintaining contact with siblings who are not placed together.