Question to the Department for Education:

What recent estimate he has made of the number of looked after children being placed in out-of-area placements as a result of the unavailability of a place in their home local authority.

The most recent figures show that 20% of all looked-after children were placed more than 20 miles from home, which is a concern.

Moving a child away from their home area is not a decision to be taken lightly and we have strengthened legislative safeguards in relation to children placed out of their local area. The needs of the child are paramount when deciding the right care placement. Local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure that there is sufficient provision for their looked after children.

We want to reduce out of area placements, but they will always be part of the care landscape. Sometimes circumstances make it the right decision for a child to be placed elsewhere, for example when they are at risk from sexual exploitation, trafficking or gang violence.

We’re helping to improve commissioning of placements, including providing funding through our £200 million children’s social care Innovation Programme. We are also providing seed funding to fostering partnerships to increase sufficiency of foster parents.

We have committed to undertaking a review of the care system. We have been clear that this review will be bold and broad, taking a fundamental look across children’s social care, with the aim of better supporting, protecting and improving the outcomes of vulnerable children and young people.