Children in care who are moved ‘out of area’

A report published by the children’s commissioner for England in December 2019 highlights that there are more than 30,000 looked-after children living “out of area” in England, an increase of 13 per cent since 2014. Over 11,000 of these children are more than 20 miles from what they would call home, with over 2,000 further than one hundred miles away. Children may be placed out of area for a number of reasons, such as keeping them safe from the threat of criminal gangs or sexual abusers. However, in some cases they are placed out of area simply because there is nowhere suitable for them to live locally. More than half of those living out of their local area (52 per cent) have special educational needs and a quarter have social, emotional and mental health needs. The report highlights that children placed long distances from home lose their support networks and are at greater risk of going missing. They also become targets for exploitation by gangs.