Children in Care: Illegal Accommodation

Baroness Hussein-Ece Excerpts

Thursday 12th March 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

The noble Lord touches on a very important and sensitive issue. Too often, young people are labelled by what happens to them. It is critical that, where we get the opportunity to engage with young people, we bring together their peer group to give support, along with all the other agencies that can offer help and guidance and steer them on their way forward. I absolutely agree that social justice should be at the heart of everything we do in this place.

[Baroness Hussein-Ece (LD)]

My Lords, do this Government know exactly where these children are and where they are placed? Do we have the data available so that these children can be tracked down and protected in the way that they should be, and so that local authorities, where necessary, can step in to offer the support they need?

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

That, again, is an important point. The collection of data is critical, and local authorities need to submit that data annually. However, data is only as good as its interpretation and use. I am afraid that, although we have much data, we do not focus on what it is telling us and what we can do to bring improvements. That will be our focus going forward.