I would be grateful if you could provide the following information relating to children’s home placements and supported accommodation placements for young people aged 16–17 within your Local Authority.

1. The current weekly rates paid for:
• Children’s home placements
• Supported accommodation placements for 16–17-year-olds

2. Please provide any pricing bandings or fee structures used, for example:
• Standard placements
• Solo placements
• Complex/high-risk placements
• Emergency placements
• Parent and child placements (if applicable)

3. The average weekly cost paid per placement during:
• 2023/24
• 2024/25
• 2025/26 to date

4. Whether placements are commissioned through:
• Framework agreements
• Spot purchasing
• Block contracts

5. Whether the Local Authority operates a preferred provider framework for:
• Children’s homes
• Supported accommodation providers

6. The current number of:
• Children placed in children’s homes
• Young people aged 16–17 placed in supported accommodation

7. The proportion of placements that are:
• In-area
• Out-of-area

8. Whether enhanced rates are paid for:
• Emergency placements
• High-risk placements
• Solo occupancy arrangements
• Deprivation of liberty or enhanced supervision arrangements

9. Copies of any current commissioning guidance, fee structure documents, provider expectations, or sufficiency strategies relating to:
• Children’s homes
• Supported accommodation for 16–17-year-olds

10. Details of any current shortages, sufficiency pressures, or placement gaps identified by the Local Authority relating to either provision type.

If any part of this request exceeds the appropriate cost limit, please provide the information for the most recent financial year available.