Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Recommendation 20
20
Accepted
Collect DfE data distinguishing out-of-area child placements by reasons of interest versus capacity.
Conclusion
The Department for Education should collect data on the proportion of children who are placed out of area because it is in their own interests compared with those placed out of area due to capacity issues, so that the situation can be properly monitored and any improvements can be recognised. (Recommendation, Paragraph 47)
Government response summary AI-generated
The government accepts the recommendation, committing to improving the evidence base and collecting data on the reasons for out-of-area placements, specifically distinguishing between those made in a child’s best interests and those due to capacity issues.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
Where children cannot remain safely with their families, they should live as close to home as is safely possible for them. While some children do need and want to be placed at a distance from their home, too many children are placed at a distance when it is not in their best interests. This is why we are investing to support local authorities in their recruitment of new foster carers, and building of new children’s homes, so that they are better able to meet their sufficiency duty. The Department has worked with analysts and local authority data systems specialists to explore the feasibility of collecting data on the reason for out of area placements as part of our annual returns. While local leaders should have a good understanding of the reasons that individual children are placed out of area, requiring national reporting would be both costly to local authorities and add additional burdens to local authorities and the social workers working with children in care. We therefore believe it to be a better use of time and valuable taxpayer resources to tackle the causes of out of area placements.
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