Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Recommendation 17
17
Acknowledged
Out-of-area placements traumatise children, despite some local authorities limiting numbers.
Conclusion
Too many children are being sent many miles from home, which has a traumatic and lasting impact on their lives. We were saddened to hear that a care-experienced young person had chosen not to pursue higher education as a direct result of being placed out of area. However, there are some strong examples of good practice and some local authorities have worked hard to limit the numbers of children placed out of area. (Conclusion, Paragraph 44)
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the concern about out-of-area placements, outlining investments in family help and new market management measures through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, with further details on sufficiency to be published.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The Government is committed to reducing the number of children entering care by supporting families to stay together safely. This is why we are investing in family help, kinship care and preventative services throughout the country. Where care is necessary, it is vital that children are placed in homes that meet their needs, in the right place and as close to their families and communities as possible. This is our key objective for sufficiency, and we are working to address existing capacity challenges. We are implementing new market management measures through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, including establishing a mechanism to hold groups of providers to account for improvement and strengthening the financial oversight of providers. These measures aim to create a more diverse and responsive market, capable of meeting the varying needs of children and ensuring high-quality, local placements. We are working with local authorities, across government and with the sector to support the delivery of these changes, and we will publish further details on our national approach to sufficiency in due course.