Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to review the deaths of 22 children in care aged 16 and 17 while they were living in (a) semi-independent or (b) independent accommodation between 2018 and 2020.

When a child dies, in any circumstances, it is important to understand what has happened and whether there are any lessons to be learned. The responsibility for ensuring child death reviews are carried out is held by the local authority and any clinical commissioning groups operating in the local authority area.

In addition to these reviews, where a child dies or is seriously harmed, and neglect or abuse is known or suspected, it is the responsibility of the local Safeguarding Partnership to undertake a local child safeguarding practice review. The National Panel will also review all notifications of serious incidents and consider relevant learning. Where learning is of national importance, the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel may undertake a national review. The department will respond or disseminate national recommendations made in these reviews.