Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional (a) funding and (b) support his Department has provided to meet (i) the costs and (ii) the needs of vulnerable children in social care placements over the past 12 months.

The government is committed to ensuring that vulnerable children and young people have safe and stable homes, to give them the highest chances of success.

Last year, the government provided an additional £6 billion of funding directly to councils to support them with the immediate and long-term impacts of COVID-19 spending pressures.

My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced at this year’s Budget, that government is providing local authorities with £4.8 billion of new grant funding over the next Spending Review period. This will enable the sector to maintain vital frontline services, including children’s social care.

£259 million was also announced over the Spending Review period to maintain capacity and expand provision in secure and open residential children’s homes. This will provide high quality, safe homes for some of our most vulnerable children and young people. This is a continuation of the 2021-22 financial years funding of up to £24 million to maintain capacity and expand provision in secure children’s homes, and up to £6.5 million for open residential children’s homes.