It comes as research published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) last week found evidence of local authorities using so called "semi-secure" children's homes rather than secure children's homes.
A DCSF spokeswoman said: "We are concerned about the suggestion that children's liberty may be restricted in settings other than approved secure children's homes."
Developing the Market for Welfare Beds in Secure Children's Homes was one of 24 reports published by the DCSF last week.
It showed that there were seasonal variations in demand for welfare beds as budgets ran out. There was also a 30 per cent drop in demand for welfare placements over the past four years.
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