{"value":{"id":1757532,"askingMemberId":5330,"askingMember":null,"house":"Commons","memberHasInterest":false,"dateTabled":"2025-01-21T00:00:00","dateForAnswer":"2025-01-23T00:00:00","uin":"25583","questionText":"To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which local authority is responsible for children's care when they are relocated to a privately run children's home by a local authority.","answeringBodyId":60,"answeringBodyName":"Department for Education","isWithdrawn":false,"isNamedDay":false,"groupedQuestions":[],"answerIsHolding":false,"answerIsCorrection":false,"answeringMemberId":4698,"answeringMember":null,"correctingMemberId":null,"correctingMember":null,"dateAnswered":"2025-01-29T00:00:00","answerText":"<p>The local authority which has responsibility to provide services for a looked after child will be the authority within which the child is when the responsibility arises, for example when they are subject to a Section 20 or Care Order. This duty remains in place when a child is placed in a privately run children’s home, even if this home is located outside of the local authority.</p><p>Under Section 22G of the Children Act 1989, local authorities have a duty to ensure that they provide accommodation that meets children’s needs and is within the authority’s area. The decision to place a looked after child outside the area of the responsible authority (including a placement outside England) must not be put into effect until it has been approved by a nominated officer, and, if the placement is at a distance, the director of children’s services. The responsible authority must notify the authority area of the child’s placement, but responsibility for the child remains with the placing local authority.</p>","originalAnswerText":"","comparableAnswerText":"","dateAnswerCorrected":null,"dateHoldingAnswer":null,"attachmentCount":0,"heading":"Children in Care","attachments":[],"groupedQuestionsDates":[]},"links":[{"rel":"self","href":"/Questions/1757532","method":"GET"}]}