Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many looked-after children who have one or more siblings have (a) been placed and (b) not been placed with their siblings in each of the last three years; and of those children who were not placed with their siblings (i) how many have contact with the siblings they are separated from and (ii) what the frequency is of that contact.

Local authorities hold such information in plans for looked after children and adopted children. This data is not sent to the Department. Local authorities must take account of a family’s needs when planning care for a child in so far as is consistent with the welfare of a child (which remains paramount), as set out in guidance on care placements, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-act-1989-care-planning-placement-and-case-review. Where it is not possible, or appropriate, to place siblings together, siblings must be supported to understand the reasons why. Contact arrangements between siblings must be robust and remain under independent review.