Latest statistics on children’s homes shows that, as of 31 March 2013, 48 per cent of children in residential care (2,371 children) were placed outside their home authority.
This compares with 46 per cent of children (2,249) in residential care being placed outside their home authority as of 31 March 2012.
The 5.4 per cent increase in numbers of children placed "out-of-area" comes despite widespread desire to reduce the practice.
In September last year Education Secretary Michael Gove criticised the practice of councils placing young people in children's homes outside their area as "indefensible".
He also cited children being "decanted" far away from friends and family as a contributing factor to instances of child sexual exploitation by gangs.
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