FOI request (FOI-94999702)

Independent accommodation' used for children

Requested Fri 09 November 2018
Responded  Fri 30 November 2018

Please can you help with the following five questions about 'independent accommodation' used for children, including Looked After Children (LAC), age 16 and 17 years-old or younger. 'Independent accommodation' can include B&Bs, Hotels and private rental properties.

Children, including LAC, aged 16 and 17 years old or younger housed in 'independent accommodation'

1. How many children were housed in 'independent accommodation' in 2017?

2. How long did children housed in 'independent accommodation' spend in the accommodation (one night, a week or less, a month or less, more than a month, up to three months, six months or less, six months or more)?

3. What were the ages of children housed in 'independent accommodation' (please provide a separate figure for each year of age)?

4. How regularly were safeguarding checks carried out on 'independent accommodation' used to house children in 2017?

5. Before placing LAC children in 'independent accommodation' were safeguarding risk assessments carried out on properties? If so who carried these out?

Response

Q1. Number of children housed independent accommodation in 2017 = 6

Q2. Average length of stay (days) = 58.83

Q3. Aged 16/17

Q4. Frequency of safeguarding checks - visit/telephone contact, alternate days

Q5. No 16/17 year old has been placed in independent accommodation since December 2017, at which time the emergency temporary accommodation, known as the Crash Pads, opened.