Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when his Department plans to publish (a) updated transparency data on looked-after children in independent or semi-independent placements for the year ending 31 March 2020 and (b) a response to the consultation on unregulated provision for children in care and care leavers.

The latest information on children looked after in England, including the number of looked after children placed in independent and semi-independent placements on 31 March 2020, is contained in the children looked after in England statistics release, which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions.

Children in care and care leavers are some of the most vulnerable children and young people in society, and we must do all that we can to ensure that they have access to suitable, safe and secure accommodation that meets their needs and keeps them safe. Our consultation on unregulated provision for children in care and care leavers asked for views on a set of ambitious proposals to reform unregulated provision for children in care and care leavers, including banning the use of independent and semi-independent placements for children and young people under the age of 16, the introduction of new national standards in independent and semi-independent provision and giving Ofsted new legal powers to act against illegal providers.

The consultation received a strong response from the sector, and care-experienced young people. We will publish the government’s response to the consultation in due course.