Coastal Academies Trust: Children in Care

(asked on 5th July 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking in response to the statement of the executive head of the Coastal Academies Trust that the trust will not be admitting out-of-county looked-after children without direction from the Secretary of State; and if he will make a statement.


Answered by
Nadhim Zahawi Portrait
Nadhim Zahawi
This question was answered on 13th July 2018

The best needs of the child should always be front and centre of every decision and we are committed to ensuring that children who have been in care are supported to succeed in education and are admitted to school without delay. That is why the School Admissions Code requires all school admission authorities, including academies, to give the highest priority in their admissions criteria to looked-after and previously looked-after children.

Whilst we recognise that there can be challenges in school admissions for looked-after children, particularly, where they are placed out of their own areas, these placements play an important part of meeting the needs of children in care. This is an issue that the government takes incredibly seriously – and we want to reduce out-of-area placements and make sure children are properly protected and able to thrive.

The government will continue to work closely with Directors of Children’s Services, who must approve any decision to move a child out of their home area, and we are supporting councils in London, so fewer children are placed in homes beyond their borders, which is backed by part of a £200 million programme.

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