I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in relation to children’s placement demand, sufficiency, and associated costs within your authority. Please provide the following information for the financial years 2023/24, 2024/25, and 2025/26 (year to date).

1. Current Placement Demand and Sufficiency
Please provide, where recorded:
• The number of children and young people currently requiring placement in:
o Children’s residential homes
o Supported accommodation (including 16–17 year olds)
o Residential family assessment placements
• The number of children and young people currently awaiting placement or awaiting a suitable placement
• The number of children currently placed outside the local authority area
• The number of placements made on an emergency or same-day basis

2. Placement Type and Regulatory Status
Please provide, where recorded:
• The number of children placed in:
o Registered children’s homes
o Settings not registered with Ofsted as children’s homes where such registration would ordinarily be required
• The number of children placed in supported accommodation (16–17 year olds)
• Where recorded, the number of those placements with providers that are:
o Registered under the supported accommodation framework
o Not registered under the supported accommodation framework

3. Placement Activity
Please provide the total number of placements commissioned in each year, broken down by:
• Children’s residential homes
• Supported accommodation
• Residential family assessment placements

4. Placement Costs
Please provide, where recorded, the average weekly cost for:
• Children’s residential placements
• Supported accommodation
• Residential family assessment placements
• Solo placements
• Placements with 2:1 staffing support
• Solo placements with at least 2:1 staffing support
• Placements with enhanced or higher staffing ratios (for example 3:1 or above)

Notes
• If this request exceeds the appropriate cost limit, please provide advice and assistance to refine the request in line with Section 16 of the Act.
• If exact data is not held, please provide the closest available equivalent.
• If any of this information is already publicly available, please provide a link.