Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to publish an impact assessment on the (a) rolling out and (b) practices of secure (i) schools and (ii) children's homes in England and Wales.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is responsible for Secure Schools policy and will commission a feasibility study in 2023/24. This feasibility study will inform process and impact evaluations, as well as longer term work on reducing reoffending and on a potential second secure school. MoJ expects the evaluation strategy to be in place at least six months before the first Secure School opening. MoJ will publish the impact evaluation, though a date for publication is not known at present.

The Department for Education has policy responsibility for secure children’s homes. The responsibility for ensuring a looked after child or young person is placed in the appropriate care setting lies with local authorities as they are best placed to understand the specific needs of individual children in their care. The department does not monitor the practice of secure children’s homes, which are regulated by Ofsted, who inspect them twice each year. Inspection reports outline how well the secure children’s home meets the needs of the children living there. Ofsted can take enforcement action when they are not meeting the regulations, including the quality standards.

The government is supporting local authorities to meet their statutory duty to ensure that there is sufficient provision for children they look after through a £259 million capital investment programme in the secure and open children’s homes estate, creating approximately 400 new placements. The department will monitor how well the capital investment programme delivers against its objectives.