Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that children who have been looked after because of abuse or neglect receive appropriate support and monitoring to prevent further abuse when they return home.

A robust assessment of the needs of a child and their family and how these needs will be met through on-going support from the local authority is crucial if children are to return home safely and successfully from care. The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 are clear that the child’s care plan must provide details of the advice, assistance and support that the responsible authority intends to provide after the child has returned home. Page 19 of Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013 sets out the principles and parameters of a good assessment. The guidance is published online at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children

Improving practice when children return home from care is a priority for the Government. In 2013 we consulted on a range of proposals to improve permanence for looked-after children. Department for Education officials have convened a meeting of the relevant Expert Group on 9 September to discuss these issues and the Government’s formal response will be published later this year.