Looked After Children (also referred to as LAC, children in care, or children looked after by a local authority) - Find a freedom of information request

I would like to request the following information regarding Looked After Children (also referred to as LAC, children in care, or children looked after by a local authority)

1. Please could you supply the name, job title, email address and telephone number of the commissioner with responsibility for Looked After Children and/or placements in children's care homes.

For questions 2 through 6, please supply the following information for the financial years 2020/21 to 2023/24, and where possible, the budget or most up to date snapshot available for 2024/25.

2. Please provide the total number of children looked after by the local authority (please include all placements at any point throughout the financial year).

3. Please provide the local authority's total expenditure on placements for looked after children in regulated children's homes (this is the total spend on all looked after children and should exclude expenses related to travel, social work visits etc).

4. Of the total number of children looked after by the local authority (q.2) please provide the number of placements in children's homes (not including unregulated children's homes, secure units or hostels)

5. Of the total number of children looked after by the local authority in regulated children's homes (q.4) please provide the number placed inside the local authority boundary (in area) and the number placed outside the local authority boundary (out of area). Please exclude unregulated children's homes.

6. Of the number of children looked after by the local authority in regulated children's homes, please provide the number of children looked after by the local authority in:

* In placements inside the local authority boundary, in 'own provision' (operated by the local authority)

* In placements outside the local authority boundary, in 'own provision' (operated by the local authority)

* In placements inside the local authority boundary, in 'private provision' (operated by the independent sector)

* In placements outside the local authority boundary, in 'private provision' (operated by the independent sector)

7. For the current financial year (or as recent as possible, provide date), please provide the highest, average (mean), and lowest weekly fee paid for LAC in a regulated children's home (please include all placements in regulated children's homes, including those in and outside of the local authority boundary, as well as those operated by the local authority, the independent sector, and others).

1. Amy Allcock, Commissioning Manager, amy.allcock@lincolnshire.gov.uk

2. TOTAL NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN CARE AT ANY POINT DURING EACH PERIOD [FY]:

2020/2021 – 906

2021/2022 – 990

2022/2023 – 1038

2023/2024 – 1090

2024/2025 – 929 (as at 17/09/2024)

3. INDEPENDENT PLACEMENTS ONLY:

20/21 – £10,531,450.30

21/22 – £11,652,425.62

22/23 – £8,694,898.67

23/24 – £9,109,049.47

24/25 – £67,935,858.24 (Predicted cost to end of financial year as of 11/09/24 based on current costs)

4. INDEPENDENT PLACEMENTS ONLY:

20/21 – 51

21/22 - 64

22/23 - 49

23/24 - 49

24/25 – 44 (as of 11/09/24)

5. See question 6

6. INDEPENDENT PLACEMENTS ONLY:

20/21 -1

21/22 - 7

22/23 - 8

23/24 - 21

24/25 – 16 (as of 11/9)

* In placements outside the local authority boundary, in 'private provision' (operated by the independent sector)

INDEPENDENT PLACEMENTS ONLY:

20/21 - 50

21/22 - 57

22/23 - 41

23/24 - 28

24/25 – 28 (as of 11/9)

REGULATED CHILDREN’S HOMES, LA OWN PROVISION (Placement = “K2” [Children’s Homes subject to Children’s Homes Regulations] & Placement Provider = “PR1” & Placement postcode within LA); Number of children =

2020/2021 – 35

2021/2022 – 36

2022/2023 – 34

2023/2024 – 39

2024/2025 – 37 (as at 17/09/2024)

* In placements outside the local authority boundary, in 'own provision' (operated by the local authority)

CHILDREN’S HOMES, LA OWN PROVISION (Placement = “K2” & Placement Provider = “PR1” & Placement postcode outside LA). Number of children =

2020/2021 – 0

2021/2022 – 0

2022/2023 – 0

2023/2024 – 0

2024/2025 – 0 (as at 17/09/2024)

7. INDEPENDENT PLACEMENTS ONLY: Figures as of 11/9/24

Highest - £17,673.94

Lowest - £3,144.96

Average - £7,568.57