Statistics published by Ofsted show that, as of 31 March 2013, the average local authority had looked-after children from 27 other councils living within their boundary.
The finding will add to concerns about out-of-area placements raised recently by politicians, with Education Secretary Michael Gove saying he wanted no child to be placed more than 20 miles from their home authority and the education select committee calling for the practice to be ended completely.
The figures, published for the first time and covering all types of placement – fostering, adoption, residential care, placement with parents, and other placements - also reveals the difference between individual authorities. In Redcar & Cleveland, six local authorities placed children while in Kent it was 85 local authorities.
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