Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the cost to local authorities of keeping children in voluntary foster care due to inadequate local education provision.

Where a child is accommodated under Section 20 of the Children Act 1989, our care planning regulations and statutory guidance are clear that there should be a robust care planning and decision-making process to meet the day-to-day needs of the child. Where reunification is in the best interests of the child and will safeguard and promote their welfare, the local authority should set out the support and services to be provided once the child returns home, including suitable education provision.

The department has not carried out an assessment of the cost to local authorities incurred in cases where there has not been suitable educational provision and children have remained in voluntary foster care.

The department’s children’s social care reforms include the national rollout of the Families First Partnership programme, which will embed a new approach to Family Help and greater use of family group decision making. Family Help will wrap support around families where children in care may be able to return home safely. This includes bringing in relevant agencies or individuals from school attendance teams to support sustainable reunification.