Data collected by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) on three local authorities found they did not make looked-after children a high priority when assigning school places.
Announcing the findings in Parliament, Balls said: "I expect all local authorities to ensure the most vulnerable children, those in care or with statements of special educational needs, are placed in the most appropriate school as required by law, whatever admissions criteria may have been used."
Kevin Williams, chief executive of The Adolescent and Children's Trust, supported the government's scrutiny of admission procedures: "I'm impressed the government has undertaken this internal process to analyse admissions for 2008. I am pleased with the immediate steps for the 2008 process. Balls is not saying looked-after children have to go through the appeals process, he's saying local authorities have to act immediately."
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