Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) inspect residential care homes in Scotland where (i) referrals are made for children residing in England and (ii) children with primary home addresses in England are staying.

The department collects and publishes data on the number of children’s residential placements, including children placed in Scotland. The data is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/methodology/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions-methodology#content-section-4-content-5.

Local authorities hold the responsibility for monitoring a child in residential care where they have legal responsibility for that child. Each child’s care, including contact and monitoring, is agreed and detailed in their individual care plan. All residential care homes are inspected, and this is the responsibility of the Care Inspectorate in Scotland, and Ofsted in England.