Regulated Children's Homes Operated

I would like to request the following information regarding Looked After Children (also referred to as children looked after).



1. Please could you supply the name, job title, telephone number and email address of the commissioner with responsibility for Looked After Children and/or placements in children's homes.



For questions 2-5 and 7, please supply data for the following financial years - 2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25, and, where possible, an estimate or most up-to-date snapshot available for 2025/26.



2. Of the number of children looked after by the local authority on 31 March, please provide the number in regulated children's homes (excluding unregulated children's homes, secure units and hostels).



3. Of the number of children looked after by the local authority on 31 March in regulated children's homes (Q2), please provide the number placed inside the local authority boundary (in-area) and the number placed outside the local authority boundary (out-of-area).



4. Of the number of children looked after by the local authority on 31 March in regulated children's homes, please provide the number in:

a) In-area regulated children's homes operated by the local authority

b) Out-of-area regulated children's homes operated by the local authority

c) In-area regulated children's homes operated by the private/voluntary sector

d) Out-of-area regulated children's homes operated by the private/voluntary sector.



5. Please provide the local authority's total expenditure on placements for Looked After Children in regulated children's homes during the financial year ending 31 March. Expenditure should exclude expenses related to travel, social work visits, travel arrangements/accommodation for contact visits from relatives/guardians, and non-staff transport costs.



6. For the current financial year ending 31 March 2026 or as recent as possible (provide date), please provide the highest, average (mean), and lowest weekly fees currently paid by the local authority for placements for Looked After Children in regulated children's homes. Please include data across all placements in regulated children's homes, independent of whether they are made in-area or out-of-area and in local authority or private/voluntary sector provision.



7. Please provide the total number of children (children looked after and children in need) accessing short-break-only children's homes on 31 March.



8. Please kindly include responses on the attached spreadsheet, in an Excel (.xlsx) format.

1. All enquiries relating to placements in independent sector Residential Children's Homes or Independent Foster Care or independent Supported Accommodation for Children in Care should be directed to LCCPlacements@lincolnshire.gov.uk. All placement activity is operated from there, currently under the auspices of Lincolnshire County Council's Open Select List (OSL). More details on how the OSL operates, how you can join, and the terms and conditions that apply can be found at:

https://professionals.lincolnshire.gov.uk/children%E2%80%99s-commissioning

2.

3.

4a.

b.

c.

d.

5. In-house residential

2023/2024 £7,809,430.45

2024/2025 £10,142,331.76

2025/2026 forecasted net spend is £10,834,203.99 (excluding travel as shown below)

The figures do not include LA overheads.

6. As of 11 March 2026:

Highest: £16,750/ week

Average: £7,386/ week

Lowest: £3,500/week

7.