Data set from Children looked after: A focus on placement location

CLA placed outside neighbouring LAs by placement type

Latest data
Published
Last updated
Children looked after on 31 March 2024 placed outside their own local authority, outside neighbouring local authorities and over 20 miles from home, by placement type, including average distance placed.

Data set details

Theme
Children's social care
Publication
Children looked after: A focus on placement location
Release type
Number of rows
10
Geographic levels
National
Indicators
  • Average distance (miles) of placement
  • Number
  • Percentage
Filters
  • Type of placement for children looked after outside of neighbouring LAs
Time period
2024

Data set preview

Table showing first 5 rows, from underlying data
time_periodtime_identifiergeographic_levelcountry_namecountry_codeplacement_groupaverage_distancechild_countpercent_count
2024Reporting yearNationalEnglandE92000001Other residential settings and residential schools73.15405.1
2024Reporting yearNationalEnglandE92000001Placed with parents or other person with parental responsibility89.13102.9
2024Reporting yearNationalEnglandE92000001Other placements79.73603.4
2024Reporting yearNationalEnglandE92000001Placed for adoption91.56305.9
2024Reporting yearNationalEnglandE92000001Independent and semi-independent living arrangements / supported accomodation63.62302.2

Variables in this data set

Table showing all 4 variables
Variable nameVariable description
average_distanceAverage distance (miles) of placement
child_countNumber
percent_countPercentage
placement_groupType of placement for children looked after outside of neighbouring LAs

Footnotes

  1. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. Percentages rounded to the nearest whole number. Figures in some tables may be suppressed, denoted by a 'c', percentages <0.5% are denoted by a 'k' . Historical data may differ from older children looked after publications which is mainly due to amendments made by local authorities after the publication. Figures exclude children looked after under a series of short-term placements.
  2. CLA are defined as placed ‘outside the neighbouring LAs’ when the placement is outside the responsible LA, outside the neighbouring LAs that share a physical border and over 20 miles from their home address.
  3. In 2024 there were 153 local authorities and 13 secure units in England, therefore most placements will inevitably be outside the local authority boundary.
  4. The category 'Independent and semi-independent living arrangements/ supported accommodation' reports data for young people in placements in former semi-independent living arrangements and living independently up to and including 2023. From 2024 all placements are supported accommodation (registered with Ofsted). From 28 October 2023 it became illegal for young people to be placed in former semi independent and independent living placements. Supported accommodation providers were required to submit a completed application to Ofsted by 28 October 2023. In 2024, young people who were placed in former semi independent and independent living placements with providers who had not submitted a completed application by the deadline are reported within the 'Other' category.
  5. The average distance relates to the mean average.

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If you have a specific enquiry about CLA placed outside neighbouring LAs by placement type statistics and data:

Children's Social Care Analysis and Research

Email: Martyn.RATH@education.gov.uk
Contact name: Martyn Rath