Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to review licensing arrangements for children's homes in densely populated residential areas.

It is essential that there are enough children’s homes for those vulnerable children who need residential care, and that these homes are in the areas children live so they can stay as part of their wider communities.

All homes must register with Ofsted and in order to register as a children’s home, providers are required to undertake a location assessment which must show the steps that have been taken to ensure the location is safe and promotes positive opportunities for children. Ofsted will take a view on whether these requirements have been met.

The department is developing options in regard to planning of children’s homes, including considering the location of new homes and registration requirements.